Noticeboard NewsGossipOpinion Ellie Harrison’s vending machine at the GFT will be dispensing free crisps until June
Ballot proof We find the people putting the fun into election night. Words: Anna Millar
I t’s no Obama showdown, we grant you, but by Blighty’s efforts, vote night is hotting up. Just when we thought Gordy was a goner, and ‘im in the blue corner was in, Nick’s not looking quite so knacked, after a ‘winning’ performance on the live debates.
But lest we forget it is we who will help choose our next leader, and there’s a handful of Glasgow’s finest establishments preparing to make fight night just a little more fun. First up Glasgow Film Theatre is currently host to the installation Vending Machine, the inspired creation of Glasgow artist Ellie Harrison (featured in our Afforable Art special on page 17), which spurts out free crisps when search terms relating to the recession and the economy, such as ‘bankruptcy’, ‘slump’ and ‘decline’
make the headlines on the BBC News RSS feed. Check it out until Wed 16 Jun. Also in Glasgow, Dining Room restaurant is having an election lunch with a delightfully stress-free champagne tasting led by expert Craig Smith, and run in assocation with Laurent Perrier. Make a reservation on 0141 332 6678. Across town, deli, café, gallery space and all-round excellent hangout Cookie will host an election night special, complete with big screen and punditry from Scottish political commentator Gerry Hassan. In Edinburgh, the Traverse Theatre present Gordon Brown: A Life in Theatre. Devised by Dominic Hill and David Greig, the piece finds Brown the night before the election unable to sleep. Election results will also be shown throughout the night in the Traverse bar.
MAGIC MOMENTS ■ All things magic have joined the festival party, pulling their own brand of special out of the hat. The inaugural Edinburgh International Magic Festival will be set over five days from 7–11 July, in venues including The Lot, the Scottish Storytelling Centre, The Studio, and The Vault. Highlights include the BBC’s The Real Hustle guru Paul Wilson and Trisha’s Drew McAdam aka ‘The Human Lie Detector’ explaining the art of persuasion. Former Fringe performer Xavier Mortimer will also be on hand with his trademark brand of juggling, music and magic. Festival director Kevin McMahon said: ‘The rise of David Blaine, Derren Brown and Harry Potter has seen a new generation of magicians and magic-lovers. We believe that the city that inspired JK Rowling’s world- renowned books should play host to a world-renowned magic festival.’
5 Things. . . ART BARGAINS The five luckiest, and most lucrative, art finds
1 Tiepolo The Italian master’s
‘Portrait of a Lady as Flora’ was sold for $4m after the risqué painting was discovered hidden in the attic of a French chateau.
2 Banksy A Banksy mural on
a wall in London's Portobello Road was sold by the wall's
owner on eBay for £208,100 in 2008. The buyer had to pay removal costs.
3 Van Gogh After his death the painter’s sister-in- law sold Van Gogh’s ‘Portrait of Dr.
Gachet’ for 300 francs. In 1990 it was traded for $82.5 million.
4 Krieghoff A landscape by
Canadian painter Cornelius David Krieghoff, bought in
the 60s on Glasgow's Barras for 50p, was sold in 2008 for £29,000.
5 Doig The RCA's annual postcard exhibition sells a few famous artists’ work anonymously and for
less than £50. A 2000 Peter Doig postcard sold for £42,000 in 2007. WWW.LIST.CO.UK Visit us daily for arts & entertainment news
PLEASANCE WELCOMES NEW VENUE One of Edinburgh’s newest venues is to host acts and events at this year’s Fringe following a brand new partnership with The Pleasance. Open from 8am–5am throughout August, the West End’s Ghillie Dhu will host cabaret, comedy and theatre as part of new plans for 2010. Festivalgoers will also be privy to the venue’s regular live music and burly ceilidh night.
29 Apr–13 May 2010 THE LIST 7