Turner Contemporary now we pay do we get any say and other Sunday rambles.

Now we know that we will be funding the Turner’s annual running costs of £2.6m with at least £1m each year out of our council tax, this is something that puts a completely different complexion on publicly funded art projects in Margate.

One thing that worries me is that when I use my normal means to discover something’s popularity (comparing available web statistics) these art projects seem to be being met with indifference.

Now if I put up a video on the internet I expect, if the video is any good that people will look at it




in this case over 4,000 did.

Now on the whole I would have expected Turner with all of its funding and high profile to have a website that was more popular than this blog and I would have expected the people visiting that site to be more interested in modern art than those visiting this blog.

Now back on the 8th of this month I embedded a video about their main art project in Margate this spring and on that day 28 of the 400 or so people who read this blog viewed the video, after that it soon went back to getting between 0 and 3 views a day.

About 10 days ago the people who write the Turner contemporary website embedded it on their main “what’s on” page, this has bumped the viewing figures up to an average of about 5 views a day.

Here is the video

Margate Marine Bathing Pool Walk from Hugh Kermode on Vimeo.

It is not my intention here to discuss the validity of a group of people walking round in circles being art that justifies public funding I am just using this particular work, because it is their main current project, as an example of the apparent lack of interest.

From a web designers point of view the Turner Contemporary’s website is a rather weak and dated affair, it lacks any attempt to engage with people as you can't comment on it and it lacks anything much in the way of trying to promote itself as it lacks feeds, so I can't add their what’s on page to my sidebar in a way that would update when they added something new.

Anyway my main question here and I think it’s a big one is, do the people running Turner intend to consult with the people of Kent, who will be paying for a considerable proportion for their activities, about what those activities will be?

I suppose my main gripe here is that if something is publicly funded then it shouldn’t be elitist and the measure by this elitism is easiest gauged, is that is something out of the context of an art gallery is not recognisable as art by an ordinary person, the although it may be art it is elitist art.

One thing I noticed when visiting the Droit House is how the people working there are obviously very careful not to leave anything lying about.

It could be a bit difficult to have ones packed lunch, shopping or umbrella mistaken for a work of art, doubly so if the person making the mistake is a famous art critic.

Something that I also find personally difficult here is that I am a person who appreciates much in the way of modern art, modern experimental fiction and modern music.

But for me there came a point, when I heard that Carl Andre had used the bricks that formed Equivalent VIII to build a wall in his garden and so when the Tate bought it he sent an order for some more bricks to the builder’s merchant, with instructions to deliver them directly to the Tate, that I thought some people were, playing my tune – out of tune.

Of course this may have been some sort of art folk myth, but the chap who told me worked for the V&A at the time and I have no reason to doubt him.

Now onto a new subject and that is the Powell cotton museum and Quex Park, what with one thing and another this has become Thanet’s last remaining tourist attraction of any consequence and certainly the only place we have left that will amuse a family for several hours on a wet day.

For my children and their visiting cousins the high point of the half term holiday was going to the “Lion King” event at the museum click on the link for their events http://www.quexmuseum.org/visitingus/special-events.htm

Now I know the first thing that will come into the minds of many people, particularly those with families is, how expensive is it, the answer here is that if when you visit you pay a small extra fee to become a friend of Quex all subsequent visits for the year are free and the special events are at a reduced price.

I should also point out here that the museum receives no public or government funding and the friends also do a certain amount to help raise money for the museum, it really is a friendly set up and I would recommend it to those with a little spare time.

I would also add that there is no question, even in my children’s minds about what constitutes an exhibit in the museum and what doesn't.

I didn’t get a chance to take any photographs of Quex last week so click on the link for some from past http://thanetonline.blogspot.com/2009/10/quex-park-some-pictures.html as you can see it really is worth a visit, event or no event.

As far as events for the forthcoming week goes the webcasting of the Thanet District Council meeting on the 25th February will be one to watch out for, for those of who don’t get the time to attend these meetings it will be interesting to see our local democracy in action, that is if they can get everything to work this time.

Anyway I had considered a question from the press and public in accordance with Council Procedure Rule 13 to ask TDC for a grant for a new silly walk I have been working on.



After all the video above has had over 1m viewings.

Just noticed this new Ramsgate video and thought it had a certain apeal.

MariGNAR OUTLAW RACE TEASER!! from andrew on Vimeo.

The picture is of Margate Road at it's junction with Princes Road, College Road and St Lukes Avenue. Looking north towards Margate before the viaduct was built.

Update this new video about the walk in Margate has appeared on the internet today 22.2.2010, frankly I am impressed that anyone could manage to talk for so long about walking around in a circle.

Hamish Fulton - Margate Walk from Hugh Kermode on Vimeo.