– David Blandy, Radio Nights
– Sukhdev Sandhu, Night Haunts
– Sarah Woodfine, When Night draws in
NIGHTS OF LONDON
Autumn 2006 saw the completion of Artangel Interaction’s Nights of London, a series of artist-led projects exploring the nocturnal metropolis with groups of people who wake, work or watch over it.
Nights of London was launched in 2005 with Radio Nights, a documentary film investigating the invisible worlds of West London's rich radio culture by artist David Blandy and young people from the Avenues Youth Project in Westminster.
In early 2006, artist Sarah Woodfine collaborated with adults using the services of Wandsworth MIND on When Night Draws In to create fantastical nightscapes.
Throughout 2006 writer Sukhdev Sandhu adventured with nocturnal Londoners ranging from the avian police and night cleaners to security guards and exorcists. In Autumn 2006 his co-explorers included graffiti artists, river boatmen and urban fox hunters. Sandhu's ongoing monthly nocturnal journal Night Haunts is posted at www.nighthaunts.org.uk, a cutting-edge website designed by Mind Unit with specially commissioned audio by acclaimed sound artist Scanner also available as a book
Janice Kerbel’s radio play Nick Silver Can’t Sleep premiered in October 2006 with a cast led by Rufus Sewell, Josette Simon and Fiona Shaw. Janice worked with insomniacs, sleep scientists and botanists to develop her project. The play was produced and broadcast by BBC Radio 3 – The Verb 90-93FM (www.bbc.co.uk). To listen to the play, find out more about the cast and read information about the project, visit www.nicksilvercantsleep.org.uk.
Autumn 2006 also saw the presentation of artist George Chakravarthi’s To the Man in My Dreams, a collaborative letter-writing project developed with members of SW5, the advice and information service for male and transgender sex workers in London. The project culminated in two live events: What is it about Fathers? George Chakravarthi in conversation with Neil Bartlett at Madame Jojos on 30th October, and To the Man in My Dreams - Dear Father, a performance by Chakravarthi at Comptons on 1st November. Please see the To the Man in My Dreams page for full details.
On 15 November 2006, hip hop theatre artist Jonzi D presented A Night Sublyrical, a unique dance and poetry performance in the dark at the Electrowerkz club. It was co-created and performed by non-professional dancers recruited through London's evening-classes. See A Night Sublyrical for details.
July 2006 saw the launch of NightJam, a musical and visual journey through the night by artist Scanner (Robin Rimbaud) in collaboration with young people who have been homeless based at New Horizon Youth Centre in King's Cross. NightJam is an ongoing project which presents two music tracks, photographs and a movie at www.nightjam.org.uk. A free limited edition CD is also available featuring new remixes; for details, visit the NightJam website.
The complete Nights of London series was celebrated on Friday 24 November 2006 with Because the Night at the old Bethnal Green Town Hall, London, featuring performances, readings and films dedicated to darkness by Sukhdev Sandhu, Scanner and special guests. See Because the Night for more information and to see photographs of the event.
Artangel Interaction is funded by the National Lottery through Arts Council England, John Lyons Charity and the generous support of Vincent and Elizabeth Meyer.
