Photo by Gareth Gardner

The fabulous Discovery Pavilion comes down this week. The billboard for our 4 month season celebrating the opening of Library of Birmingham, it’s closure makes the end of the Discovery season.

It was a huge programme, one that we’re immensely proud of at Capsule; spanning visual art, film, workshops, a publishing fair, craft, lectures, food and of course live music. Some of the highlights include the Together We Breathe mass brass performance on opening day, the Harvesting Stories project celebrating Birmingham’s people through their recipes, and the Discovery Trail inspired by the library’s collection.Not forgetting of course the Pavilion, a dynamic structure that housed a rolling programme of creative residencies touching on vintage sci fi, book binding, typography, intimate theatre performances and sound art. There’s always been something fun and new to do in the Pavilion over the past few months, and we’re definitely going to miss it.

And what better tribute to the Pavilion than this? 2arttoyguys continue to bowl us over with their creativity and craft, they’ve created a miniature model of the Studio Myerscough designed Pavilion, and it looks amazing.

 

Enormous thanks to all the artists and programme partners who contributed to the whole season and to Lorna and Gush who took such good care of the Pavilion.

Thanks to those who have attended events and taken part – we do hope you enjoyed it.

 

Masaki Batoh at Bring To Light

In case you missed it, The Quietus published this great review of our mini Supersonic Festival, Bring To Light.

“…another name should be added to Birmingham’s ‘Star Walk’ that genuinely lines its crippled pavements. And that name is Capsule. They are the small but dedicated team behind the mighty Supersonic Festival, an annual masterclass in extreme musical wonderment and as reliable in their curation as a fresh pack of Jaffa Cakes. However this year is a little different. In the usual Supersonic slot, a much smaller event called Bring To Light is scheduled, mostly set in Birmingham’s shiny new Library but with less bands, and less ‘bigger’ bands at that. However, such is my trust in Capsule, only a lunatic on the scale of Pinky (of Pinky And The Brain fame) would skip this…

Capsule’s uncompromising events have frequently saved me (and most likely many others) from severe internal tumult. Bring To Light is no exception – a bombardment of the revolting and the sublime which has furthered my pride in their work.”

Read the full review featuring Richard Dawson, Dinos Chapman, Evil Blizzard, Clipping and more via The Quietus

Terrorizer magazine have published a review of the OM and ORE trio show, by Kez Whelan. In a word ‘stunning’.

Image courtesy of http://tramped-rose.blogspot.co.uk

From all of the Capsule team have a great festive season – see you on the other side
Over n out

Masaki Batoh at Bring To Light

Each end of year round up we’ve done in recent times seems to involve a few ‘wow, huge year’ mutters, but 2013 might have just surpassed them all. We produced a four-month opening season for Europe’s largest public library as well as our year round Capsule programme; to feature all the stuff we’re proud to have presented would be damn near impossible, but here are just some of our highlights of an epic year. Images by Katja Ogrin.

Discovery season at Library of Birmingham

 Together We Breathe – opening day

The season began with a magnificent performance by over 100 brass players. Encircling the crowds on opening day in the Book Rotunda, Together We Breathe brought together horns, trumpets, trombones, cornets and tubas to create a mass of sound. The performance was created by Australian sound artists Super Critical Mass and the project was documented by the BBC for the Culture Show.

Pavilion Photography is by Gareth Gardner

The Pavilion and creative residencies

Studio Myerscough created a structure to act as a billboard for the entire Discovery Programme. Situated in the Library foyer, The Pavilion housed a rolling programme of creative residencies. A neon crown of signs uses words that originated from discussions and workshops with the Birmingham 2022 group. Residencies included Craftspace inviting stories of migration, the stunning Library of Lost Books, Stan’s Café’s Commentators and The Outcrowd Collective’s delving in the House of Beorma Archive.

Lucy McLauchlan’s piece spans the Book Rotunda

Discovery Trail

Capsule curated a trail of art works to lead visitors around the library. Laura Kate Chapman’s illustrations were inspired by the Parker Collection of Children’s Books and Games, Matt Watkins created an animation piece inspired by the world’s most expensive book and Lucy Lucy McLauchlan’s site specific work in the Book Rotunda gave some remembrance to John Madin’s library.

Discover New Music

A series of live music performances showcased some of the most exciting music around. Rhys Chatham and Charlemagne Palestine performed a UK exclusive collaboration, with added cuddly toys and audience debate and Portishead’s Adrian Utley headed a large-scale guitar orchestra.  Rise of Birmingham saw some of Capsule favourite bands from the region perform in the library, including Victories at Sea and Free School.

Tucking into dessert at Down the Rabbit Hole

Other highlights included the literary inspired dining experience Down the Rabbit Hole, presented by Companis, and Volume: Birmingham’s Art, Book & Print fair with a keynote from Bill Drummond. We’re really proud of the Birmingham 2022 project, where a group of young people worked with us on Discovery season brochure, and were given a platform to ponder the shape of culture in ten years.

University of Birmingham artist residency

We embarked upon a new partnership with the University of Birmingham, supporting an artist to make new work in response to the university’s varied collections. Sound artist Sarah Farmer spent a number of months researching at the Lapworth Museum of Geology and the Winterbourne botanical collection and created a number of sound based works, as well as screenprints, in response to her time there. It was very exciting to introduce an artist to this collection, there’s a wealth of stuff to draw inspiration from and we look forward to doing more work with the university in the future.

Richard Dawson performed a Kids Gig

Bring To Light

Our mini Supersonic saw us invading the library with new music, from Masaki Batoh’s brain pulse noise, Robedoor’s bass heavy drone and the filthy noise rock of Evil Blizzard, we didn’t hold back. We kicked it all off at the Rainbow from a messy Friday night with Sleaford Mods (video), Dinos Chapman and the fabulous Shangaan Electro who also performed a free show in the library amphitheatre. Other highlights included Sarah Angliss and her theramin laden story telling, an info show around pioneer Delia Derbyshire and a Kids Gig performance from Capsule favourite Richard Dawson.

Shellac at the Rainbow Warehouse

Live shows

Our first live show of the year was such a standout, Barn Owl, Grumbling Fur and Ex Easter Island at the stunning St Paul’s church. Other highlights of the year  have included Nazoranai (Stephen O’Malley, Keiji Haino, Oren Ambarchi) and Nicholas Bullen at the CBSO Centre and a night with Mississippi records exploring the phenomenal Alan Lomax archive with Vivid Projects. And let’s not forget that the mighty Shellac were back in Birmingham last month, thanks to all who came and made it such a fun show, the band said you were a particularly lovely crowd!

Thanks to all who have come along, watch this space for news of next year’s programme.

 

This week sees the pavilion house its final residency of the Discovery season. A suitcase and a sense of adventure go hand in hand, whether it is a box of memories, exploits, danger or just the everyday, it has the potential to be filled with a sense of wonder. Playing on this intriguing atmosphere, Scottish theatre maker Eric MacLennan has invented an installation that is both performance and art.

The creator of many bold, audience based works over the last twenty-eight years, MacLennan uses entertainment to encourage his spectators to think. Inspired by the writing of Xavier De Maistre, who was devoted to uncovering the interesting in everyday life, MacLennan wishes to encourage an audience to discover the exciting aspects in their own world. In his realm, you’ll learn that the norm can become extraordinary and new.

Come and take part all this week.

 

Back by very popular demand is the Home of Metal Family Tree tea towel. Illustrated by Bunny Bissoux, the map traces the tangled web of heavy metal history. A lovely Christmas present we reckon, but make sure you get your order in by Thursday 19th December at the latest. Visit our shop.

Home of Metal is a celebration of the music that was born in the Black Country and Birmingham – check out, and contribute to, the digital archive.

Credit: Secret Recipe, New Art Gallery Walsall (2009); image courtesy of the artist

Harvesting Stories: Food and STORIES

This Saturday there’ll be a host of food activities at the Library of Birmingham.

Between 12-4pm in the Book Rotunda Feng-Ru Lee will be making ‘Secret Dumplings’ and invites you to write a secret on edible paper which will then be made into delicious dumplings for you to eat.

We’re delighted to welcome National Storytelling Laureate Katrice Horsley to perform Spiced Tales of Brum (2-3pm in the Studio Theatre). This hour-long performance will weave together tales, stories and recipes collected at the ‘Harvesting Stories’ workshops that took place in community centres and libraries throughout Birmingham during summer 2013. It’s completely free, you can book in advance at www.birmingham-box.co.uk

Credit: Workshop at Birmingham Chinese Society, July 2013; image Katja Ogrin

From 12-4pm, our food-artist in residence Lizzy Bean will be erecting her Serbian cooking range on the 3^rd Floor Terrace – join her for mulled spiced apple juice and some delicious gingerbread for you to decorate (and eat).

Credit:(B)read by Lizzie Bean, Harvesting Stories, Sep 2013; image K Ogrin

To celebrate the cultural diversity of 21st century Birmingham, Harvesting Stories has been developed to bring its people and their favourite food together.