The Elephant Bed
John Grade
Exhibition Talks, Events and Activities
Unless otherwise stated, events are free and take place at Fabrica.
As space is limited, booking is advisable. Call 01273 778646 or email info@fabrica.org.uk to reserve a place.

Digging Deep
John Grade's work draws out geological connections, and highlights questions about what role artists should take, if any, in engaging with the contemporary environmental agenda.
Artist's Talk - John Grade
Wed 15 July, 6.30-7.30pm
With reference to past projects and his working methods, John Grade talks about his interest in landscape, destruction, decay and sculpture.
The Artist as Explorer
Wed 22 July, 6.30-8pm
Undisturbed wildernesses can offer inspirational and spiritually uplifting experiences for artists but what does it mean to explore the last truly untouched places on earth?
Unfortunately, due to a bereavement, Chris Drury is unable to attend the discussion.
John Grade (via Skype), artist Chris Drury; Oliver Lowenstein, Editor of Fourth Door Review, and Jonathan Swain, Project Manager for The Elephant Bed discuss.
Chris Drury explores nature and culture. From early in his career he has spent time in 'wild' places on the planet. Recent excursions include recent excursions to Antarctica and the Nevada desert.
Fourth Door Review has been described as "a provocative and visionary British magazine aimed at breaking down barriers between ecology and technology, land art and digital crafts, music and media."
Glimpses under the Elephant Bed
Thurs 23 July, 6.30-7.30pm
Touching on dinosaurs, ice ages, a controversial Iguanodon tooth and other aspects of the natural history collection, with which he has worked for almost 30 years, John Cooper, past Keeper of Geology at The Booth Museum of Natural History gives an illustrated introduction to some Sussex landscapes over the last 85 million years.

Armchair Critics
Thurs 20 August, 6.30-7.30pm
The Elephant Bed brings into focus the continually changing nature of everything, from the ground we stand on to the bodies we inhabit. This sense of change can be difficult to grasp, and at time challenging to accept, from climate change to personal loss or achievement.
Join Armchair Critic's Polly Carter and guest, psychologist Yan Alcoe to discuss whether or not there is a human condition to resist change and what the dangers and benefits to resistance/acceptance might be.

Micro to Macro
A programme of activities that focus in on microscopic organisms and other life forms beyond the everyday. Suitable for adults and young people, but children must be accompanied by an adult.
Fossil World
Sun 12 July & 2 August, 3-4.30pm
Find out more about coccolithophores and create plaster 'fossils' of your own. Drop-in workshop with artist Tila Rodrigez-Past.

Drawing to Film
Led by artist Jane Fordham these two events invite you to draw your responses to two classic sci-fi films. Materials and 3D specs provided.
The Day of the Triffids
Wed 5 August, 8.30-10pm
Dir. Francis & Sekely (1962). British sci-fi thriller based on the John Wyndham novel. 15 cert.
Creature from the Black Lagoon
Wed 12 August, 8.30-10pm
Dir. Jack Arnold (1954). Amphibian horror film with a daft script, now in glorious 3D. PG cert.
Artist Animateur Teresa Whitfield
Sundays 9, 16, 23 and 30 August, 2-3pm
Best known for her intricately detailed drawings of lace, and of cells in the human body, Teresa will work with Fabrica volunteers to create a series of drop-in activities.

Second Sight
Tues 21 July, 2-3.30pm
Booking essential
Led by artist Naomi Kendrick, Second Sight is an exhibition tour and discussion which explores the exhibition through sound and touch. A regular event, Second Sight is attended by visually impaired and blind participants, but is open to all.
Second Sight is a Fabrica/Elephant partnership. www.elephantproject.co.uk

Photography competition
Post your photos of The Elephant Bed on Flickr and you could win a £50 Amazon voucher. Details here...

Artist Resource Events
Artist's Story - Stephanie Bolt
Thurs 16 July, 6.30-7.30pm
In 2008 Stephanie Bolt spotted a small credit to modernist designer Lazlo Moholy-Nagy on a film still in Littlehampton Museum. One year on, Stephanie has secured a lottery grant to present an exhibition of the documentary film and other works by Moholy-Nagy in 2010. Stephanie outlines the development of this project, including the process of reintroducing a neglected work by this influential artist into her local community and the effect that it has had on her own work.

Figure Ground
Thurs 30 July, 6.30-8pm
Katy Beinart, Jo Thomas, Jon Adams work together as Figure Ground. They are planning a series of events in the South East which will enable artists working in public spaces to meet and debate issues key to their practice. This first event introduces the project and provides an opportunity for artists based in the Brighton & Hove area to become involved.

Artist's Story - Dan Robinson
Thurs 6 August, 6.30-7.30pm
Using photography, drawings, texts, websites, events and installations, Leeds based Dan Robinson creates projects that are dialogues with specific sites and contexts.
Dan will discuss his renovation of a Cumbrian farmhouse and its conversion into Thinking Space for the North, a collaboration with Grizedale Arts and Bryan Davies.
Robinson has shown recently at Lucy Mackintosh, Switzerland and Castlefield Gallery, Manchester (2007) and Galerie HO, Marseilles and Rennes Biennial, France (2008). He has just completed a practice PhD at the University of Leeds exploring site-specific art practice as dialogue. Previous exhibitions include PM Gallery, Zagreb (Croatia); Rosamund Felson, Los Angeles (USA); 51st Venice Biennale (Italy). Liverpool Biennial; and Leeds City Art Gallery. In 2005, he was resident artist at Grizedale Arts.
To book email: caitlin.heffernan@artistresource.org.uk

Interior, Low Parkamoor farm.
Photo credit: Polly Braden / Thinking Space for the North

Fabrica is currently supported by the following organisations