The collaboration of visual art, music, and experimental sound is what we're all about at BCMG, which is why we're so excited to be returning to the Contemporary Arts Centre Arnolfini for Blossoming in Bristol.

On Saturday 18th Feb we will be performing works inspired by nature, against a backdrop of visual explorations on the same theme. By creating a fully immersive experience we hope our combined audience of art enthusiasts can really appreciate the natural world around us. 

'As the winter departs and is replaced by the blossoming of spring, the changing of seasons continues to be an unfathomable inspiration to creatives'

Garry Fabian Miller

Garry Fabian Miller, one of the most inventive and original photographers of his time celebrates a lifetime of his work with his major exhibition ADORE in his home city of Bristol. Like Contemporary Music, the exhibition ADORE stretches beyond traditional art spaces, with a celebratory festival of musicians, filmmakers, writers, poets, and collaborators who have contributed to Fabian Miller’s inspiring practice.

Beginning with images from Sections of England: The Sea Horizon (1976 to 1977) – originally shown at Arnolfini in 1979 in Fabian Miller’s first-ever solo exhibition when he was just 19 years old – the artist’s deep affinity with nature is established.

Dancing Sun (i), 1987 to 2020, by Garry Fabian Miller. © Garry Fabian Miller

ADORE reveals an artist of incredible commitment – returning to capture the same grove of hawthorn trees throughout the seasons, year after year. Followed by early examples of his pre-abstract practice, ADORE introduces audiences to the plants and flowers that adorn the artist's garden, and stretch out into the surrounding hedgerows.

After much exploration, the narrative winds its way back to Dartmoor – the place in which the artist has made his home and found endless inspiration.

ADORE Gallery Guide

Sounds of Nature

Within this homely exhibition, filled with organic shapes, tapestries, and rugs (created with Dovecot, Edinburgh, and Dash + Miller) BCMG will be performing a number of nature-inspired pieces, one of which is Sakana by Dai Fujikura. 

Sakana, meaning fish in Japanese, is Fujikura's representation of the movement of fish; the way the light reflects off their scales, and the smooth, yet rapid way they travel through water.

'The piece has a peculiar feeling, the tempo is fast, though I regard it as slow music. There is a lot of action if you are standing near this piece, however, if you are "looking" from afar, it is a slow-moving fish...'

Dai Fujikura

Moving from the gallery to the theatre, BCMG will continue their performance, with added ambiance...

Toshio Hosokawa's work has been saturated by nature since his entrance into the arts, with his piece Blossoming being no exception. The image of the lotus, with its multilayered growth and iconic shape, inspired his piece Blossoming.

‘The lotus sends its roots deep into the mud beneath the surface of the pond; the stem stretches through the water toward the surface and the sky; the bud is blossoming toward the morning sunshine.’

Toshio Hosokawa

Expect to hear this piece and its beautifully meandering, yet intense sound world, during Blossoming in Bristol, and Blossoming in Birmingham.

Following this, we have Beyond written by Charlotte Bray for a friend on his return to his homeland of Israel. Exploring the dark lower register of the violin, the piece sits well with Fabien Miller's more abstract works. There is a sense of sentimentality and longing that feels almost bittersweet with Beyond. Long questioning phrases hang in the air, and in turn, that space is filled with your own story. As is often the way with contemporary art.

  

Colour Seed 4 by Garry Fabian Miller. © Garry Fabian Miller

 

Finally, we have Perpetual Spring by internationally renowned composer Dai Fujikura, who gathered inspiration from the Portland Japanese Garden.

'Perpetual Spring is organic, the clarinet melts into the string quartet, and the strings extend their "stems" to wrap around the clarinet wherever it moves.

As is the amazing thing about nature: the roots and the stems of trees wrap around anything, breaking through asphalt roads, and concrete walls. Every time I see this power of nature, I feel that we should never underestimate the power of "quiet" nature. This piece is about framing it.'

Dai Fujikura

Ultimately, it is our human connection with nature that is at the core of artistic inspiration, and we can't wait to experience it with you. 

  

Book Tickets for Blossoming in Bristol - 18th Feb

Book Tickets for Blossoming in Birmingham - 29th April

 

BCMG @ Arnolfini for Bristol New Music Festival 2022 by Mark Small