The First Greenwich Annuale: An exhibition by the Greenwich Satellite Group of London Independent Photography

The Greenwich group of London Independent Photographers presents its first exhibition over the August bank holiday weekend at its monthly meeting place, the Viewfinder Photography Gallery in Peyton Place.

The grand title Greenwich Annuale (shades of Venice-on-the-Thames) reflects the openness and inclusiveness of the group – anyone who had ever attended a Greenwich Group meeting was invited to enter one image, with each submitted image being accepted. Over the past year members have shown work from the Peninsular and the Park, Creek Road and Kraków, Maze Hill and Mozambique, Croom's Hill and Colorado, Greenwich Reach and Gdansk; family homes and family albums; high noon and two in the morning.

London Independent Photography (LIP for short) is an informal group of over four hundred amateur and professional photographers of all ages, backgrounds and levels of expertise. For over twenty years its members have come together to build a programme of practical workshops, master classes, talks and exhibitions. Its satellite groups meet up each month in various homes, galleries, studios and pubs throughout London to share work, arrange exhibitions and talk photography. The Greenwich LIP group, established in May 2007, is open to anyone, LIP member or not. Experience ranges from those who have spent a lifetime in photography, to those who spent last weekend and those still opening the box.

Participating photographers:
Neville Austin, Quentin Ball, Nicky Boyd, Corina Ashleigh Brown, Diego Campos, Anita Chandra, Natalie Chant, Dawn Collins, Anne Crabbe, Nathalie Crouch, Melany Darke, Brian Daubney, Robert Davies, Jenny Dawes, Orde Eliason, Louise Forrester, Anne-Marie Glasheen, Tony Hale, Anna Hillman, Matt Holland, Chris Hudson, Jenny Johnson Burrows, Martin Jordan, Sam Kemp, Marysia Lachowicz, Jennifer Lanier, John Levett, Stefan Lubomirski, Dave Mason, Michael Rogers, Paula Salischiker, David Thorpe, Duncan Unsworth and John Whitfield.

Exhibition open:
Wednesday 20th to Monday 25th August
www.viewfinder.org.uk

WARGAMERS PREPARE TO INVADE THE CAPITAL

Wargamers and traders from throughout the UK will be invading Firepower The Royal Artillery Museum on Sunday 10 August for the Museum’s annual Military Wargames Fair. The event is now in its sixth year at the Museum which is located by the Thames in London’s historic Royal Arsenal in Woolwich.

Thirteen demonstration and participation games will give members of the public the chance to join in and rewrite history by changing the course of famous battles. The games use incredibly accurate topographical models and scenery as well as painstakingly researched scale figures to bring history to life, but in miniature. All eras, from the Dark Ages to the present, will be represented by games and gamers. Future yet to be written will be represented by science fiction products and activities at the event which is staged in association with Gravesend Wargames Club.

“This event is now a fixture in the national wargaming calendar.” says Eileen Noon from Firepower. “It’s so popular because the games are played in the historic buildings at Firepower surrounded by the Museum’s world famous collections. The remarkable human stories told in the Museum complement the gaming and together make for a fascinating day out.”

Firepower, The Royal Artillery Museum is based at the Royal Arsenal in Woolwich, the birthplace of the Royal Artillery which was founded there in 1716. The history of artillery is illustrated by Firepower’s world-class display of artillery from catapults to rockets, from the medieval battlefield to modern peacekeeping missions, the collections including uniforms, drawings, diaries and medals bring together 700 years of artillery and human history. Experiences at Firepower include the ground-shaking Field of Fire audio-visual show where visitors are put in the midst of battle as shells and aircraft fly overhead and guns roar, giving an insight into the experiences of an artillery gunner.

Admission to the Museum costs: Adults £5.00, children £2.50, concessions £4.50. Discounted family tickets are also available. For more information about Firepower visit www.firepower.org.uk , call 020 8855 7755 or email info@firepower.org.uk . Firepower is located in the historic Royal Arsenal in Woolwich, London, between the A206 and the Thames.

Firepower, The Royal Artillery Museum, Royal Arsenal, Woolwich, London, SE18 6ST.

Nearly Nothing: An Exhibition of International Photographers

This exhibition rekindles the historic debate as to whether photographers can be considered image makers rather than purely documenters. The exhibition further questions how much information we need to read an image, whether we need to be able to read an image at all, what level of accompanying text is required to make such images comprehensible.

These photographers use the camera to create innovative, poetic images rather than simply to record: photographing scenes where there is no immediately obvious subject matter (as with Gerd Hasler's waterscapes, in which water is reduced to monochrome images; Mike Whelan's series of interiors abstracted to light and form; and Mark Bellingham's photographs taken from moving trains, allowing for chance compositions), photographing what is not quite there (Nicola Probert's photograph of her parents' half-hearted redecorating attempts), or photographing the outright invisible (Isidro Ramirez's documentation of the scenes of his dreams and longings).
Equally, there are more literal photographs of nothingness: Hamish Pringle, in his first photographic project, photographs a sealed window in St Tropez; Kelly Hill photographs her daughter in a hazy light in an attempt to suggest the fragility of childhood.

Participating photographers
Mark Bellingham
Gerd Hasler
Kelly Hill
Jockel Liess
Hamish Pringle
Nicola Probert
Isidro Ramirez
Gregor Stephan
Mike Whelan

Hinterspace by Steve Gross, commissioned to accompany Nearly Nothing:
In the blurring of the edges
The whisper is heard
With more urgency than
The shout can draw attention
To
This is all that this is all about
Listen particularly for
The sweetness of the singer when lingering
For a whisper delivered as a kiss
In the issue of art we are all missionaries
Waiting for the congregation to enable us to sing our song
Whilst longing to be heard
All we have is
The urgency of silence
As we combine our wishing to
Bring the kissing on.
How delightfully insightful to be able to
See through to get a new glimpse
Of the dreamstate contingency which
Eclipses us to simplify love.
Catalogue entry by
Dominic Patterson: postdoctural research assistant at Glasgow University

Exhibition dates:
12th July to 17th August 2008

Exhibition open
Monday to Friday, 9-5pm
Saturday and Sunday, 12-4pm

Admission
Free

Venue
Viewfinder Photography Gallery,
Linear House, Peyton Place, off Royal Hill,
Greenwich, London SE10 8RS

Transport
Greenwich (DLR and Rail, 8 mins from London Bridge)
Cutty Sark (DLR)

Contact the curator Louise Forrester for more information:
gallery@viewfinder.org.uk
020 8858 8351
07949 764 022
www.viewfinder.org.uk
The Viewfinder Photography Gallery is a not-for-profit gallery in Greenwich, south east London, which shows the work of emerging art photographers.

Book Now for Summer Courses with Charlton FC

Charlton Athletic Community Scheme Solutions Whitsun Schools football coaching courses and bookings are now taking place for the courses running during the Summer School Holidays starting 14th July.

The courses run between 10am-3pm unless otherwise stated, and application forms are available by calling: 020-8850 2866 or online by clicking here. Booking is essential as places go fast.

For more info on the program, see here

Summer Parks Free Programme for 8 - 12 year olds

Today's Highlight: Lift Festival 2008

About Lift:

According to their website, Lift produces and presents interactive cultural experiences which enable people to make meaningful connections on a local, national and international level. Since 1981, Lift has been recognised as one of Europe’s leading arts festivals, introducing theatre from over 60 countries to venues and unusual sites across London.

Lift believes that arts and culture can help create a society where people are more active, willing to engage in dialogue, politically and culturally aware, curious, able and eager to make change.

"Lift continues to be a cultural sector leader with the launch of Lift Festival 2008, this summer at Stratford and Southbank Centre. Lift Festival 2008 is an extraordinary programme of international premieres, talks, screenings and participatory events that engage with climate change, migration, communities, regeneration, and individual and collective freedoms".

"At the heart of the Festival is The Lift, a ground-breaking design for a mobile venue and meeting place. Connecting local audiences with international artists. The Lift hosts performances, exhibitions, workshops, discussions and screenings."

Lift Festival 2008 Stratford12 – 21 June

Lift Festival 2008 Southbank Centre 26 June - 6 July

Lift Festival 2008 at Shoreditch Festival 16-24 August

For more on the program schedule, click here.