The very best in new and experimental art will go on show in unusual venues across Cambridge – including a pub, a bookshop and a hair salon – as the Art Language Location festival, sponsored by Anglia Ruskin University, returns to the city next month.
Art Language Location (ALL) is a contemporary art festival showcasing local, national and international artists who incorporate text or language to produce innovative and experimental work.
This year will be the biggest ALL ever, with over 40 artists creating installations and interventions in non-conventional locations across Cambridge, with many located around Anglia Ruskin University’s campus on East Road.
Amongst the highlights are Daniel Cockburn’s multi-channel video installation at the Ruskin Gallery at Anglia Ruskin University, Philip Cornett and Paul Kindersley’s alternative estate agency at the ELAN project space, and the interactive, internet-streamed live performance by the Female Laptop Orchestra.
The festival also includes several thought-provoking explorations of topical issues. Les Monaghan will show portrait photographs from his local Syrian community and Sally Stenton investigates the disappearance of artefacts from the Aleppo National Museum, while Ana Mendes deals with digital identity and Rosy Greaves tackles digital currency.
Interactive works include a self-guided walking tour by Kenji Lim and a tour of Cambridge waterways by Laura Denning. On Saturday, 15 October the Showtime! Symposium will feature a day of special live performances at Anglia Ruskin.
ALL was founded in 2012 by Anglia Ruskin art graduate Robert Good, who said: “This is our most ambitious festival so far, thanks to the hard work of everyone involved.
“Cambridge is very short of art venues so our creative use of spaces around town combined with the inventiveness of our artists makes this a unique event in the Cambridge cultural calendar. We are very fortunate to have so many great artists coming to Cambridge, so join us for some of the best in challenging, alternative contemporary artwork.”
Chris Owen, Head of Anglia Ruskin’s Cambridge School of Art, said: “Art Language Location has established itself as Cambridge’s premier visual arts festival. We are very proud of this, as the festival was founded by alumni from Cambridge School of Art.
“We are delighted to be able to provide the festival with a range of both conventional and unusual spaces on our Cambridge campus. The festival will enliven our campus as well as other parts of the city, and we are confident that this year’s programme will stimulate thought and pleasure among our students and the many visitors it will attract.”
ALL begins on Thursday, 13 October with a launch party at Anglia Ruskin, and runs until Saturday, 29 October. All events are free other than the Showtime! Symposium (£12.50/£7, including lunch and refreshments). For details, visit https://artlanguagelocation.org/