Autumn 2017, Issue Three 2017,Autumn Issue newspaper Club City

Welcome to the City Club – a programme of A SPACE FOR EVERYONE new art, performances, family activities, happenings and talks inspired by the original vision behind .

Milton Keynes has a history of art like no other city, developed in collaboration with its pioneer residents. One minute you were painting a mural in an underpass, the next someone stuck a video camera in your hand and invited you to talk about your life. Artists turned up everywhere: in schools, at community workshops, festivals and fairs.

The Milton Keynes Development Corporation, pictured left, was fond of quoting Shakespeare in their publicity material. Early on, they reminded us ‘the people are the city’. We’ve made this the theme of our 50th birthday special edition, which not only celebrates a unique place but also invites us to look again at everyday creativity.

In this issue we hear a myriad of voices from Milton Keynes, go on a camping trip to the Blue Lagoon and plan the mother of all parties. If you aren’t already exhausted, we share our interior design scheme for MK Gallery and propose how you can help to shape the art of tomorrow.

MK Gallery is undergoing a major expansion. Once work is completed, City Club will be a permanent physical space. For now, it’s a pop-up space in different parts of the city; a virtual space through its own website; and an imaginative space for the people of Milton Keynes.

Architectural Design magazine, June 1973. The Milton Keynes Development Corporation launched their unusual plan for a City of Trees by posing with a fully-grown example. The first of three special editions of AD magazine To find out more and how to get involved: documenting the work of this visionary team. www.cityclubmk.org Happy Birthday Milton Keynes! On October 21st, Midsummer Boulevard Caroline Devine’s immersive sound installation, City of Things, OCTOBER 21ST — between The Point and MK Gallery will come alive with Feast of Fire and A DATE TO REMEMBER will resonate through Midsummer Arcade until 5 November. other City Club events. On the right, a timeline of the main moments; below, Fiona Boundy responds to this major new work, commissioned City Club lead artist Gareth Jones charts a brief history of leisure in MK. During the day, visit Caroline Devine’s City by Park for City Club. of Things in Midsummer Arcade or create slogans and badges with Freee in Margaret Powell Square. THE LEISURE PRINCIPLE DEVINE SOUNDS

City Club begins in What is the sound of a city? Is the early 1970s with it traffic humming, sirens wailing, Feast of Fire kicks a national theme park builders shouting? Or neighbours off from 6.30pm at The proposed for the disused arguing and pigeons cooing? The Point car park, with brick pits south of noise of urban sprawl is something the Spellbound shadow Bletchley. Cowcommon we desperately try to block out show. Afterwards, nearby Canyon ambitiously rather than make an effort to hear. Midsummer Boulevard aimed to “combine the will be lit up with cultural attractions of Not so for Caroline Devine. City fire sculptures and a metropolis with the of Things, her new immersive sound soundworks until 9pm climate and beaches of work, explores by ear the city where or thereabouts. the Mediterranean.” It she lives and works as an artist was too fantastic to be and composer. It captures the rich built, but you can marvel acoustic ecology of Milton Keynes, with at what might have been all its subtlety, layers and detail. on the back page of this newspaper. A meeting point between the urban and the natural, Milton Keynes was a The thinking behind modernist city planned to be greener this project was then than the surrounding countryside. At around 8.45pm, The incorporated into a As with its design and architecture, People’s Procession sequence of mind- communities and customs, the sounds Future leisure: In 1974, the City Club boasted a complex will leave the MK Rose boggling plans for the array of activities, including an Electric Garden. of a city are central to its identity. in Campbell Park City Club in Central to promenade along Milton Keynes, from which From the dawn chorus in Linford Midsummer Boulevard. we’ve drawn inspiration. called Norman Foster political climate of the Wood, to the micro worlds of buzzing From here, Mr Wilson’s None of these futuristic designed an avant-garde late 1970s. Funnily enough, mosquitos, Caroline has recorded the Second Liners will lead schemes were built. leisure complex for a private it wasn’t built. But the natural sounds of the city over the us back to The Point car company, an arrangement that idea did morph into The last year. Using advanced recording park for a live set of Following from this, reflected the Point, the UK’s first techniques, City of Things captures dance classics in their a promising architect multiplex cinema, and Milton Keynes at different times of inimitable New Orleans a social space for day and throughout the year, as one jazz style. Afterwards, the people of Milton season morphs into the next. dance to DJ Ritu Keynes. Amazingly, it spinning tunes from was built. Through song, chant and poetry the the last fifty years. voices of the city also weave their

And now, some thirty way through the composition, creating years later, it is a powerful harmony. Football fans, set to be demolished. Buddhist monks and a host of choirs But the City Club bring their passion, verve and dignity also rises, focused to this sonic portrait of a city, around MK Gallery whose people are its energy, strength and the radically and future. expanded field of contemporary art in In our contemporary world of The evening will the 21st century. noise we often forget how powerful The power of listening: Caroline Devine in Midsummer Arcade, the location of her new sound work for City Club be rounded off with We look forward and significant sound can be in a finale of music, not back, watch the communicating a mood, a meaning and fireworks and fire latest movies at a resonance. Sound can transport window resonators, tannoy systems and drawings. All events Xscape, and visit us to a specific time and place, “Football fans, hidden speakers, the very fabric of this are free, street food Citylab to find out and also bring heightened awareness building - for many the heart of Milton and drink will be for what happens next. of our immediate environment. Buddhist monks and Keynes - will sing with the voices and sale throughout the sounds of the city. evening. Party! City of Things’ complex and evocative a host of choirs soundscape offers a new way of City of Things was commissioned by Wish you were here? The Point PLAN YOUR EVENING form a sonic portrait” in its 1980s heyday, as featured on a striking AT CITYCLUBMK.ORG listening to this remarkable place. working in partnership postcard by the Milton Keynes Development Corporation. It will be presented through to with MK Gallery, Heritage MK and The UK’s first multiplex cinema is today scheduled for demolition. 5 November in centre:mk. Using The . www.cityclubmk.org 2 www.mkgallery.org 3 Magic lantern: an intrepid resident of Bletchley explores the site once earmarked for the most amazing theme park in all the land. What followed was a joyful example morning. An evident sense of ownership The next morning, dog walkers stumbled of how the innate creativity of and authentic participation was into our new neighbourhood as we people seeps into the adoption and revealed as people proactively shaped attempted to condense our luggage into appropriation of material, space their situations and surroundings. This containers it seemed unlikely to ever and experience. Our makers became no doubt was the dream of the original fit. A persistent rumble travelled architects, fashioning teetering architects for Milton Keynes, designed across the reserve from some invisible tripod and pyramid forms. A simple as it was to accommodate the needs of source in the distance. ‘What’s that light sculpture was flailed wildly in all of its residents. noise?’ we curiously asked a volunteer the air, momentarily transforming our helping us with our packing quandary. gazebo into a rave seducing all nearby Around the campfire, conversations ‘I’m not sure, it sounds like a mosquitoes to join the party. circled the city past and present. rollercoaster’ he responded. So maybe Hopping from subject to subject we in those few hours Cowcommon Canyon, The materials we brought swiftly discussed the necessity of dumplings its dynamism, energy, innovation and developed lives of their own - playing with stew, how the Lakes Estate that fabulous impossible theme park, their part in servicing this new city residents long for the Adams shop to were realised a little bit after all. within a city. Our torches lit the route return, and how they should perhaps to the toilets for the unprepared, be known as ‘Bletchens’. All reminding our scissors clipped back brambles to us of the value of shared social space save bare legs from scratches and our and simple conversation in the dowels were used by the intrepid young cohesion of fire starters to move burning grass. We communities and became a late night city library with connectivity of returns gratefully made the following city dwellers.

Last summer, City Club Associate Artists Bethany and Willow Mitchell met a group of Bletchley residents for a campout at the Blue Lagoon. Would the nature reserve turn out to be haunted by Cowcommon Canyon? They filed this report. MIDNIGHT AT THE

Don’t stare at the flames: stories BLUE LAGOON get told around a campfire.

It started with a closed road and ended campout adventure started in a similar other family groups arrived seeking out with an imagined rollercoaster. From the vein as we struggled through Bletchley’s entertainment for the night. No one was outset, our campout experience on the current day roadworks, at every turn exactly sure what they’d find. Perhaps edge of the Blue Lagoon drew parallels to finding ourselves stumped by a barrier not so different from the original “We set about the captivating tale of the evolution of or crater in the road ahead. occupants of the city. Milton Keynes and the unrealised vision fashioning ‘glow for a theme park called Cowcommon Canyon. With tables finally in place we set A campsite, like a city, needs amenities. about organising our resources, aware With our lantern-lit gazebo and an Standing in the car park, waiting for that the clearing of stony earth open offer of conversation and activity, stick’ lanterns a delivery of tables to furnish our was swiftly being transformed into we tempted our new neighbours over. temporary home and workshop venue, we a campsite as tents literally popped Inspired by the unique street lamps which lighted our chatted to a lifelong MK resident. She up around us. There is something of the city, its tree-lined boulevards recounted the day she drove to the shops, quite magical about the spontaneous and the sense of adventure, discovery Art survival skills: newcomers acquire the through the rural villages of Simpson occupation of place by its people. How and outrageous colour of the unrealised trail around the basic knowledge needed for a campout with City Club. Photos: Jane Russell and to discover, to her daring to arrive with a tent slung over Cowcommon Canyon, collectively we set dismay, the route blocked by a closed one arm and a sleeping bag under the about fashioning ‘glow stick’ lanterns nature reserve” road. Construction of the new city had other. Some individuals were inquisitive which lighted the way on our tree top commenced. Some 50 years later our about such a unique occasion, whilst trail around the nature reserve.

www.cityclubmk.org 4 www.mkgallery.org 5 THE PEOPLE ARE THE CITY

As the city prepares to celebrate Milton Keynes’ 50th Birthday AS: What does the phrase ‘the AS: Who would you invite to your people are the city’ mean to you? “Walk the Plank wants birthday party? with Feast of Fire, Anthony Spira, MK Gallery’s Director, to pay tribute to the caught up with event producer Monica Ferguson of The MF: A city without people is just MF: People who make me laugh, are a building site. People can be role of Milton Keynes there for me when I cry and who Stables, and outdoor arts specialist Liz Pugh of Walk the individuals, families, groups, love me for who I am not what I am. advocates, friends or adversaries. in the 90s rave scene” If I had a time machine I’d love to Plank, creators of this fiery and magical outdoor celebration. All are involved in creating and whisk my party-goers back in time developing societies, communities, to 1967 to witness the birth of families and networks. We need Milton Keynes! ANTHONY SPIRA: There are similarities me that almost everyone who lives in consensus and challenge to bring between the way City Club and the the city loves it, and that’s quite about change, and realise our LP: The fires of invention will need Milton Keynes International Festival unusual. The 1967 vision of a city hopes and dreams. stoking as Milton Keynes embarks on occupy the public space of the city. built for the future seems to have a journey towards being a European Monica, as its Artistic Director made Milton Keynes a very liveable LP: The People’s Procession will Capital of Culture in 2023. So I’d could you tell us a bit about the city in 2017. The City Club concept transform the heart of Milton like to invite people from other thinking behind your approach? is also about a playable city, and Keynes. If Walk the Plank’s job European cities and Capitals of our vision for Feast of Fire is to is to transform the everyday Culture - Aarhus in Denmark, Pafos MONICA FERGUSON: The Stables founded take over one boulevard and one car environment into something special in Cyprus, Matera in Italy and the Festival in 2010 with the aim park to make fiery mischief in the for one night then it’s the job of Valletta in Malta - to bring food of raising the artistic adventure city centre for one night. the citizens of Milton Keynes to and wine, and to have a great big of the city and inviting people to put on their best party frocks - feast in MK… with dancing that ‘expect the unexpected’. Using parks, AS: How important is it to you or vintage 90s rave gear in homage reflects the traditions of everyone boulevards, empty shops or shopping to work with Milton Keynes groups to Mr Wilson’s Second Liners - gathered at my world party, be they centres enables artists to create and artists? to keep the party spirit going. from the Punjab or Bletchley! performances, installations, pop-ups and exhibitions that would not be MF: Various Milton Keynes-based AS: Could you say something about Feast of Fire is on Saturday possible within the confines of an artists and arts organisations, Mr Wilson’s Second Liners and why 21 October from 6.30pm in locations existing arts venue, and to really including MÓTUS, Pagrav Dance you invited them to perform in along Midsummer Boulevard between think about location and context. and Festive Road, will join us in Feast of Fire? The Point and MK Gallery. Admission animating the public spaces usually is free. For more information go to: AS: What were your first impressions occupied by cars. Young people will LP: Coming from Manchester, the city www.ifmiltonkeynes.org of Milton Keynes, Liz, and how has also play an exciting role in Feast famed for the Haçienda nightclub thinking about the city filtered of Fire. Twelve trainees will learn and rave music, Walk the Plank Feast of Fire is sponsored by Gallagher Estates, IDI Gazeley, centre:mk and intu Milton Keynes, and through Feast of Fire? to create fire drawings, supported wanted to pay tribute to the role supported by Arts Council England, Milton Keynes by Walk the Plank’s professional of Milton Keynes in the 90s rave Council, The Rothschild Foundation, MK Community LIZ PUGH: I’ve visited Milton Keynes technicians and the Fire Service. scene. In 1992, Milton Keynes was Foundation, PRS for Music Foundation, MK Dons Sports & several times over the past ten Another 250 citizens will carry 25 years old and the party spirit Education Trust and YMCA. With thanks to Milton Keynes Development Partnership. years, and every time it’s struck flaming torches in The People’s was alive and kicking. Our evening Procession to lead audiences from ends with a free party in The Point Feast of Fire has been created for MK50 and City Club the MK Rose in Campbell Park, car park, with Mr Wilson’s Second by Walk the Plank working with IF: Milton Keynes through Midsummer Boulevard Liners playing 90s dance classics International Festival and The Stables.

where fiery installations will in a New Orleans jazz style on a Photograph of Walk the Plank's Spellbound shadow light up the cityscape. flaming stage, joined by DJ Ritu show by Thomas Arran spinning some fiery tunes.

www.cityclubmk.org 6 www.mkgallery.org 7 Analogue algorithm: the City Club Colour Chart (left) takes on a life of its Lead artists Gareth Jones and Nils Norman have been working with 6a architects and own in the auditorium and stairwell (below) of 6a architects’ new building. designer Mark El-khatib to weave City Club through the new MK Gallery building. Here, Gareth describes how they propose to decorate a new sequence of social spaces. A LIVING ROOM FOR MK

Moving beyond the café, you are now standing inside 6a architects’ new building for MK Gallery. Straight ahead, you can see the latest developments in contemporary art, unfolding across a handsome new suite of galleries. You can also admire the colours of the Downtown side AUDITORIUM of the Colour Chart, drawing you up the stairwell. From Navy Blue at the ground floor fire escape, through a Please note that this space will also be sturdy Pillarbox Red, to Candy Pink available to hire - a perfect venue for in the heavens. your 50th birthday party.

On reaching the upper level, you Work on City Club began three years ago discover the new auditorium. This is with a document called MK Decades, which dominated by two memorable images: a considered how the popular culture of semi-circular window framing the view fifty years could be used to frame our of Campbell Park and the countryside design work and mark the anniversary of beyond; and a giant curtain formed Milton Keynes. This idea now takes shape from the pastoral side of the Colour in a plan for signing the different zones Chart. This can wrap around the entire of the new MK Gallery building, using interior, a synthetic representation of fonts from each of the decades the city nature that will block out its reality has witnessed. Examples for the Café and during screenings and performances. Auditorium appear on these pages.

Milton Keynes is a Modernist city that has been shaped by the Postmodern lives

High-Tech revival: the interior of the café quotes the early architecture of Milton Keynes in this generated image. of its dynamic citizens. As this brief tour of the new In the first issue of this newspaper we In the 1970s, leading design firm design history of Milton Keynes on building demonstrates, we’d introduced you to the City Club Colour Minale Tattersfield generated numerous Caféthe facade of the existing MK Gallery like City Club to reflect Chart, an algorithm for generating novel publicity images for the new city, building. A porte cochere and a this concept, mixing styles, solutions to town-planning problems. including a stylised heart to represent classic MK street sign complete a perspectives and attitudes. On the left-hand side are the crisp neon the central area. We’re proposing to theatrical backdrop. Think of it as a form of colours of Downtown; on the right, those use this symbol to sign the City Club, time travel, as eclectic as of the North landscape joining other striking logos from the Once inside, the visitor quickly your own living room. in late summer. This combination of discovers the new café, which we the urban and the pastoral contains the think should be decorated in homage To see more plans for DNA of the UK’s most extraordinary city, to the notorious yellow interior the City Club go to: and we’ve used it to assist our plan of the Architect’s Department of www.cityclubmk.org/projects to apply the utopian vision behind “Milton Keynes is a the Development Corporation. Milton Milton Keynes to the northern end Keynes was the first and last city in of Midsummer Boulevard. Modernist city that the UK to be built in the High-Tech The cultural heart of the city: key elements style, which was famous for its use from the design history of the new city join forces on the facade of MK Gallery, creating Planning permission pending, upon has been shaped by of industrial components to fabricate a theatrical backdrop for events in Margaret arrival in Margaret Powell Square you’ll whole buildings and interiors. We’d Powell Square. Nearby, a classic Milton be greeted by a giant neon heart. Postmodern lives” like to start its revival right here. Keynes street sign says “I’m home”. www.cityclubmk.org 8 www.mkgallery.org 9 Artist collective Freee took Citizen Ship, their portable kiosk, Enrol today! In 2018, Citylab will launch a professional development to Art in the Park. Mel Jordan is shown leading a badge making workshop – work with them again in Margaret Powell Square programme for Milton Keynes based artists who want to expand their TALK OF THE TOWN on October 21st. Photos Jane Russell practice in the public realm. This will include contributions from City Over the autumn, Citylab will Club lead artist Nils Norman, drawing on his extensive experience as host three talks in partnership with the Fred Roche Foundation. an educator. Find out more below, and don’t forget to visit our website On 12 October, hear presentations for details of this autumn’s Citylab events, outlined on the right. about a new transport strategy for the city. Could Milton Keynes’ 2017... groundbreaking mobility programmes become an exemplar for cities around the globe? On 9 November, we are delighted to welcome former Director of Planning at the Milton Keynes Development Corporation, Lee Shostak During MK OBE, who will be in discussion with CityFest, invited speakers. And lastly, on progressive 14 December, you will have a rare choir Musarc (below) opportunity to hear pioneer responded CITYLAB MK artists-in-residence Boyd and to the Evans talk about their work. architecture of centre:mk. They were WANTS SOUNDS AND WORDS joined by TONGUE (right). Throughout October in our Project Photos Jane Space, Freee and Caroline Devine Russell will display work and materials associated with their respective City Club commissions, Citizen Ship and City of Things. Join Freee YOU on 2 November for a special in conversation event about their work with Prof. Johnny Golding from the Royal College of Art.

UTOPIAN DYSTOPIA

Summer Solstice on Midsummer Boulevard: In June, the city centre was animated by numerous City Club events.

Architect Oscar Niemeyer and Right: Artist Julie Myers worked with musicians to create site-specific compositions across three locations. urbanist Lucio Costa’s visionary Here, saxophonist Simon Rose performs in the mysterious Leylandii Circle. Photo: Simon Wright Art in the public sphere: Students from The School of Walls and Space on an audio walk in New York City capital of Brazil is the focus of this new documentary by American filmmaker Bart Simpson which CITY CLUB NEWSPAPER IS EDITORIAL TEAM City Club is produced by MK Gallery by MK Council as part of the MK50 For a decade, artist and educator in response to a particular theme will be screened on 23 November. PUBLISHED BY MK GALLERY Niki Braithwaite with Bletchley Park, Milton Keynes Arts anniversary celebrations, the Ernest Nils Norman led The School of Walls or issue. Drawing on Norman’s long- Brasilia: Life after Design focuses 900 Midsummer Blvd Gareth Jones Centre, Milton Keynes International Cook Trust, The Elephant Trust, The and Space at The Royal Danish Academy term interest in alternative models of on the lives of three citizens – an Milton Keynes MK9 3QA Anthony Spira Festival & The Stables, and On The Verge. Open University, and the University of Arts in Copenhagen. Utilising teaching, we are currently developing a urbanist, an aspring civil servant of Northampton. traditional and experimental teaching professional development programme for and a street vendor – as they try T +44 (0)1908 676 900 DESIGN We are also delighted to be working with methods, the interdisciplinary school Milton Keynes based artists to research to find meaning in a city ultimately [email protected] Mark El-khatib Big Local Conniburrow, Cowper & Newton City Club Steering Group: explored contemporary public space and new work for the public realm. built to divide. Museum, Living Archive, Milton Keynes Cllr Liz Gifford (Chair), Lucy Bedford, the role of the artist as a critical www.cityclubmk.org PRINT City Discovery Centre, Milton Keynes Fiona Boundy, Niki Braithwaite, Julie and political agent within it. Launching in spring 2018 with a www.mkgallery.org Sharman & Co Museum, The Open University, and the Dawes, Shane Downer, Cllr Derek Eastman, ‘Teach In’ led by Norman, the programme THE University of Northampton. Moncia Ferguson, Cllr David Hopkins, Employing a ‘school without walls’ will also involve contributions from Anouar Kassim, Francesca Skelton, Clare methodology – where public squares, our Associate Artists and develop FUTURE City Club is supported by the National Sapsford, Anthony Spira, Iain Standen, parks, housing estates, public art organically over the course of the Lottery through Arts Council England, Sunita Yeomans. or new urban development became year through ongoing exchange and IS NOW: sites of learning and investigation discussion. You can find out more – the students collectively developed about how to get involved via the CITYCLUBMK.ORG their own research-driven projects City Club website. www.cityclubmk.org 10 www.mkgallery.org 11 Cowcommon Canyon: a theme park for the disused Bletchley brick pits, visualised by Andrew (Bo) Mahaddie, Milton Keynes Development Corporation, 1973.