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Co-directing FRAME_birmingham revealed to me many problems that I never usually face when working digitally. On screens, that are sometimes no bigger than our palm, we’re able to wander through a seemingly infinite space and control and change everything we see at our leisure with only the click of a mouse or tap of a screen.

With the FRAME_birmingham rehange I didn’t have such control. There were no “handles” with which to resize pieces, nor could the size of the room be changed in a menu item.

This lack of control, whilst intimidating at times, forced me to take a creative approach to arrangement.

The wrap party / private view / knees up is on 1st March, 17:00.

Since 18th February myself and Alex Billingham have been directing the rehang of FRAME_birmingham.

The project officially ended on 17th February, but will now continue for one more month, until 18th March at The Big Peg in Jewellery Quarter.

The project will be having a private view/party on Friday 1st March from 17:00-19:30 at Unit 743 (on the 7th floor) of the Big Peg. After that it’ll be available to view by appointment only - contact Jenny Duffin.

You can also still buy a print from Some of My Favourite Songs

I’m happy to announce that I’ll have a regular column in volume two of Libre Graphics magazine, starting with the first issue, Localisation/Internationalization

This February, Libre Graphics Magazine has reached a major milestone. We have published and shipped issue 2.1, the first number in our second volume. Titled “Localization/Internationalisation,” this issue explores the unique problems of non-latin type, the hyper-localisation of custom clothing patterns and international visual languages, among other topics.

Launched at FOSDEM, this issue marks the beginning of our second volume of publication, and heralds our move towards an increasingly critical slant. Exploring not just how Free/Libre Open Source Software can be used to create high quality art and design, in volume 2, we see a growing emphasis on the cultural and social issues around F/LOSS and Free Culture. With 2.1, we discuss issues of regionality. We are currently seeking submissions for 2.2, “Gendering F/LOSS,” which will revolve around gendered identity and work in F/LOSS and Free Culture.

We invite both potential readers and submittors to download, view, write, pull, branch and otherwise engage. We hope, in the coming year and with the help of a growing community, to further push the work of F/LOSS art, design and discussion.

The Transnational Glitch

My first column focuses on the international language of glitch and digital art.

Here’s an excerpt:

American English is the common language of computing and the internet. That’s quite unfortunate when there are so many talented non-English speakers building our websites and shaping our digital future. That potential aside, one only has to look at the programming languages themselves and even small things like web addresses to see a bias to- wards English. Functions in popular programming languages are derived from English and, while websites that are not in English exist, their urls are always in English, with only the domain extension (.fr, .pt, .es, .cn, etc.) available to give the website a sense of cultural identity.

Libre Graphics magazine is free to download from their website or can be purchased - which I recommend - for $12 CAD plus postage.

About Libre Graphics magazine

Libre Graphics magazine (ISSN 1925-1416) is a print publication devoted to showcasing and promoting work created with Free/Libre Open Source Software. Since 2010, we have been publishing work about or including artistic practices which integrate Free, Libre and Open software, standards, culture, methods and licenses.

Website: http://libregraphicsmag.com Identi.ca: http://identi.ca/libregraphicsmagazine Twitter: https://twitter.com/libgraphicsmag Gitorious: https://gitorious.org/libregraphicsmag

AlphabeNt, the book which I wrote the foreword for and spoke briefly about at GLI.TC/H 2112, is out now for either $30AUD or $70AUD (special edition)

AlphabeNt: Experiments from A–Z presents the 26 characters of the Latin alphabet as you haven’t seen them before: broken, distorted and aesthetically corrupted using digitally destructive techniques not usually found in the designers handbook. Co-authors Drew Taylor and Daniel Purvis created the characters using audio editing software such as Audacity, using standard text editors, by overloading flatbed document scanners, shaking iPhones and kicking computer tables.

Glitch art, and offshoot ‘databending’, is not unusual and is often featured in modern design. However, AlphabeNt presents one of the first professionally published glitch art books specifically designed to take use of glitch techniques in conjunction with the best modern digital printers and specialist paper stocks.

Paper sponsor, K.W.Doggett Fine Papers, provided K.W.Doggett Curious Metallics Digital – Ice Gold 300gsm stock for the printing of the cover and a set of 26 cards featuring the characters from the book. Printed by Kwik Kopy Norwood using an advanced HP Indigo digital printer, the characters from the book are brought to life through the combination of ink, metallic paper and are provided depth as they shimmer under light. This book demonstrates the power and flexibility of digital print techniques paired with the correct paper stock.

Says Daniel Purvis, founder of Adelaide-based publishing house Stolen Projects and co-author of AlphabeNt: Experiments from A–Z:

I’m extremely excited to present this collection of corrupted digital characters. It has always been the intent of Drew and I to print our digital experiments for two reasons. First, to give legitimacy to the digitally corrupt artwork we’ve created, which is so often overlooked on the electronic screens. And second, to demonstrate the power and weight of print in an age that relies so heavily on digital techniques.

AlphabeNt: Experiments from A–Z is available as a standalone book for $30AUD, featuring foreword by British glitch aficionado Antonio Roberts of http://hellocatfood.com, introduction by Daniel Purvis and Drew Taylor, and process description accompanying each of the characters.

A Special Edition of AlphabeNt: Experiments from A–Z, extremely limited to only 26 copies, is also available for $70AUD. The Special Edition features the full set of 26 cards, the AlphabeNt: Experiments from A–Z book, packaged in a special handmade box custom designed by Adelaide-based Chasdor Bindery.

Books will be available for purchase at launch and via Stolen Projects website as of Tuesday 26 February.

A special launch video has also been created by British glitch artist Antonio Roberts. Roberts remixes the entire set of 26 AlphabeNt characters produced by Drew Taylor and Daniel Purvis into a 1 minute 18 second animation backed by the music of Australian glitch musician Ten Thousand Free Men & Their Families (http://10kfreemen.com).

AlphabeNt, the book that I presented at GLI.TC/H 2113, is having its official launch party on 26th February at the Magazine Gallery in Adelaide, South Australia. I won’t be there, unless someone can lend give me £1200. Here’s a lil video I made using remixed images from the book.

Music is by Ten Thousand Free Men & Their Families