Wee sketches... 💬

‘Tactics for Togetherness’ is a project aimed towards building a supportive creative space to hold an exhibition featuring works of practitioners connected to Aberdeen, whose work centres around ideas of being together.

The title ‘Tactics for Togetherness’ comes from the curators of BAS9 - Irene Aristizábal (BALTIC, Gateshead) and Hammad Nasar (Decolonising Arts Institute, University of the Arts London).

💫 show coming soon… ! 💫



Image description -
1 - Black pen line drawing on white paper of a curtain on a rail going across a room. There are two sections cut out of the curtain making it an unusual shape. An arrow under the curtain shows it’s meant to be moved from side to side.
2 - Simple pen sketches of small blobby shapes, with bright green flecks, floating around a white page. There are arrows between these shapes and two sketched objects that look like moulds for making the blobs.
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Working through some ideas for our upcoming show 〰️ Tactics For Togetherness opens in October.



Image description -
1 - A white board covers in clay S, C + O shapes. Seven hands reach over the board.
2 - Someone wearing blue jeans sits cross legged with a clear plastic tray my on their lap covered in clay S shapes. Their hands make another.
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💞💭🌀

‘Tactics for Togetherness’ is a project aimed towards building a supportive creative space to hold an exhibition featuring works of practitioners connected to Aberdeen, whose work centres around ideas of being together.

The title ‘Tactics for Togetherness’ comes from the curators of BAS9 - Irene Aristizábal (BALTIC, Gateshead) and Hammad Nasar (Decolonising Arts Institute, University of the Arts London).

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Image description - A pale pink sheet of paper sits propped up on a grey table top. Printed in large dark green letters it says “TOGETHERNESS”, with a new line taken every four letters so it reads almost like “TOGE. THER. NESS.”.
Tonight we collectively dreamed through Dream Loops (a score in marginalia), a performative score by @oho_co facilitated by @angelamargaretmain
~ There will be two sessions throughout the exhibition, bookings live soon.
Can't wait to see how you dream together 💭✨



Image description:
1 - a cluster of A4 pages on the floor with some printed text and come scribbles in different coloured pen. There is a cloud, some wavy lines and the words “and I’m holding you"
2 - more pages with loosely wiggly drawing, scattered across a wooden floor with colourful pens. You can see some people’s feet, where they're sitting in a circle on the floor.
3 - a closer up image of a page, with typed words “II. A WORD, A SHARED SOUND” above some text of the right can side. On the left of the page is a swooping S like shape with abstract squiggles around in green pen.
4 - similar to image one, a cluster of A4 pages with colourful scribbles on the floor. On the closest sheet, the words “patchy, present, move, reality, safe” and written in green pen and joined with a line.
5 - a woman in a knitted jumper sits cross legged on the floor next to a tripod holding a smartphone, with the screen showing a blurry video call. There is a stitched curtain hanging behind her.
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Image description:
Desktop screenshot of WhatsApp chat. On the right (indicating sent messages), are two screenshots of a long Instagram message reading:
“Present but not necessary
Physical
Residue, residual
Platform
Revisit
Past
Archive, living archive, animate the archives
Insight
Reconnect
New ways of connecting
London life
Connect the country
Dating
Loneliness, alone @ home
Post pandemic
Need, needs
A tenderness, tentativeness
Running narrative
Tactics to overcome
How to communicate again
Influencer
Community + space
Generosity
Gentle
Send playlists not nudes
Playful
Fun
Fashion
Curtain, curtailed, peep - excite
Chat, chit chat
Meet.”
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Mae Diansangu (she/they) is a spoken word artist, writer and performer from Aberdeen, whose work often revolves around themes of social justice. They co-founded Hysteria, an intersectional feminist arts platform for women, non binary and gender-marginalised creatives.

For Tactics For Togetherness, Mae explores how memory functions to preserve connections across time and space. During lockdown, we all had to figure out ways to stay connected to the people we love, but couldn’t be with physically. After a loved one dies, we are met with the same challenge; how do we stay connected? ❤️



Image description - A photograph of a selection of objects loosely assembled together. We can see a couple of vintage looking white teacups with flower-y patterns, on sitting on a saucer and one on its side. There’s some hard boiled brown and yellow sweets scattering from one teacup, and the other sits on top of an orange cassette tape box which reads “JAMES LAST, His Orchestra & Singers. Make The Party Last.” The actual cassette is inside one of the cups and it’s tape reel is pulled out and sprawls out over the other objects and beyond.
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💭 oho_co (Carmen Wong, she/they) is an artist-researcher, and curiously hungry migrant working with food as potentiator for convivial collectivism and connection in their social practice.

For Tactics For Togetherness, oho_co brings us Dream Loops; a score that invites a practice of collective daydreaming and dream-speaking for a more loving and equitable world. This practice-score requires listening and sounding with the whole body, and imaginative open-hearted discussions. Sessions will be facilitated by Angela Margaret Main (she/her).

Situated loosely in a land based/water based, performative arts practice, Angela makes work that engages with ideas of embodiment and liveliness, as potential frameworks to provoke an exploration within the natural watery environment, inclusive of pressing issues. 🌀
(photo credit Paul Nichol)



Image description -
1 - A close up of a raised hand, with fingers slightly separated, on a dark background. Rice is stuck to the fingers and thumb, like some cooking has just been done. The whole image has a neon yellow-y green hue.
2 - Hands clasp a large bundle of light brown fabric to their body. Both hands and fabric are sandy, and the photo looks to have been taken at the beach.
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repurposing wee mistakes ~ @natalie_kerr you're spreading outside the gallery

Image description:
1- two pink sheets of paper with black text are next to eachother on a corner of a white wall. Two hands with neon green nails and black sleeves hold them in place.
2- the same two sheets of pink paper with black text are wrapped around a silver lamp post. Out of focus is a street with blurry lights/buildings in dim blue light.
For Tactics For Togetherness, Natalie explores friendships, old and new. Thinking about the time and effort required to maintain long distance friendships, she considers how best we can capture any apprehension, tentativeness, romance and tenderness in that very moment of reconnection. 💞💬

“Gosh, when was the last time we spoke?”
“It’s so good to talk”

Natalie Kerr (she/her) studied at Gray’s School of Art and developed her practice in Aberdeen 2009-2018. Her practice is responsive, generous and playful in the way she collaborates with and includes people in her work.


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hello 👋

Project funding by Aberdeen City Council, Creative funding and supported by Look Again Aberdeen.

Image description: image on a light blue/grey background, of two sheets of papers with handwritten notes and a white pen on concrete floor. Italic text "Tactics for togetherness" overlaying background and image.
Coming soon... 💫

Image description: A hand holds a small piece of copper against a rust velvet piece of fabric. On the copped the word TOGETHER is etched in mirror image.
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💭💭💭

Image description:
1- Yellow shape line shape sitting on grey floor. The shape has two ovals and two lines connecting them.
2 - Green and purple mixed plasticine is smudged onto grey surface by a finger. Two other hands are visible at edges of frame.
3 - Two hands make a C shape from marbled white and blue plasticine on a white background with green line drawings in background.

💭💭💭
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Score by @oho_co sat within chairs made by @phoebebanks

Image description:
A stack of white paper bound along edges with bright orange thread. They sit on wooden shelf under a chair, only edges are visible in image. A piece of tufted fabric hangs of chair in top right corner.
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Took some of the contributors on a virtual tour last night, it was lovely to have you together in a room (kind of) and even out onto George street! Here they are listening to @maemondo_369 beautiful text recorded onto tape

Image description:
A laptop sits on a wooden chair, a group video call of 5 screens is shown on the screen. Hands hold a tape player up to the group as they listen to what is being played.
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We're open in 20 mins until 5 today, come along see the exhibition AND have some snacks 🍞☕🫒



Image description - a table with a white table cloth holds a spread of bowls and food. There is - carrots and cucumber, coleslaw, a big bowl of leafy salad, crisps, olives, biscuits, oranges, focaccia on a chopping board and tea and coffee things. On the wall behind the table a white sheet with black text (which can’t quite be read) is pasted up.
DREAM LOOPS NOW LIVE FOR SUNDAY MORNING DREAMING 💭

Dream Loops II (a score in marginalia) is now live to book, via eventbrite or by dropping us a message! It's written by @oho_co and facilitated by @angelamargaretmain
Link in bio

Dream Loops is a score that invites a practice of collective daydreaming and dream-speaking for a more loving and equitable world.

Image description:
Three pieces of A4 white paper strung together with orange thread hung in front of a peachy curtain. On the paper is written in black text "Dream Loops II (a score in marginalia) a guide to holding gentle space & an invitation to practice collective dreaming for a more loving, loved and socially equitable world."
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🔘🌀🍑

We’re open today from 4-7pm at 123 George Street !

Exhibition is open Thursdays 4-7pm and Saturday+Sundays 12-5pm all through October.

🔘🌀🍑



Image description- a small handmade pale coloured pouch with bright orange stitching is attached to a wooden structure. It holds a blue plasticene circle, which peeps out the top.
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Only 2 spaces left for this Sunday's session of collective daydreaming and dream-speaking for a more loving and equitable world. lead by score written by @oho_co and facilitated by @angelamargaretmain
Don't be S H Y - @oho_co has foraged, dried, carefully blended and posted tea to energise the session 🌞

Link on home page to sign up

Image description:
1- a cupped hand holds a tisane of a mixture of forages plants: rose, hawthorn, Linden and gorse.
2- three pieces of card with the letters S, H, + Y in blue handwritten watercolour hang on irregularly placed pins on a white wall
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💙

Open today 12-5

When you're in you can pick up this text written by Caroline Gausden @carolinetina2017 She spoke with each artist about their practice and their contribution to the show. Her words and thoughts act as a generous and honest guide through the exhibition

Image description-
A folded booklet with black and white text on the inside and blue riso printed image on the outside. The focus is soft and the edges of the paper are out of shot

💙
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Open until 7 today!

Stop by and have a listen to @maemondo_369 touching sound work 📼🔊

Image description:
A hand with pointed finger presses 'play' button on a cassette player with cassette tape that has handwritten 'NAMESAKE' on the front, it sits on a white background.
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We've been loving seeing all your creations !
Open today and sunday 12-5.

Image description:
three ceramic S, C + O shaped hooks hang from a wooden frame. Attached to them at blue and pink hand formed plasticine shapes. In the background is a light wooden floor and white wall.
We will be open from 5pm today !!
(instead of the usual 4pm) due to unforeseen circumstances.

💞 Come say hi at 123 George Street 💞
🧡
Open as normal on Saturday/Sunday 12-5.
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Snoozy dreams added by visitors to the space, on the wall to accompany score by @oho_co
It's the last session this Sunday, looking forward to dreaming together, facilitated by the fabulous @angelamargaretmain .
This event is fully booked but you can message to join waiting list incase of any cancellations 💭

Image description: 6 letters on individual pieces of white paper with blue ink hang on a white wall, they spell out "I SLEPT" in an irregular shape.
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@natalie_kerr s text work warmly greets everyone coming into the space, and those walking past 👋 Her works are spread throughout the space, come by between 12 - 5 today.

Image description: black text on window that reads "Hi *blank*, how are you? Natalie x". Through the window an out of focus view of the exhibition can be seen.
Yesterday morning we drew the curtains for the last Dream Loops session written by @oho_co and facilitated by @angelamargaretmain .
This Sunday we invite you to a soft closing event for the final hours (3-5pm), where we will collectively wonder (with inspiration from the score), mold plasticine, drink tea and eat snacks. All welcome.

Image description: A hand gathers fabric as a curtain is pulled, the fabric drapes over the hand. The curtain is a soft peachy colour with bright orange stitching.
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HI ! 💘 we’re open today from 4-7pm at 123 George Street - it’s one of the last few days to catch the show.
We will be doing a wee online exploration of the exhibition so keep an eye out if you can’t make it along! 👀

Image description: a small blue plasticine figure with a pink face sits on top of an abstract wooden structure. On the wall in the background 2 small bits of paper say “H I” in blue ink.
Open today 12 - 5 , our last Saturday!

Open 12-5 tomorrow too and it's our last day!
We'll be doing a wee walk through and some food+drinks for the last couple hours, 3-5.

Image description: A square chair made from raw CLS wood with wheels. Piles of blue and light pink plasticine sit on a shelf under the chair, tufted soft peachy fabric sits on the seat section and a small chain of ceramics hangs off centre from the back support.
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🫂 Final weekend of Tactics for togetherness 🫀

⏰ We are open today and tomorrow 12 to 5pm.

✉️ We would like to invite you to the closing event for the final hours of exhibition tomorrow from 3 to 5pm.

📍 We are at 123 George Street. It’s a free event and everyone is welcome.

#exhibition #art #beingtogether #tacticsfortogetherness #beyondbas9 #lookagain2021 @phoebebanks @yvettebathgate @k_russelll @maemondo_369 @natalie_kerr @carolinetina2017 @jake.r.shepherd @oho_co @angelamargaretmain @aberdeen_cc @abdnartmuseums @lookagainabdn @abdninspired
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💗

Hi

Last day of Tactics for Togetherness.
Open 12-17

Last chance to catch the show.
Closing event with food+snacks (3-5)

All welcome, we hope to see you all there

💕

Image description: plasteline objects three on top of abstract wooden structure and a few hanging on a metal hook with an outline of person in the background
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To old friends and new, thank you to everyone who spent time with this exhibition,
you all made it so special and we loved every minute.

The exhibition is now closed.

Image description: white vinyl text reading "tactics for togetherness" on a window. Photograph taken from outside looking in. Through the window, out of focus glimpses of exhibition inside are visible.