The High Rise Movement Group produced these beautiful stories and animations in a collaborative project with the Leeds Lieder Festival.
Vocals – Philip Smith
Piano – Jonathan Fisher
Click on an image below to view the video.
Thanks to Phil Wilcox at Leeds Lieder for writing the accompanying text, which tells us more about each piece of music.
Ode to Joy (Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9)
Sea Fever by John Ireland
Le dauphin / Le carpe/ Le dromadaire from Le bestiaire song cycle by Francis Poulenc
Keeping it Cool – preview
These stills are taken from an animation created by artists attending our Aspire Potternewton group, in collaboration with animator Karolina Haluszczak (www.karolinkadesigns.com).
A storyline was developed highlighting some of the devastating effects of the climate crisis. The artists made sculptures and backdrops using mostly recycled materials and used these to illustrate their story, as well as devising a short performance that included dance, music and a protest song.
We’re just putting the finishing touches on the film and will be sharing it online very soon.
Legends: Weather silhouettes
A short film of the Legends Group and movement artist Jess Smith performing in silhouette to songs about the weather.
Creating a Sensory Environment
Here’s some suggestions for ways to create a sensory and immersive environment using sound and light, from Alice Burford (artist) and Sachin Limbachia (animator).
Sing with James
James Heselwood from the Singing Group performing Mo Yet with animation by Lorna Johnstone.
Closed Due to Coronavirus
17th March 2020
Due the coronavirus outbreak, all Pyramid sessions have been cancelled.
We don’t know when we will re-open.
We will continue to follow public health advice and stay closed until it is safe to run sessions again.
We will contact all members and volunteers as soon as we are able to re-open.
Our artist team are working hard to devise ways of remotely working with our members during this period of social isolation.
The office team are working from home and you can still get in touch with us if you need to.
Join us at The Tetley, where we’ll be showcasing some of the fantastic publications our artists have been working on recently as part of The Tetley’s Print, Perform, Present Festival.
Don’t forget to take the opportunity to pop upstairs and see our Hidden Art / Hidden Artists exhibition as well!
As part of Leeds Literature Festival, Next Step Pyramid will be joining the Big Up: Half Moon Books Poetry Showcase to perform original poems they’ve been working on this term.
Due to the coronavirus outbreak, we have cancelled this event.
We hope to reschedule the performance for later in the year.
On Friday 27th March 2020
The High Rise Music Group return to Seven Arts to present a new original musical production. Global-vision Song Contest is a celebratory dynamic performance inspired by music and culture from around the world.
Time: 1pm – 2pm Date: Friday 27th March Venue: Seven Arts Centre, 31A Harrogate Road, Chapel Allerton, Leeds LS7 3PD Cost: Free, no need to book
(Click the image to view full size.)
Collage by Alice Burford.
Performance with Leeds Lieder
CANCELLED
Due to the coronavirus outbreak, we have cancelled this event.
We hope to reschedule the performance for later in the year.
On Thursday 26th March 2020
This term the High Rise Movement Group have been working in collaboration with the Leeds Lieder Festival, to produce work in response the festival’s theme, ‘Ode to Joy’.
The project will culminate in a live performance encompassing storytelling, music and movement, with pianist Jonathan Fisher and baritone Philip Smith, at Seven Arts on 26th March.
Photographs from the project along with a selection of visual art will be exhibited at the Leeds Lieder Festival in April.
Time: 1.30pm – 2.30pm Date: Thursday 26th March Venue: Seven Arts Centre, 31A Harrogate Road, Chapel Allerton, Leeds LS7 3PD Cost: Free, no need to book
(Click the image to view full size.)
Collage by Alice Burford.
Adam Bainbridge and Pete Hudspith
Adam and Pete are painters and illustrators who work together in a Development Team. They work explore their interests and develop their skills in landscapes, portraiture and in abstracts and doodles.
Next Step Self Portraits at Room 700
In autumn 2019, the Next Step group explored the theme of self portraiture. 100% Digital Leeds loaned each artist a tablet, which they used for research, project documentation and to create their own digital self portraits using illustration apps. The exhibition also features 3D self portraits which the group created. On Sunday, 9th February 11am-3pm, there will be an exhibition sharing day & interactive workshop to celebrate the project! Click here for the facebook events page.
Ultimate Thunder / Lumen Arts installation at the Tetley
Our amazing resident prog rock band Ultimate Thunder worked with Lumen Arts to capture one of their songs as it was being played. Lumen Arts then created an immersive installation at the Tetley which allowed the audience to experience an Ultimate Thunder rehearsal for themselves.
The Eden Group worked with Penny Lewis and Cassy Oliphant on this project, which was about
getting back to basics by experimenting with paint, making paint and mark making
learning how to reduce our environmental impact, especially in the Pyramid studio
Due to Covid-19 the project had to be cut short, but these digital posters feature artwork and photos by the group and we look forward to displaying them in the studio once we’re able to re-open.
Andrew Towse & Alice Burford
Andrew Towse and Alice Burford have been working remotely via Zoom to create these amazing collages.
Andrew has worked as a Development Team at Pyramid for the last five years producing amazing individual projects and publications with several different artists. To find out more have a look at his ‘Featured Artists’ page by clicking here.
You can find out about his amazing project ‘The Sausage Atlas’ by clicking here.
Here are some of the collages that Andrew and Alice have been creating in lockdown.
Ria has been a member of our YoYos Group for seven years and has been working as part of a Development Team for the last three years.
During lockdown she’s making work remotely with artists Jenny Laskowsky and Lorna Johnstone – sharing messages of hope, as well as messages of frustration and isolation. Ria has regular online meetings with Jenny, Lorana and Alice to discuss her projects. She will be adding new art works to this site every week.
She’s been attending YoYos Group Zoom sessions. In her free time during lockdown she’s working to support Pyramid, and to do work for members, artists and friends of Pyramid to enjoy.
To find out more about what Ria does at Pyramid, check her ‘Featured Artists’ page by clicking here.
Here is some of the work that she has produced in lockdwon.
William Stapleton
William Stapleton.
William is a member of our Next Step Group and has been working in a Development Team with different artists for five years.
Since lockdown, William’s been working really hard to make and share his own artwork, and to encourage other people in his house to make artwork too.
He’s also now attending the Next Step Group via weekly Zoom sessions.
If you want to find out more about what William does at Pyramid, check his ‘Featured Artist’ page by clicking here.
Here is some of the work that he’s made in Lockdown.
Hidden Art / Hidden Artists
The Tetley, Hunslet Road, LS10 1JQ until May 2020.
This exhibition is part of the 30th anniversary celebrations for Pyramid. Founded as the Arts Club within the walls of Meanwood Park Hospital in 1989, in 2019 Pyramid celebrated its 30th birthday.
Three members of our Development Teams – Ria, Liam Hirst and Stephen Harvey, created new work in response to Holly Hendry’s Cenotaph, and photographs of art work created within the walls of the Hospital by the Arts Club.
Ria created three images, ‘Horrific’, ‘Escaping the Life of Torture’ and ‘The Dream is in the Hospital’. Ria feels that, although closed hospitals like Meanwood no longer exist, the care system can still trap people behind invisible walls and barriers. Her work is therefore displayed, boxed in, and only viewable through peepholes, with torches.
Liam Hirst used Hornby railway figures, found items from the site of Meanwood Park, and the large scale permanent sculpture by the High Rise Visual Arts Group at Armley Mills, to create a vision of what a future Pyramid HQ might look like.
Stephen Harvey created a textile banner featuring bones and the words ‘Jogging Your Memory’. He took the banner to Meanwood Park (a site where many people go jogging) and displayed it there, to jog their memory as to what the hospital used to be.
Our YoYos Group (for young artists with learning disabilities aged 8-18) created a back neon based stage backdrop for Pyramid’s prog rock band, Ultimate Thunder.
They organised a special day time gig for Ultimate Thunder at Wharf Chambers in Leeds. The gig featured young children dancing to very loud music, and a fluorescent painting workshop for the audience.
The artists involved in this project were; Alice Clayden, Cassy Oliphant, Daniel Fox, Ebi Halliday, James Marston, Kylie Emery, Maisie Kitchin, Ria, Sonia Kitchen.
Leeds to Innovation is a major exhibiton at Leeds Industrial Museum at Armley Mills. The exhibition features a section on Pyramid’s history, with new work by Liam Hirst.
“Uncover the untold tales behind the greatest creative innovators of our time at Leeds Industrial Museum’s latest exhibition. From Scootacars to steam engines and space food to Spirograph, get up close to the inventions which shaped the City of 1,000 Trades. Hear the stories from concept to creation and unveil the inspiration behind the greatest minds of our time.”
Pyramid is one of the great Leeds innovations to be covered, and the display about Pyramid features new work by Liam Hirst.
Open until 26th September 2021
Leeds Industrial Museum at Armley Mills, Canal Road, Armley, LS12 2QF
