Nottingham Contemporary

Nottingham Contemporary will present a reproduction of the Riddler’s jacket by John Newling, in conjunction with his solo show here. The jacket – which is covered in question marks like the jacket worn by the iconic “baddy” in Batman - has an epic train of 50 metres long. It will form part of a performance by Newling, which he invites shoppers and passers-by to take part in.

Newling has continually explored what we ‘value’ in our everyday lives – regardless of economic value – throughout his career. For this performance, individual question marks will be cut from the coat and given to passers-by in exchange for a ‘value’ that they believe strongly in. It offers a chance to talk to the artist about what they value and, in exchange, what he values. Through this exchange, Newling hopes to provoke an antidote to the relentless invitations to consume and gain a greater understanding of what we value. Each person who participates will be given a ‘Riddler ribbon’ to wear.

The list of values he compiles will become a script for live readings given by Newling and others in a performance at Nottingham Contemporary Thursday 28 March at 6pm.

Conversation with Millery Polyne and Matthew J Smith, Chaired by Nick Nesbitt

and Q&A

Matthew J Smith: 
Haitian Revolutions: Politics, Conflicts, and the Shadow of 1804

Millery Polyne:
The Commercial and Ideological Uses of Haiti-from Post U.S. Occupation to Post-Earthquake

Conversation with Barbara Browning, Martin Munro & Michael Largey & Q&A
Chaired by Philip Kaisary

Conversation & Q&A with Colin Dayan
Chaired by Leah Gordon & Alex Farquharson (Curators, Kafou, Haiti Art & Vodou)

Barbara Browning:
Catching the Rhythm: Infectious Politicization in the Figuring of Haitian Dance Since the Revolution

Martin Munro:
The Revolution's Ghosts: Dessalines, the Chimères, and Apocalyptic Creolization

Michael Largey: 
1804 and Musical Memory: Occide Jeanty and Recombinant Mythology in Haiti

Conversation with Dick Geary & Nick Nesbitt, Chaired by Charles Forsdick