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Londonion

Iain Forsyth and Jane Pollard

Exhibition

Event overview

Tin Man Art is presenting Iain Forsyth & Jane Pollard's 2013 FVU-commissioned work Londonion as part of the exhibition "Floralia" at Rattle & Brash, Stroud from 1st - 17th May 2025.

London Onion was Kurt Schwitters’ extended love-note to the city that became his home-from-home in the latter years of his life. Shouting out, in CAPITAL LETTERS, the letters of the capital, as if worshipping the name of a new amour, the poem marries giddy linguistic tomfoolery to a series of tender sweet nothings devoted to the woman who was the real-life object of his desire. Londonion is Iain Forsyth & Jane Pollard’s pocket-sized mega-mix of Schwitters’ original, updated for the present as a digital app. Centred on a performance of the poem by comic Stewart Lee, the piece combines verbal and sonic pyrotechnics with the potential for audience interaction that Schwitters often encouraged in his art. As its title implies, Londonion is a thing of layers. Users can enjoy unwrapping and unravelling it, or can add new musical elements of their own. Responding to the random sounds and fluctuating noise-levels of the immediate ambient environment, as well as to direct user input, the app also incorporates a location-finding feature that allies GPS A-Z accuracy to the poem’s ‘on-the-street-where-you-live’ serenade of the magic of the everyday. The project is completed by short introductory videos, disseminated on YouTube and elsewhere, that introduce Londonion to a wider online community.

"Floralia" takes its inspiration from the ancient Roman festival celebrating Flora, the goddess of spring, flowers, and youth. The festival, known for its lively and provocative atmosphere, serves as a source of inspiration for the exhibition's exploration of themes of fertility and renewal.

The exhibition will showcase a diverse range of paintings, drawings, and mixed media works by renowned artists, including Stanley Donwood, Sue Webster, Iain Forsyth & Jane Pollard, and Hecate Asterick.

Event details

Details

1 May 2025 – 17 May 2025

Rattle & Brash, 137a Summer Street, Stroud, GL5 1PH

Free entry, more information HERE

For events, please park on Summer Street and walk down. If you do need to park on site for mobility reasons, please email and let us know (use the Subject line 'Access').

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