The first Interchanger
The Bradford Interchange is an ongoing exchange of creative activity between the people of London and Bradford facilitated by The Brick Box and Maho Dance Company. For the Wandsworth Arts Festival 2013, a troupe of Bradfordians came to town. Guest bloggers Sam and Sam tell us more…
T’other weekend, I got off the train from Bradford in King’s Cross and found myself surrounded by Claret and Amber men. I guessed their presence was ‘Bradford Interchange’ related. Turns out City were playing at Wembley the next day, but I invited them down to Battersea Mess and Music Hall anyway. I predicted (correctly) that there would be celebrations to be had!
Chemaine had been down int smoke all week, actually making herself useful to the BB ladies. I was thinking I might take the weekend in a purely cultural exchange stylee, that is to eat the local cuisine, drink the local brews and make some new London friends. However as soon as I arrived there was talk of fairy lights, glitter and fabric and before I could say ‘where’s the gaffa tape?’ I was up to my neck in shrine building. It is actually in my top 4 of things to do.
The Wandle shrine
So, shrine to objects retrieved from the River Wandle up and running, I was in the mood for more arty interaction frolics. Simon Roth and his collaborative company Pop up Circus did a grand job of providing boozy grown-ups with arty things to join in with and I spent the rest of the night painting and posca penning on stuff whilst being entertained by some ace improvised jazz, a really funny bit of physical comedy based on a book about bicycle/human hybrids, and a bad-ass improv big band. It was a grand knees up of an evening. My personal highlight was Jacob and his power animals. What clever and insightful young artists you have London! We talked about his plans for a new set of tarot cards which made me super excited, because our Bradford pal Mike has a photographed a beautiful group of Bradfordians as the major arcana. We plan to exhibit them both together as a Bradford Interchange antic.
But what did Bradford bring to London? The Bradford Interchange Clothes Swap, that’s what.
The concept of The Clothes Swap is that we take our donated items of clothing from the lovely, eclectic Bradford districts, complete with one-off handmade story telling tag – and we offer them to any Londoner who thinks they’re hard enough to have a go wearing them, take them out into London for us, re-incarnate them and ya know, just appreciate them! All they have to do is, a) be hard enough and b) give us something they’re wearing in return. We had some really cool, some really gorgeous clothes, and some great tags, so thanks to all the donators and extra thanks to all the people who took part. You are all officially good people. Thank You! And enjoy your little bit of Bradford!
Special thanks to these people pictured who really got us going on the night and gave a lot, on this very first (of many we hope!) Clothes Swap!
Love you all! Bradford Interchange x x x x
