'And If It Was It Can’t Be Is'

And If It Was It Can’t Be Is is Wysing’s third annual festival of art and music, and has been titled by the artist Mark Titchner who has also designed the artwork for the festival and will be playing a live set with Alexander Tucker; the painter turned musician whose lyrics have been described as “brightly radiant”.

As with its previous two iterations the festival aims to explore alternate realities and possibilities by programming some of the best genre-crossing artistic pioneers from the past and present. And If It Was It Can’t Be Is looks back to early pioneers including Bruce Lacey whose ensemble, The Alberts, performed widely in the 1950s and 60s and worked with Spike Milligan, Ivor Cutler and Lenny Bruce, who invited them to perform in the US. A prolific artist now in his 80s Lacey’s current retrospective exhibition at London’s’ Camden Arts Centre was described by The Guardian critic Adrian Searle as “Nostalgic, daft, decrepit, willful, funny and tinged with pathos.”

Damo Suzuki Network, led by Suzuki who made his name in the 1970s with the influential krautrock band Can, come together at events as an ever changing assembly of musicians (‘sound carriers’) and for the festival, will collaborate with artist Andy Holden’s band Grubby Mitts, who played Wysing’s inaugural music festival which was curated by Holden himself.  Equally influential artists Boyle Family, who alongside a successful visual arts practice as a family collective made light projections for Soft Machine and Pink Floyd, will make a special guest appearance. 

Key historic contributions will be counterpointed by some of the most radical, genre defying music acts of today, including the London based noise punk band Ice Sea Dead People and Maria and the Mirrors whose music has been described as “harsh Industrial textures harnessed to a whirlwind mix of danceable styles.” Peepholes, the Brighton/London musical duo whose “sound is otherworldly, aching with wild beats, echoing with cavernous atmospheres” will also play alongside Yola Fatoush’s fusion of soul, electronica, juke and pop. And Longmeg, artist Edwin Burdis’ band will make a welcome return after a break of two years alongside artist Jamie Shovlin’s band Lustfaust.

One of the stages will be devoted to spoken word performances and screenings by some of the most exciting contemporary visual artists and curators working today, including Sue Tompkins, Anthea Hamilton, Peles Empire and Polish Curator Daniel Muzyczuk, alongside artists who will be working at Wysing in residencies over the summer Ed Atkins, Patrick Coyle, Nicolas Deshayes, Philomene Pirecki and Turner Prize 2012 nominee Elizabeth Price.

A new feature for this year’s festival includes a covered artists’ stalls area hosting small publishers, independent record labels, artists’ collectives, experimental galleries and studio groups which will run alongside free family drop-in activity, from 2-6pm.

Presented with support from Escalator Music and Norwich Arts Centre, and Bad Timing Cambridge, with funding from Arts Council England.

Tickets, which start at £15, are on sale now. Ticketing details, alongside updates of artists and musicians being added, on Wysing’s website www.wysingartscentre.org



WYSING ARTS CENTRE shapes new ways of working in the arts and challenges artists and audiences to re-think what is possible, often in partnership with each other.   In the last five years this approach has led to the creation of extraordinary projects and experiences, and has made Wysing one of Europe’s leading centres for the visual arts. With a large rural site comprising ten buildings including artists’ studios, educational and new media facilities, a gallery and project spaces; with an ongoing and innovative artistic programme of events, exhibitions, retreats and residencies; and a unique programme for young artists, Wysing Arts Centre is delivering a rich programme that is accessible on many levels to a range of people.  Art developed at Wysing is increasingly shown at significant venues around the world, and Wysing is part of national networks including Plus Tate, the Arts Council National Portfolio and Own Art.

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For press and media enquiries and to request images, please contact
Lucy Wilson, lucy.wilson@wysingartscentre.org, 01954 718881/07787 854468

Venue address: Wysing Arts Centre, Fox Road, Bourn, Cambridgeshire, CB23 2TX
01954 718 881
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