Knight’s Move
David Howells and Charlie Woolley are editing, publishing and distributing a quarterly journal of commissioned artists’ writing and writing for visual art. They are working with two students Tim Pratt and Charlotte Young.
The relationship of written language to visual art is often considered as problematic. An artist is often perceived as inarticulate, someone who doesn’t read, and can’t or shouldn’t write. Moreover, academic and critical writing on the visual arts can be seen as inaccessible and is sometimes distanced from its subject. This can be limiting for a wide range of people, and in particular students who study the subject of Fine Art.
The journal aims to provide a public space in which visual artists can use the written word as another form of artistic endeavour. The approach is different from the more formal or traditional format of critical theory, or a literary review.
David and Charlie intend to devote their publication exclusively to “writing for art’, and individual contributors will be brought together as part of an integral visual project. And moreover, a new kind of writing will require a new kind of reading – this publication will not be read as traditional newspaper, book or magazine is read.
This periodical is actively seek out contributors and commissions from the new writing in response to a theme or motif, which informs each issue.
It is important to consider Knight’s Move as a new space of artistic activities. The four walls of a studio space become the four edges of a journal. This journal is an innovative vehicle for art writing and writing on art.
Issue one is out and was conceived around the theme ‘the manifesto’.
As stated by the external examiner, Professor Jill Journeaux, for the BA Fine Art in her Annual Subject Standards Examiner’s report:
“The written work that I have been able to view has proven consistently outstanding over the last three years, and is of great strength, and of national significance. The requirements for the written components offer students a vehicle for finding and using their own unique voice through writing, parallel with the visual. This is enabling new territory to be claimed in the articulation of practice through writing, at undergraduate level and is addressing central questions of, what writing is and can be for artists. This work is valuable and innovative and I applaud it.”
People involved
David Howells has recently completed an MA in visual culture at Middlesex University. Ongoing research interests include the relationship between word and image, cognitive approaches to the creative process and drawing as a language.
Charlie Woolley obtained a BAFA in 2003 and is currently running a short course entitled “Literature For Visual Artists” at London Metropolitan University, he is a practicing artists and writer and has worked for various magazines and in the book retail industry. He joined the David Risley Gallery in October 2006.
The Editorial are among other
Nicola Oxley, Artist, Curator, Lecturer at London Metropolitan University
Nicolas de Oliveira, Writer, Curator, Lecturer at London Metropolitan University
David Risley, David Risley Gallery
Dr. Stephen Bury, Head of Modern English and American Collections at British Library
Jemma Kennedy, Lecturer in creative writing at the Manchester Metropolitan University
Sina Najafi, Editor of the magazine Cabinet
Luca lo Pinto, Nero Magazine
Maria Fusco, Bookworks
Pavel Buchler, Artist, has tough at the Glasgow University
Alec Finlay, Independent Art Publisher
Liam Gillick, Artist and curator of the show Kiosque at the ICA
Christian Zuzunaga and Charlotte Heal designed the first issue. They are currently doing an MA in Typography at the RCA.
The relationship of written language to visual art is often considered as problematic. An artist is often perceived as inarticulate, someone who doesn’t read, and can’t or shouldn’t write. Moreover, academic and critical writing on the visual arts can be seen as inaccessible and is sometimes distanced from its subject. This can be limiting for a wide range of people, and in particular students who study the subject of Fine Art.
The journal aims to provide a public space in which visual artists can use the written word as another form of artistic endeavour. The approach is different from the more formal or traditional format of critical theory, or a literary review.
David and Charlie intend to devote their publication exclusively to “writing for art’, and individual contributors will be brought together as part of an integral visual project. And moreover, a new kind of writing will require a new kind of reading – this publication will not be read as traditional newspaper, book or magazine is read.
This periodical is actively seek out contributors and commissions from the new writing in response to a theme or motif, which informs each issue.
It is important to consider Knight’s Move as a new space of artistic activities. The four walls of a studio space become the four edges of a journal. This journal is an innovative vehicle for art writing and writing on art.
Issue one is out and was conceived around the theme ‘the manifesto’.
As stated by the external examiner, Professor Jill Journeaux, for the BA Fine Art in her Annual Subject Standards Examiner’s report:
“The written work that I have been able to view has proven consistently outstanding over the last three years, and is of great strength, and of national significance. The requirements for the written components offer students a vehicle for finding and using their own unique voice through writing, parallel with the visual. This is enabling new territory to be claimed in the articulation of practice through writing, at undergraduate level and is addressing central questions of, what writing is and can be for artists. This work is valuable and innovative and I applaud it.”
People involved
David Howells has recently completed an MA in visual culture at Middlesex University. Ongoing research interests include the relationship between word and image, cognitive approaches to the creative process and drawing as a language.
Charlie Woolley obtained a BAFA in 2003 and is currently running a short course entitled “Literature For Visual Artists” at London Metropolitan University, he is a practicing artists and writer and has worked for various magazines and in the book retail industry. He joined the David Risley Gallery in October 2006.
The Editorial are among other
Nicola Oxley, Artist, Curator, Lecturer at London Metropolitan University
Nicolas de Oliveira, Writer, Curator, Lecturer at London Metropolitan University
David Risley, David Risley Gallery
Dr. Stephen Bury, Head of Modern English and American Collections at British Library
Jemma Kennedy, Lecturer in creative writing at the Manchester Metropolitan University
Sina Najafi, Editor of the magazine Cabinet
Luca lo Pinto, Nero Magazine
Maria Fusco, Bookworks
Pavel Buchler, Artist, has tough at the Glasgow University
Alec Finlay, Independent Art Publisher
Liam Gillick, Artist and curator of the show Kiosque at the ICA
Christian Zuzunaga and Charlotte Heal designed the first issue. They are currently doing an MA in Typography at the RCA.
