Late Night event at Turner Contemporary

On Friday the Turner Contemporary Gallery held one of its Late Nights, Paint and Play evenings.
The thing about having only one big gallery here in Margate does mean that I try to get to most of the events.

Friday evening had a number of events, Big paint with David Price, The Future of the United Kingdom with Jeremy Bailey and T-Shirt Hack with Blockcolour.


I went first to the Big Paint session upstairs in the Clore Learning Studio. Here David Price and Turner staff had set up the space with large sheets of paper, paints and a range of brushes and sponges. The aim was to experience a bit of the way Helen Frankenthaler worked on the floor with abstract shapes.

David explained well the ideas and potential way of working to us, though of course we had the time limiting factor of people waiting for their turn, different materials and groups of people on most work.

But despite that I really enjoyed having a go. I don't usually work on the floor or on such a large scale so it was good to just do that. As I worked, not having any pre planned ideas, I could see the potential for working in that way if I get a chance, with more of an idea of what I wanted to say. David was a good tutor too, encouraging and pushing people to really look and consider their work.

Downstairs in the shop Blockcolour had set up a Tshirt printing space, so I had to have a go. Queues were building up as I left.


In the Foyle Rooms Jeremy Bailey had set up an interactive painting installation where holding a control wand people could dance and move. As they moved projected on a giant screen appeared the person holding hi tech paint guns which sprayed colours and effects, while other projections of a postapocalyptic landscape appeared.

I enjoyed some of the children having a go and Jeremy took to the floor while I was there, but I didn't quite have the energy to have a go myself.

Outside with the light fading the harbour, lighthouse and the water shone with reflected light.