2024 Culture Round-Up

The In and Out lists remind me of the Sunday Times stylist section. Fickle and forgettable. A favourites list is a tender sharing I much prefer. Here we go...

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⭐A Nation of Shopkeepers: The Unstoppable Rise of the Petty Bourgeoisie by Dan Evans - First read this in 2023, as I made the series Middle of Somewhere it was increasingly on my mind I think Evans will be marked out as one of main theorists in years to come. If you care for class it’s a must read. Basically describes a background to our current situation.

⭐The death of grass - John Christopher

⭐John Mcgrath The Bone Won't Break : On Theatre and Hope in Hard Times. (became my bible, found in a charity shop. I fear my mind has been changed and there is no going back.)

⭐ A Space on the Side of the Road: Cultural Poetics in an "Other" America by Kathleen Stewart (Author) Complicated storytelling fragmented communities. Big research book for my series Middle of somewhere.

⭐ The Bygones - Jim Gibson poignant, small but mighty stories.

⭐The Borrowed Hills - Scott Preston.

⭐We Were There - Lanre Bakare. I got to peep at this before release and couldn’t stop reading. Vitally important book. A chapter the Last Fort expands on stories I had heard fleetingly.

⭐ Rural Poverty Today - Mark Shucksmith, Jayne Glass, Polly Chapman and Jane Atterton - major source of research for Middle of Somewhere. If you want to learn rural policy, reality, start here!

⭐ Barrowbeck - Andrew Michael Hurley. I read this after finishing the show at the Baltic. The ending hit me, proper slap in the face. Gripping. Not far enough removed from reality but that’s what makes it truly scary.

⭐Strong female character - Fern Brady. I felt the sides of autism I struggle with represented. The sides that make me “bad.” The fact I can’t get on a train, or the tube without having a panic attack. That noises hurt me, and I get burnt out. That I hide all these things because ya girl is already freaky enough. I didn’t love it as aa piece of writing, but I think it was important and a different narrative to the over simplification of neurodiversity in instagram reels.

Photo books are largely too expensive to justify £40 - £60 per book. They are lovingly produced and worth that but honestly unaffordable. For me they are rarities. Therefore there are only two on this list. Both I own.

⭐Coalfaces - Tina Carr & Annemarie Schone. This body of work is indescribable. Empathy, compassionate viewing, companionship, social change. Coalfaces portrays the life in the Afan Valley, after the pit closures, had to deal with high levels of unemployment and found themselves with severe adjustment problems. Over more than ten years, Tina Carr and Annemarie Schöne worked with the residents of the valley to document the place they call 'home'.

⭐Kiss it - Abbie Trayler-Smith. Gost Books. The pink cover, the type. 👌long form documentary, 12 year body of coming of age story. Love!

⭐ My Life in Politics - Tim Davies. My lovely pal Ben (an incredible photographer) sent me this book after I got the election job. I was worried about being myself and you know what this was those lovely moments I think are interesting. Photojournalists are incredible & imp. These moments are telling and this book is incredible!

⭐ Shout out to beloved indie bookshops.

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⭐ January long dark nights saw me turning to some classics. Alan Bleasdales, ‘Boys from the Blackstuff’. Bernard Hill sadly passed away in 2024, his portrayal of Yosser.(desperation of a man who has been run through the system in Thatcher's Britain.)

The series. The societal change it comments on is a key moment in our cultural history. (It is in fact the first time I have seen it but after many recommendations, reflection of our current societal changes it was a must.)

⭐Our Friends in the North. Another one I never saw at the time of being released (in my defence I was starting primary school, 5 years old and I don’t think I would have got it then), watched it the first time in 2022. I felt it was relevant as a body of work now more than ever. Christopher Eccleston is incredible.

⭐ Rivals - Bloody loved it. 10/10

⭐ The Way - Adam Curtis, Michael Sheen, and James Graham. What’s not to love. Three part drama from early in 2024. We start off with civil discontent in Wales. In an eerily crystal ball type manner predicted what would happen in the year to come. Riots. Tension. Port Talbot (again a key moment in our year) 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿

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⭐Poor Things - Yorgos Lathimos. I adore oddness in people, in films, in books, in the world. Eyes were glued to the cinema screen. 100/10. Feels the world has shifted since January 2024, sitting in Everyman Northallerton taking a night off a year ago.

⭐The cheviot, the stag and the black black oil - A play from the 1970s. The Cheviot was the TV version first aired in 1974. Set in the Highlands of Scotland, a history purposefully evaded, clearances, times of vast economic change, globalisation. I had seen this as a student but didn’t remember it well. I have watched it twice since early in the year. Obsessed is an understatement.

⭐The Zone of Interest - Last year I had a pal staying with me as they worked up in the North East, there isn’t much in the way of night life around here. Allowing me free reign over movie choice isn’t always the setting for a peaceful night's sleep. Devastatingly important piece of cinema. A film made for full focus. Challenging at times.

⭐Come and See - Elem Klimov. One for anyone who wants to comment on the glory of war. You won’t be the same after watching it. This masterpiece shows devastation and human suffering, the complications of war in a brutal way. Intense but everyone should watch it once.

⭐Dinner in America - Adam Rehmeier. 10/10. Rare now you want to watch a film twice in a row. First released 2020 indie film that came back in a big way in 2024. Never felt so seen.

⭐Conclave - power, polarising attitudes, a critique of the art of the silver tongue? It’s easy to guess why this is here. Phenomenal acting. I thoroughly enjoyed the red posters, and got me thinking about the lost art of beautifully designed posters for films, art shows, events in the age of social media. Vaping, treachery and again making me think of what people will do for ambition.

⭐Kneecap - Fassbender incredible. What this film has done, will do for Irish language is powerful. 11/10.

⭐Nosferatu -🧛‍♂️ Robert Eggers. Yes I'm including it. Saw it on new year’s day. This retired goth loved every moment. There are several readings online. The cinematography by Jarin Blaschke is beautiful. Location perfection. Linda Muir’s costume design is phenomenal. Acting…incredible.

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⭐Women’s Land Army Museum - Near Dover. Stopped for a coffee whilst meeting Florence who I was about to make a portrait of. Incredible little museum.

⭐ Margaret Tait Archive - Pier Arts centre - Orkney

⭐The first half of my year was largely spent on Hoy. Cra'as Nest Museum maintained by a local family, shows a different time of Hoy. Mainly focusing on the Old man of Hoy.

⭐ The rest of the year at home, visiting the Dales Countryside museum and as always ever inspired by Marie Hartley.

⭐Beatrix Potter’s old toy farm house made my think about modern day cottage core and trad wife fantasy vs reality.

⭐Jacqueline Poncelet at MIMA was lush. I loved the textile pieces.

⭐Franki Raffles at Baltic. After spending days in the archives of St Andrews looking at Franki’s diaries and exploring the work behind the work, I was so excited and it didn’t disappoint.

⭐Harewood Biennal: Create / Elevate. Phenomenal. Mani Kambo’s wallpaper piece was a highlight.

⭐Turner: Art, Industry and Nostalgia at the Laing. Yeah I enjoyed it. It was nice, could have been more ummfph or relation to contemporary. I do love Turner, I know it isn’t popular to as an artist, but I do.

⭐ Timespan - We move as murmuration. One of my favourite museum, art space and community space. I am lucky to be working there this year and the backend of last but so so good. The show features many talented artists doing exceptional work.

⭐Shifters Play by Benedict Lombe. Do we have a soul mate? Honestly incredible. The audience were laughing crying. Sighing. Whilst working in London I went to see this beautiful art. Featuring the incredible Heather Agyepong and Tosin Cole.

⭐Kestle barton- - anthology of rural life. A weekend of talks, a echibtion showing some of my favourite work. Incredible Artists, organisers. It was lush. I loved it. Feat Jem Southam,

⭐ The Valleys - National Museum Cardiff. I loved it. So much Brilliant work. Excellent. 100/10. Best Show all year.

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⭐ A studio! The perfect romantic gesture for me was an engagement ring. Not in the form of a ring, but a shipping container. (I feel shipping containers are symbols of globalism, and tied to the free market 1980s, a change in economics. They do get used more than once but these used ones sit with little dents, perfectly sound, used up and spat out. Maybe a good metaphor for class but who knows.) A space of my own when I have never had access to one was / is incredible. Too cold at the moment but when spring comes you can catch me there. (visits available) The gift of a room of one’s own in a time when studio access is hard is a token of true love.

Thinking of cultural references of key moments. My main interaction / engagements aren’t museums or galleries. Culture, art is all around us. Every progressive time within society has been a time of art, culture and it’s important for the masses. Thinking about this I thought about the culture I have access to. From the church 15 minutes way depicting St Alkelda, gothic ruins of monastaries speaking of the history we know, local pubs with horse brasses telling local legends, to gold rimmed plates showing sources of local pride or political moments. The past is laiden with artists and artisans. I hate the culture wars, lads I do. I love visiting museums, galleries. I just find them limiting or hard to get to or expensive or all of the above. I saw some incredible shows in London this year, but because I was working there and they ain’t cheap..EVER. Two separate visits..One Dunrobin castle, and the other Tate Britain makes me think who decides what art goes where and why. What can art do? Art, music, culture can be a conduit - showing us different things, opening our minds, learning to think differently. I think of all the places we can experience it and that shaped how I did (also the time I had to do so.)

⭐Stained glass tour of England. Bearing all that in mind. Over 16 pubs, community spaces, churches, cathedrals. Thinking of tales of morality in different times. How stories got to the masses. I went on a tour to see stained glass in unsual places around the UK. (prob will post it next year)

⭐ Parliament. I spent a lil bit of time in Parliament; July and August. Seeing that work in a different way. Interesting. but same Q’s above

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⭐House of Cards: House of Cards Trilogy - audiobook. For obvious reasons. Michael Dobbs. A recommendation of a political candidate.

⭐The Valley: A Hundred Years in the Life of a Family - audiobook - Richard Benson - Complexity of class particular to Britain.

⭐ The soundtrack to various jobs, journeys & commissions?

Everybody’s talking at me - Harry Nilsson. On the Road Again - Willie Nelson. Small town Boy - Orville Peck. Country Boy - Peat and Diesel Watermelon - John and Jane Q. Losing my religion - REM. Treat me like a slut - Kim Petras. Sadness as a gift - Adrianne Lenker.

⭐Chappel Roan on SNL. In particular the Giver. “So baby When you need the job done. You can me, baby. Cause you ain’t got to tell me. It’s just in my nature. So take it like a taker, cause baby, I’m a giver. Ain;t no need to hurry, cause, baby, I deliver.”

💔 List of things I want to stay in 2024.

⭐AI - using a parallel universe to tap into information. Have you seen dystopian thriller, read sci fi fiction? It is a no from me.

⭐Condescending journalists & terrible diva behaviour - you are meant to care about people - not look down on them. Enough said.

⭐Air bnb staycations - or rather mass extractive tourism. Considered breaks, small businesses, mind behaviour not extractive this place is a theme park behaviour.

⭐Being demure - now is not the time. Shows about gender that don't include working class women. Girl bye.

⭐The Commodification of folk. I have a deep love of stone circles. I do not have a deep love of 2024’s of consumer driven folk culture. A fixation with turning folklore into a theme park. I went to see stone henge for the first time and I hated it. I didn’t hate stone henge- it’s well impressive. I hated the signs, the tiktok making, the litter, the signs telling me where to go, the distance and I fear it’s coming to a stone circle near you. Post capital tourism involves countryside as consumable and I abhorrreee it. It’s been happening for a few years but 2024 was the rise and rise. Urban folks removing every lived aspect, removal of class, a new narrative. I find it really detached and boring. Folk lore is working class and to turn into a consumerist spectacle feels like an erasure of that history.

⭐ Film that is basically useless. Film prices have risen 400% but the seal will it work, no. Pls fix kodak.

💭(I didn’t get around to it but high on the list)

⭐Rare Singles Ben Myers - one of my all time favourite authors. I will read in 2025.

⭐Bone of the Bone - Sarah Smarsh - Another of my all time favourite authors.

Please drop your cultural moments, arts, telly, whatever floats your boat.(I myself am not in fact the ruler of culture, arts, media and am often wrong.) My tastes are unique to my experiences as a person and sharing them gives me joy.

There’s more I will have missed but my brain is rotting from over saturation so that’s all you get

Happy New Year.

Jo x