Party in an art gallery: HOME to host pop-up club
A club hosting music and live performance will pop up at HOME in February, featuring appearances from musicians and poets
As part of his major new solo exhibition Rock Art at HOME in Manchester, artist John Hyatt will host Club BIG, a pop-up club presenting live music, poetry and performance.
The centrepiece of the show, Club BIG will welcome artists including performance poet Rosie Garland, folk songwriter and Leaf Label gem Nancy Elizabeth, and Hyatt's own art-rock band The Three Johns. Open 6pm-9pm every Friday with a fully licensed bar and MC'd by the artist himself, Club BIG will also serve as a debating chamber and live art space and aims to offer 'an unfolding and inquisitive symphony on the invisible threads that connect us and the world'.
The Club's varied programming reflects the multidisciplinary nature of Hyatt's work and character – at once an artist, musician, author, punk figurehead and 'irrepressible explorer'. Known for his work as lyricist with The Three Johns, Hyatt is currently Professor of Contemporary Art and Director of ART Labs at Liverpool School of Art and Design, where he works to challenge the nature of what an art school can be.
As well as Club BIG, other new work in the exhibition includes a collaborative album called Rock Art: Quicksilver; the Rock Art/Rock Shop, 'an orgy of ego and merch'; and a new public library, The Collection and Reading Room (where we're also told you can 'enjoy' the artist as a blend of tea).
"John Hyatt's practice is so exciting as its merges lots of mediums and involves lots of people collaboratively creating work with him," says HOME's director of visual art, Sarah Perks.
Check out the schedule of Club BIG events below. All events are free:
Fri 3 Feb
Jon Langford with Barkley McKay
Rosie Garland
Tom Hyatt
The Three Johns
Fri 10 Feb
Danielle Swindells
Nathan Jones
Ruby Tingle
Fri 17 Feb
The Norman Clayture Experience
Laura James & The Lyres
Rosie Garland
Fri 24 Feb
Robin Nature Bold with Simon Woolham
Inland Taipan
Theatre of Nothing
Fri 3 Mar
The Murmurists
Chaotic Friends
Najia Bagi
Fri 10 Mar
Andrew Crompton
Rasheesh Krishna
SPIRIT:level
Fri 17 Mar
Suhail Khan
Nancy Elizabeth
Elizabeth Preston
John Hyatt: Rock Art
HOME, Manchester
Sat 4 Feb – Wed 29 Mar 2017 (preview 6pm Fri 3 Feb)