Sunday 6 May 2012

This Is Obsolete with The Brighton Five Pound Fringe presents two collections of original artwork by Jim Harris at The Rock Inn, Kemptown.







From 5th May to 28th May 2012 This Is Obsolete with The Brighton Five Pound Fringe presents two collections of original artwork by Jim Harris at The Rock Inn, Kemptown.

Take a look at all the work featured in the exhibition here on Flickr

Dirty Circuits (2011) is a series of etched copper-plates, back-lit etched copper-clad sheets and limited edition prints. The collection is inspired by the printed circuit boards of classic vintage synthesisers.

In the dark and dusty interiors of the music machines of an abandoned era we discover a compelling world etched in copper. Hidden beneath ageing components, the paths and patterns of these forgotten circuits evoke systems that extend beyond the merely electronic towards the mechanical, the architectural and even the organic.

Sprites (2012) previews a forthcoming collection of etched copper-plates with aluminium and brass inserts depicting classic video game characters.

A sprite is a reserved area of computer memory storing a transient representation of an animation or image. By casting this data in physical materials this flux of chaos is fixed (Head and Paraskos, 2008). Planned work in the collection will explore a wider palette of colours and textures through the colouring, patination and bronzing of metals allowing for the creation of more detailed characters from Mario and Luigi to Frak!

Jim Harris is an artist and outsider engineer living in Brighton on the south coast of England. His original artwork and unique devices are inspired by vintage technology and aim to celebrate the abandoned, the derelict and the obsolete. More of Jim's work can be seen at thisisobsolete.com. Items from both collections can be purchased from Folksy.com.

The artwork is printed on metal in etch-resistant ink using a transfer process requiring heat and pressure. The copper-plates, copper-clad epoxy laminate sheets and brass parts are etched in sodium persulphate whilst the aluminium parts are etched in ferric chloride. The prints are pulled from the copper-plates using a hand press. Black ink on dyed grabado printing paper is used.

An electroluminescent panel contains a thin layer of copper coated in phosphor which glows when an alternating current is applied to it. Powder phosphor-based electroluminescent panels are frequently used for backlighting. They provide a gentle, even illumination while consuming relatively little electric power. The panels in this exhibition were generously supplied by Elwirecraft.co.uk and can be battery or mains powered.

The Brighton Five Pound Fringe is an exciting, new kind of arts festival that is affordable to audiences and free to participants. Britain's first "brochure-less" fringe, it is run entirely through social media. Ticketed events cost no more than a fiver. The Brighton Five Pound Fringe runs from 5th May to 28th May alongside the world famous Brighton Fringe and Brighton Arts festivals.

Sprites (2012) - Preview





Sprites (2012) previews a forthcoming collection of etched copper-plates with aluminium and brass inserts depicting classic video game characters.

A sprite is a reserved area of computer memory storing a transient representation of an animation or image. By casting this data in physical materials this flux of chaos is fixed (Head and Paraskos, 2008).

Planned work in the collection will explore a wider palette of colours and textures through the colouring, patination and bronzing of metals allowing for the creation of more detailed characters from Mario and Luigi to Frak!

The collection is currently being exhibited at The Rock Inn, Kemptown as part of The Brighton Five Pound Fringe. More details here.

Take a look at the collection here on Flickr

Atari Punk Console - VCS Tribute Edition featured on RetroThing.com


James Grahame has kindly featured my Atari Punk Console - VCS Tribute Edition on his awesome blog RetroThing.com. If you don't know the blog and you love vintage gadgets and technology then I highly recommend a visit. There's more dirty circuits, obsolete gizmos and wilful retrospection than you can shake a light pen at!