hotel – working with angels

23 ARTISTS OCCUPY ROOMS & OTHER SPACES

Ashley Court Hotel, Bristol, UK

“Hotel was the local arts scene at its most anarchic, whimsical and inspired” Venue magazine

Film, video, installation, live performance and visual interventions occupy the hotel?s vacancies.

Experience these events in the bedrooms, bathrooms, corridors, dining room and reception areas – a unique transformation of a familiar, transitory location.

for further information see PDF(s):

hotel flyer (108KB)

publicity

Venue magazine (249KB)

pre-event hotel article

Room no.3

This is my room (No.3)

the pic was taken by Deborah Weinreb, one of the artists participating in Hotel, she’s been working with a secret collaborator sending photos & receiving narrative responses, here’s the story she got for Room 3:

The pink candlewick bedspreads dominate a scene of perfect conventialism. Two little doggies in the painting observe any breach of proper behaviour. But after lights-out who knows what happens…. This timeless room – if it could speak it would speak a novel. The occupants eat a full English breakfast, walk hand in hand under an English sky. And upon the next morning wake to birdsong – only one bed has been slept in.

The previous Hotel owners used to call it ‘the Dolls House’, Jackie the Landlady, says she’d like to chintz it up, put a double bed in ..the love nest. Its really cosy, you step down into it, a little sanctuary.

My initial feeling was that the room was perfect just as it is, but keen to see what may occur I booked in for a night…

processing – a night in room no 3

16.4.05

The window on to the roof is fantastic ..
through the binoculars you can see quite far, I put a book out there & watched the wind turn the pages

I scattered bird seed on the roof, as the birds were in full swing song, but they may be too nervous to come near as there’s a cat about.

I played with the spy camera on the non existant birds, hooked into the tv, but not for long – am overwhelmingly hesitant to use any gadgets here.

thing is, the birds may not come, but thats ok

I like the binoculars & seed – there’s an expectancy

ideally someone could be in here, living in for the arts weekend offering some form of service like reading tea leaves

the stepping down into a cosy one to one space.

as it turns out, Jackie the landlady, has just sought the services of a psychic, Maudie, the consultation was conducted by phone & J. would love to meet her..

that’s it,
found a thread..

hope shes up for it

wrote a ‘letter to Maudie’ (see pdf)

for further information see PDF(s) :

letter to Maudie (226KB)

describing the process ..a night in Room 3,
and consequent invitation to Maudie

Psychic in residence – room 3

Maudie McKenzie, psychic medium & healer, is resident in room 3 over the weekend. She will be available for psychic readings on an adhoc ‘first come first served’ basis.

If the “do not disturb” sign is displayed, please return later to see if she’s free, or wait quietly nearby. Thanks

so there was a lot of waiting, on the rosemary mat
– which generated a potent fragrence as it got trodden into the musty carpets throughout the hotel.

for further information see PDF(s):

working with angels (210KB)

room 3 flyer
process notes & info / contact details re Maudie

psychic in residence – room 3

Maudie has been practicing for over 33 years, she is a fully qualified Tradis Healer and teaches Psychic Development.

During her weekend stay in room 3 she was inundated with soul seekers, searchers & sceptics, & worked non stop to see as many people as possible.

on the first day people were waiting for long periods of time, so on the last day she set up a booking system & charged full rates – all proceeds she donated to Jackie, in light of her having to leave the hotel, which is now up for development.

save the Ashley Court Hotel
local community campaign

for further information see PDF(s):

working with angels  (210KB)

room 3 flyer
process notes & info / contact details re Maudie

Poodle Competition Sunday 8th May at 4pm

open to all manner of animate & inanimate things – poodle:

entries judged & prizes awarded
by the editor of Venue Magazine

“One of the most unusual events of the entire month promises to be the poodle competition. Open to Poodles (obviously), other breeds of dogs disguised as poodles, and somewhat more alarmingly humans who dress themselves up as poodles.

It’s all because the hotel used to be a bit of a magnet for Poodle owners and at one time was known to it’s regulars as -the poodle parlour”

‘poodle’ image:  Terryl Bacon & Annie Lovejoy

poodle competition – the real thing

Having discovered via a web search that Phillip & Darren lived locally, I invited them, at very short notice, to attend our celebration of Ashley Court Hotel & its poodle heritage. They responded positively, honouring the event with 2 exquisite show poodles.

for more of the event, see poodles pdf

for further information see PDF(s):

poodles (631KB)

poodle competition pics & prize