15th April, 2009 Press Releases

COUNTRY by Gerry Judah

Wolverhampton Art Gallery
11 April – 27 June 2009

Leading contemporary artist Gerry Judah challenges us to explore our understanding of war, conflict, peace, natural disasters and devastation in a solo exhibition, COUNTRY at Wolverhampton Art Gallery. The exhibition is co-curated by Independent Curator Jenny Blyth, and Kate Pryor-Williams, Exhibitions Curator.

Gerry Judah’s work is a direct response to landscapes of destruction whether the result of war or climate change. His paintings are inspired by conflict – particularly in the Middle East whether Iraq, Afghanistan or Gaza, articulating global concerns for the environment and the decimation that follows natural disasters such as the flooding of New Orleans in 2005, and the recent Australian bushfires. He recreates scenes of ruinous settlements that we witness daily as reported by the media. Urban landscapes, constructed from scores of buildings, complete with internal structures, communication wires and water towers are fixed onto canvas, and then systematically destroyed. The ensuing rubble and detritus are fused onto a background of empty white canvas with layers of acrylic gesso to create ‘white on white’ and ‘black on black’ abstract paintings.

Concerned with the rupture of place, lives and architecture by violence, Judah’s epic landscapes have an unearthly quality, where dove-grey shadows and segments of light created by the relief work are played out across the canvas as if it were a lunar landscape. With a delicate poetic tone, he invokes a palpable presence of absence. Judah wants viewers to experience the ghostly complexities of the present without a past and no apparent future. Whether these scenes are a result of war or natural disaster, they remind us of our vulnerability, and force us to consider solutions.

Head of Curatorial Services, Marguertie Nugent, said,

‘We are extremely excited to be exhibiting the recent works of Gerry Judah. Both thought provoking and provocative, the series COUNTRY shows Gerry Judah as a contemporary artist reacting to current International politics and environmental affairs. His paintings are overwhelming and disturbing yet beautifully intricate, displaying both absorbing and immersive qualities.’

She continues,

‘COUNTRY also links directly to our existing Northern Ireland and Contemporary Collection displays at Wolverhampton Art Gallery which alongside this exhibition address issues of global conflict and International politics.’

The exhibition will be launched on 23 April 2009, 5.30pm – 8pm in conjunction with Andy Warhol Paintings and Posters.

Born in Calcutta, India, Gerry Judah studied at Barnet College of Art before obtaining a First Class degree in Fine Art at Goldsmiths College and post-graduate Sculpture at the Slade School of Fine Art, University College London. In the last twenty years, Judah has built a reputation for innovative designs for films, television, theatre, museums and spectacular public installations for many clients. He has also exhibited in a number of exhibitions including the Whitechapel Art Gallery, Camden Arts Centre and Yorkshire Sculpture Park and his work has entered many public and private collections.

Gerry Judah lives and works in London.

ENDS

Media Contacts:
Suzanne Noble @ Stunning PR, Tel: 0203 355 1529/07957 371840 or suzanne@stunningpr.com

Notes to Editors:

• Wolverhampton Art Gallery is open Monday – Saturday, 10.00am – 5.00pm. Free Entry.

• Further information regarding Gerry Judah can be seen at www.gerryjudah.com

• The title COUNTRY must be referred to in capital letters only.

• Gerry Judah is represented by Jenny Blyth Fine Art. Jenny Blyth has worked with Judah since 2005 on a number of projects including Frontiers (2005), Angels (2006) and Motherlands (2007). She is an independent curator and art consultant based in London and was previously a curator at the Saatchi Gallery from 1990 to 2002.

• Wolverhampton Art Gallery is part of Wolverhampton Arts + Museums service, funded by Wolverhampton City Council. It receives additional funding as a Regularly Funded Organisation of Arts Council England and from the Museums, Libraries Archives Council through Renaissance in the Regions West Midlands.

• Renaissance is the Museums, Libraries and Archives (MLA) Council’s £150million programme to transform England’s regional museums. For the first time ever, investment from central government is helping regional museums across the country to raise their standards and deliver real results in support of education, learning, community development and economic regeneration. A network of ‘Hubs’ has been set up in each English region to act as flagship museums and help promote good practice. Alongside the Hubs, MLA Regional Agencies and Museum Development Officers are providing advice and support, Subject Specialist Networks have been set up, and national museums are sharing their skills and collections to ensure Renaissance benefits the entire museums sector. Renaissance is helping museums to meet people’s changing needs – and to change people’s lives.

• Arts Council England works to get great art to everyone by championing, developing and investing in artistic experiences that enrich people’s lives. As the national development agency for the arts, we support a range of artistic activities from theatre to music, literature to dance, photography to digital art, and carnival to crafts. Great art inspires us, brings us together and teaches us about ourselves, and the world around us. In short, it makes life better. Between 2008 and 2011, we will invest £1.3 billion of public money from government and a further £0.3 billion from the National Lottery to create these experiences for as many people as possible across the country.

9th February, 2009 Press Releases

Mark Anthony Shapes up Stars of the 80s in ‘Pop Goes the Band’

Celebrity personal trainer Mark Anthony shapes up stars of the 80’s in the forthcoming series ‘Pop Goes the Band’ (Living, 10pm, starting 23rd February). Mark is available for interviews.

This entertaining new reality series brings viewers a blast from the past by revisiting bands that have made pop history, and propels these idols of yesterday into a bright new future. Some of the biggest and best-loved groups of the last three decades including The Original Bucks Fizz, Dollar, 911, Shakatak, Visage and Cleopatra feature in the show. Having garnered collective record sales of over 30 million between them, they’ve all reached the peak of pop superstardom before facing the inevitable descent from those giddy heights.

Mark Anthony has slimmed down and toned up each band member using his very own 6 Week Body Plan. Mark has helped to sculpt stars such as Jordan and Billie Piper into perfection and has now worked his magic on the 80s stars, transforming Mike Nolan (Bucks Fizz) from an overweight 53 year old to a 2 stone lighter, fit looking super-stud. Cheryl Baker slimmed down by a stone and now looks ten years younger. Other successes were Shelley Preston who lost 1 ½ stone using Mark’s amazing plan and now looks like a FHM superbabe. Shakatak lost 6 stone between them.

Editors Note: Mark Anthony is a Master Trainer and has reshaped a host of celebrity (and non-celebrity) bodies and is the author of the ‘Once a Week Workout’ and presenter of the Once a Week DVD for Men and Women (Warner Home Video). See: www.markanthonyspersonalfitness.com

For MARK ANTHONY Press Office:
Suzanne Noble    0203 355 1529
07957 371840    suzanne@stunningpr.com

Images available from LIVING Press Office:
Felicity Beardshaw    020 7299 5364    Felicity.Beardshaw@virginmediatv.co.uk

30th January, 2009 Press Releases

Queen of Lonely Hearts Makes the ‘Final 10’ of Book to Talk About 2009 nominees

Nasreen Akhtar, the ‘real Asian Bridget Jones’, has just been named one of  ten finalists up for the Book to Talk About award 2009 for her raw and inspiring memoir about her search for love online, ‘Catch a Fish from the Sea (Using the Internet)’ (greenbirds, £12.99).

Ever since the book was released by small independent publisher greenbirds which she set up with help from the Prince’s Trust, 34 year old Nasreen, who also illustrated and designed the book’s striking cover, has been inundated by outstanding reader response.

The  comments board on the Books to Talk about 2009 website is buzzing with praise. So too at the Daily Telegraph when it announced the long list. Amazon readers have published ravishing reviews awarding it an average rating of the highest possible five stars. The book was Asian Woman magazine’s Book of the Month (Issue 36).

Said Nasreen:

“The scary part about dreams is when they start to come true! I am delighted both as the author and the publisher of the book that it has started its journey of a thousand miles with such wonderful first steps!”

Now she hopes her book will win the coveted award, chosen by readers who can vote for her book here on the Spread the Word website (http://www.spread-the-word.org.uk/index.asp). Spread the Word is part of World Book Day, the biggest annual celebration of books and reading in the UK and Ireland. Voting reopens on 30th January. The winner will be announced on World Book Day – Thursday 5th March 2009.

Nasreen is available for interviews for all media.

Notes to Editors:
Synopsis:

Catch a Fish from the Sea (Using the Internet) takes readers into the uncertain world of internet dating. Nasreen Akhtar is a thirty-something single British Asian Muslim who is well past her cultural best-before date. After years of shying away from all things marital, she discovers an unexpected yearning for love.

Following a toe-curling interview (‘What is your name, Nasreen?’) for an arranged marriage, the author turns to the web for the one ‘extraordinary guy who would be happy with an ordinary girl’.

The internet hides more extraordinary guys than Nasreen imagines: losers, liars, chancers, and chiselled hunks. Amid the joy and heartbreak, she finds friendship, faith, and a belief that fate must run its course.

Nasreen’s raw, funny, and inspiring memoir resonates across the cultural divide of modern Britain. South Asian readers recognise the conflicting tensions of family, independence, marriage and religion; Westerners are drawn to the simple humanity of a woman who aches for love in an imperfect world. This is a story for anyone who has ever believed that they were born to love and be loved.

About the Author

Nasreen Akhtar holds a Masters’ degree in Applied Linguistics from Goldsmiths College, University of London. She is the proprietor of the publishing imprint greenbirds. She was born in 1974 and came to the UK with her Pakistani parents when she was 4 years old. Catch a Fish from the Sea (Using the Internet) is her first book.

* Extent: 331 pp
* Format: 198mm x 129mm, pb
* RRP: £12.99
* Language: English

*  http://www.greenbirds.co.uk

For review copies/interviews with Nasreen, please contact:

Suzanne Noble @Stunning PR, Tel: 0203 355 1529/07957 371840 or suzanne@stunningpr.com

21st January, 2009 Press Releases

Hambleden Herbs Announce a Completely New Tea to the UK Market – Black Tea & Verbena

Hambleden Herbs is delighted to be able to announce a completely new organic tea to the UK market – Black Tea & Lemon Verbena. This original blend of black tea and lemony verbena has been created to appeal as much to the hardened black tea drinker as to those customers who prefer more subtle blends and herbal teas. As part of this range development, Hambleden will also be producing an organic black tea, thus enabling retailers to offer a complete organic blend range to their customers.

Since its inception 25 years ago by Hambleden farmer Mike Brooks, the business has grown substantially and now produces one of the largest range of organic teas and herbs in the UK.

Hambleden Herbs Organic Black Tea & Lemon Verbena

The initial concept for this blend was born through consumer feedback about how much they enjoyed black tea with lemon. Hambleden wanted to see if they could produce a refreshing tea that would give consumers the lemon freshness that they are after without having to add lemon juice. The answer was a resounding yes. By blending a zesty Lemon Verbena with their black tea blend they have produced a light, balanced tea that gives the body of a black tea with the lemon freshness of Lemon Verbena.

Hambleden are confident that this tea will introduce a new group of consumers to herbal tea, consumers who are dead set that they only drink black tea but do like the added freshness that a drop of lemon gives the tea.

Believed to be a first for the UK market, Hambleden Herbs Organic Black Tea & Lemon Verbana brings genuine innovation to the hot drinks sector.

Packed in boxes of 20 individually enveloped tea bags.
Recommended Retail price of £1.69

Hambleden Herbs Organic Black Tea

Hambleden Herbs Black Tea is a smooth blend of leaves from some of the best growing regions in the world. Blended to produce a smooth, well rounded tea that is perfect at any time of day it includes leaves from, Assam, Africa, Ceylon and Southern India.

The Assam leaves give the body to the blend along with a malty flavour. This is then lifted by the addition of the African, Ceylon and Southern Indian leaves. The African leaves add a refreshing briskness whilst the Ceylon and Southern Indian teas add delicate, light, lemony flavours to complete the blend.

As ever, all of the teas used in Hambleden blends are Soil Association certified organic.

Packed in boxes of 20 individually enveloped tea bags.
Recommended Retail price of £1.49

For samples please contact: Suzanne@Stunning PR, Tel: 0203 355 1529 or suzanne@stunningpr.com