YNY at Cupar09

unique soi-disant fashion statement?

Yesterday I gave up my precious weekend afternoon to wander around Cupar handing out Sam Spreckley’s braw wee comic of cosmic drawings. Having a natural aversion to uniforms I was distressed to find I was going to have to sport a Yuck ‘n Yum cap, bag and jacket combo will attempting to convince the good and bad people of Cupar that the pamphlet I was thrusting into into their disinterested faces was not some religious text or trying to sell them anything. Ben, Yuck ‘n Yum’s shop jockey, pointed out that although I was wearing a uniform that I was the only one who in the town dressed like a corporately branded art twat it was less of a uniform more of a unique soi-disant fashion statement.

Sam Spreckley

Made especially for the Cupar Arts Festival my zine entitled ‘Cosmic Nuggets’ is based around a universe of unique characters.  The work is focused primarily on the creation of Spreckley’s own species, letting his imagination run free to create an ongoing series of ‘beings’.

Sam Spreckley is a video artist and sound designer currently based in the North East of Scotland.  He has shown his work Nationally and Internationally at film festivals and competitions.  During the past few years he has been nominated twice for a Scottish Students on Screen award (winning in 2006) and in 2009 was nominated for a Bafta New Talent Award.  Since graduating from Dundee University he has focused on creating new moving image projects and working as a freelance editor, sound designer and camera operator.

www.vimeo.com/beginbeing

www.flickr.com/photos/samspreckley

www.flickr.com/photos/cosmicnuggets

the friendly face of art distribution

Ice Cream and Art, what a fab combo!

It has been the most beautiful sunny day in Cupar, lots of people out on the streets enjoying it. Most people that I have approached have been very pleased to be given some art, especially once they realise that there are no strings attached.
I started off pottering around looking at different venues,got involved in some good conversations, there is alot to see here.. So after my delicious lunch provided by Gayle, I dragged her out to help. The going was good and lots of people were pleased to be accosted by us.

Written by Hammy 16th October 2009

Today our YYADA will be handing out a DVD entitled ‘Play’ by Luke Collins

PLAY: A new story in 3 parts

PLAY (2009) uses image, appropriated footage and music to juxtapose 3 distinct characters.

Working principally with video Luke Collins weaves tension and contradiction with the mechanisms of seduction used in popular culture. And explores our relationships to images using theatrical and cinematic devices.

Luke Collins

b.1979 London

BA: Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art

MFA: Glasgow School of Art

There were more people on the streets than I expected on this sunless weekday in Cupar; mainly elderly solos who were likely to be assertively uninterested. Perhaps they are spoiled for regular human interaction, or just highly suspicious. The children and teenagers were quite grateful for their free prints and genuinely interested in the festival so it’s a shame there weren’t more of them. Over all quite a rewarding experience and the perfect way to explore the festival. Also I really liked the spicy soup.

Written by Imogen Scott 15th of October 2009

Anna graduated from Duncan Of Jordanstone in 2007. She has shown both nationally and internationally and is currently the chair person of GENERATORprojects an artist ran space in Dundee.

Remember and watch out for our YYADA

Standing to attention before Gayle goes out into the battlefield.

My main role at the festival is to make sure our wonderful YYADAs are well fed, watered and generally being the Yuck ‘n Yum point of contact. However today I was on the frontline.

After a strong cup of coffee I was ready to leave the confines of our cosy base camp and disseminate some art. Of course what could be better than a very delicate and beautiful badge made by Sanna Dyker.

I began my walk down the Millgate chatting to the public on the way,

“Can I interest you in some free art Madam/Sir?”

“What’s the catch, nothing is free in life”

“Why Sir that is where you are wrong, this is free, a gift from me to you!’”

To be honest the majority of the public were very positive towards me and I only had a few

” Nah sorry love, I am not really an arty person”

Once the Millgate had been conquered it was time for the Bonnygate!  So I headed towards the YMCA weaving in and out of the Cupar Charity shops spotting Clive Gillman’s work as well as Andrea Sawyers and Val Norris’s kitsch window display in the Fisher and Donaldson bakers. I arrived at the YMCA and headed to the Attic Archive, there I had a lovely chat with Peter an artist/archivist who had some of his collection on display.   We discussed mail art  plus my astonishment that still many of the public were unaware that the festival was going on, despite countless posters, flyers, newspaper features etc.  Peter kindly pointed out that word of mouth was the best form of advertisement so in that instance  I thought enough chit chat lets get back to the job at hand.  I headed back to base camp handing out the remaining badges along the way.  My mission complete.

Written by Gayle Meikle 14th October

Today’s freebee was the actual, physical Yuck’nYum. I was told by participating artists that I looked the part (I was kitted out like those terribly attractive people who used to hand out free cigarettes). Basically, lots of people accepted the zine happily; all stock was got rid of. Perhaps even half of the people I asked went for one. Obviously, I had to warn everybody that some of the content might offend some people, but quite a few eyes lit up when I said that (“me I won’t be offended!”), so that almost seemed to be a selling point. Lovely to see so many people who are proud to be open-minded. Interest in the festival seemed to be strong; there was a demand for the Festival Programmes I also had on me, though donations were a bit less forthcoming, though that shouldn’t detract from the kind supportiveness that I also encountered. The festival team seem to make the YYADAs so welcome, and I do want to add how stunned I was by the festival, though that means admitting this was my first time there.

Written by Volker Rosenberg 13th October 2009

DAY THREE, Our YYADA just before he sets off to hand out our latest zine!

The latest issue handed out today in Cupar.

Sunday: today i thought that there would be lots of people out and about due to people heading to church. However, I forgot that Cupar as a small town is closed on a Sunday, so many of the shops were shut. The morning was like a ghost town, and anyone who I talked though they seemed interested in the ideas and principles behind the project didn’t want to take the Marmalade – it was sometime like I was offending them by offering them some free marmalade. Maybe people don’t take me to have a very trust worthy face. The day picked up and people were pleased with what they were receiving. A chap even commented on whether or not Yuck ‘n Yum was some newfangled American trend that was hitting the UK, as he’d seen people wearing the badges.

Written by Ewan Manson 11th of October

Today's artist's product! yum yum

Ewan Manson is our Artist today, he will be handing out marmalade so come on down to Cupar.

Ewan Manson

- Mother Structures -

Composition // Neighbourhood // Order // Equivalence

Carrying the idea of symbolism is the key to a higher level of structural abstraction.

Ewan Manson graduated from Duncan of Jordanstone 2006

From Jul 2006 unitl Nov 2008 he was the install Technician and Chairperson of GENERATORprojects, Dundee

Since graduating Ewan was selected to take part in Braveart 2006, They Had Four Years 2007, The Six Cities Design Festival and has exhibited across Scotland.

He also makes wine and has an allotment.