goreborn4: Such and Such

Our goreborn project continues apace with an appearance at the Such and Such studios in the month of November. Every week a different designer-artist-collective will inhabit the space and make free with their talents. We'll be there Saturday 20th/ Sunday 21st September.

As you know we 'switched platform' somewhere in the ethers of early 2010 and have produced an eponymous publication. It rocks. You are invited to come and pick up a copy, hang out and 'interact with the space'. Not quite sure what this means - but if you feel like a good rub against some postmodern-looking furniture I'm sure no-one will mind. You may be framed and sold off as an artwork, however, so bear that in mind.

The publication is chock-a-block full of original fashion, design, creative writing, crafts, fine art and more.

To get hold of a limited edition invitation to the private viewing on Friday 19th November (7-9pm) please email: jj@awareinjustice.com

go reborn vs Noir! party

go reborn is teaming up with Noir! to launch go-reborn's pop-up book. As usual Noir! will be nymphing it up with ridiculously good-looking models, perverted dwarves, sailors from the docks of doom and pretty little boys in pinstripe peep-toes.

go-reborn will be showcasing its pop-up book that includes words from Sophie Cooke and Andrew F Giles, fashion shoots (see previous post: Bears. Shit. Woods), Auld Reekie's future faces including supernovas from The Skinny, the Roxy Art House and the Villager. The theme is hyper-Edinburgh. We will explore the newness and realness of NOW and launch go-reborn's short, sharp predictions for our cultural future into the stratosphere.

Check out the article in The Skinny for info.

And Noir and go-reborn are on Facebook.

Also: there is still time to check out the go-reborn 2D3D stall in St John's in the West End of Edinburgh, with stalwarts Godiva, Kate McKay, Rowanjoy and Aware Injustice. A glittering array of goodies and the usual cheery and forward-looking chat.

Another go-reborn hero, Ross Christie, can be seen trundling about with his Mobile Art Market. Don't diss him. Love him.

Bears. Shit. Woods.

We at go reborn are always one to take a cliché and rip it up, feed it to the dogs and start over. This time, we found a woods somewhere in Scotland, booted out all the faeries and fauns, magicked a collection of statuesque hats from James Robert Faulkner's gorgeous constellation of roadkill millinery, got the go-reborn team set-up with cameras (including our very own tree-blinded Dave 'One-Eye' Anderson - hence the piratical patch) and... well, you'll have to wait to see what we made of it.

go reborn pop-up magazine - coming your way this summer.

You can read about James Robert Faulkner in the Daily Telegraph and the Scotsman. He is an extremely talented, magpie-stealing scavenger with an eye for a beautiful hat. Check out his interview on STV's The Hour here.

No prizes for guessing the lady with the bear's head.

Noir!

Noir! It's French for black. If you remember Amy Winehouse's seminal album 'Back to Noir' she was fond of a tipple and a wrap of smack - you won't get the latter at a go reborn opening party, but the former is a shoe-in. But you'll have to wait. Languid genius and ur-lord of the perverse, James 'Jaco' Justice, and his team of three-legged dwarves and unicorn-toting bravehearts, are about to go viral on your proverbial asses. go reborn are concocting a fresh brew of tart wordsmithery that should go down well in your cultural milieu, and these bewitching photos from go reborn's Dave Anderson @ the recent Noir night are bound to whet your appetite.

As Amy herself says, what go reborn is about to drop from a great height could be described as "some unholy war". Not in the jihad sense, my little fiends. But righteous.

Sparkling Strangeness

When the world around you is turning to dust and you are haunted by the leering faces of Katie Price and Peter Andre giggling inanely at the apocalyptic crapola they´ve created, one must take action - post haste. We at go-reborn have got the perfect strange and wonderful mystery tour to get your hearts beating at a slightly faster rate and your eyes slowly widening like a slow-motion film of a chrysalis opening.

The world has gone to shit - but we at go-reborn have the perfect answer to such hellish happenings, my little cherubic misfits.

If you notice a figure of "sparkling strangeness" with an air of "mysterious greatness", follow him, for he-she has a mission and theme. Follow that dark-robed stranger deep into the bowels of the Princes Street Mall, ideally taking a plunge down the steps by the Balmoral Hotel and diving right before you hit the train station. Follow that black-cowelled stranger into the glittering light palace of the Mall and on your right you´ll see go-reborn in all its splendour.

There really is quite a plethora of thrilling threads by Godiva Vintage, Laura Lees, Totty Rocks, OOPS, Red Mutha, Rowanjoy, Jukes & Proops, Ceilidh Gray, Stolen Thunder, Aware Injustice, Eka, Love Me Again, Orangefishy, Pipless Jam, Owl & Lion - did you get all that?

And our usual bevy of hot-paintin' artists - blog favourite Neil Perry and Edinburgh legend Elph, amongst others, have started a space-themed mural of epic proportions. Each chap or chappess will be given a word to give them inspiration and inspire they will. But more on that later. This mural must be seen. The man with the black visage will lead you to it.

Pop-in, and pop-up, after 4pm on Saturday for Yuletide drinkies and mysterious goings-on involving little people, unicorns and the breath of an elf in the glass jar of time. We await.

DEPRAVED!!

Afternoon go-reborners! Did you know the "abusive" term 'pig' to describe a policeman has been in use since the 16th century? I made the titillating mistake of crowing over a road accident the other day - not my finest hour - but those police do seem to drive incredibly fast and to see one standing shamefaced by a smoking car was too much to resist.* Andrew Wynter, Victorian physician and writer, described the perfect policeman thus: "stiff, calm and inexorable; an institution rather than a man", which in a rather DEPRAVED fashion denotes the go-reborn humour today.

Because that INSTITUTION is back - I'll leave the Victoriana and pig-bashing for now just to tell you the following:

We at go-reborn are not ones to encourage lawless behaviour, but the go-reborn shop opens tomorrow at Princes Street Mall and we're all STIFF with excitement, oh yes. So please come on down to sift through the frankly orgasmic display of designer togs, cutting-edge art and banter that only go-reborn misfits can muster.

We're waiting for you.

*No policemen or women were harmed in the making of this blog

Count down to go-reborn/ Charlie Anderson

go-reborn continues to stealthily go where no pop-up has gone before, and now there are only a few days left until the pop-up go-reborn shop opens at Princes Street Mall. We are excited. The eye-popping news is you'll even be able to get a bus there.

Both Totty Rocks and Matthew Swan, stalwarts from our summer run at the turret gallery, will be exhibitng alongside go-reborn master-blasters Godiva and Aware Injustice.

I just wanted to share with you an artist I am rather fond of, straight outta ECA who, inspired by go-reborn pop-up's mastery put on a wee show in an empty flat on Westhall Gardens last week. It was a huge success and Charlie Andreson is somone to watch. His work is now hanging in the Henderson Gallery and will also be appearing at some point at go-reborn.

Cheers Charlie for photos.

Jings!

Pop-up has returned to Edinburgh. Remember that - like an empty canvas, ready for the artists, designers and misfits of Edinburgh to make their mark.

That's right go-reborners. We're back, with bells on our toes and fur-lining in our city shorts. As if a summer in go-reborn towers was not enough - fireworks spelt out our name in the sky - go-reborn has had a wee word with Santa and his spirit, dressed in Pucci, will be inhabiting a pop-up space near you VERY SOON.

Pop-up and go - REBORN!

Contact Fleur @ Godiva (0131) 991 2212 for more information or follow this blog

Paper X

go-reborn scribe AF Giles' poems in this...

Camilla Watson, Genevieve Ryan & Aaron Sinclair: PAINT-OFF

Hello friends!

Yet more thrilling artwork for your delectation at 'go-reborn' today as the glamorous and ever-gorgeous Camilla Watson (also exhibiting with other 'go reborn' artist Claudia Massie at the Flaubert in Stockbridge), Genevieve Ryan and Aaron Sinclair are involved in a singular paint-off down here at 'go reborn' HQ.

As usual we encourage you to pop-up and go - reborn!

Godiva's Fleur MacIntosh will be in the space all weekend to answer your queries and make you camomile tea or indeed force-feed you cakes. Just get down there and marvel in the historic and histrionic event that is 'go reborn'.

AF Giles

New arrivals

Is Neil Perry the first artist to place an octopus on a totem pole? His strange and marvellous interpretation of Native American tribal art continues apace, with dream-like rabbits ghosting across the canvas and the aforementioned grotesquely comic totem pole squat and menacing in the centre of the piece. Neil has really integrated himself into the ‘go reborn’ collective and is a pleasure to have around – and importantly, his work is monstrously good.

ECA graduate Ali Thoms’ ‘Albal’ collection arrived today – an extensive hand-printed range of screen prints, devore and box art that is filling another corner of the cavernous space that is ‘go reborn’. Ali has been selling her handprinted scarves in Godiva Boutique’s Grassmarket store for years now and has had great success.

Each hour the space seems to put out creative feelers – the workshop and the gentle humming and clacking of the sewing machine, Neil’s quiet concentration as he creates his post-modern totem, AwareInjustice’s Jaco Justice keeping it all together, talking people through the process and building up his technological wizard’s corner day by day, stacks of laptops and printers and wires and drawing boards.

I’m sitting in the Armchair here on the other side of the turret contemplating the Crags. A massive bank of cloud is building up behind the volcanic rock, but Edinburgh is dry for now, the sun slicing through and picking out bright faces and glinting window-screens and white gulls flocking inland.

Day Three is literally the quiet before the storm, as tomorrow is the launch party when the ‘go reborn’ opens its’ doors to the curious people of Edinburgh and plies them with Bilgewater Gin – look out for our strapping doormen dressed by 21^st Century Kilts, and the musical lift that will take you up to the wonderful, weird and wacked-out world of ‘go reborn’.

Come in, pop-up and go - reborn!

'go reborn’ is officially open! The Godiva workshop is up and running and our designers are already hard at work customising and altering vintage wear for your delectation. AwareInjustice frontman Jaco Justice has been hard at work littering the space with highly collectable design pieces and works of art. Ape Media nu-media expert Elliot Neave has set up a mini-studio in the space. ‘go reborn’ stalwarts Virg Morley and Sarah Stephen have created a funky garbage dressing room for those trying on the dizzying array of Godiva ready-to-wear and have made the space look glorious. Other ‘go reborn’ members are lying about the place recovering from the Big Chill and filling the space with witty banter and laughter as we look out over the Crags and revel in the Festival atmosphere. And finally you get me, A F Giles, your daily blogging troglodyte, hidden up in the heights of the ‘go reborn’ turret and tapping madly away on the keyboard as I blog all that I survey. We are only minutes from Princes Street and a short trot away from Waverley Station. Feel free to pop-up anytime – look out for our sign beside the renowned Ingleby Gallery and just buzz on ‘go-reborn’, and a whole new world of pop-up art and design will be revealed on the 3rd floor of the Venue Studios.

Come in, pop up and go – reborn….

Juano

'go reborn' and its white loft walls constitute the perfect space to welcome artist Juano over the Festival. Renowned in the UK for his daring and often erotic portrait work, Juano's presence at 'go reborn' has us very excited and delighted to have him on board. Keep checking the blog this week for bios of 'go-reborn' artists and remember - 'go reborn' scribe A F Giles will be blogging every day until the 31st August to keep you up to date with the ever-evolving pop-up space that is GO REBORN.

The Misfits: a 'go reborn' history

Edinburgh is heaving. I've just bumped into some muscular Asians with enormous banners for a samurai dance-off. Various puggle-heads are leaping around with wigs, painted faces and flyers aplenty. The Royal Mile is like Venice Beach midsummer - a motley crew of freaks desperate to please - and it's hard not to arrive home with a fist full of paper and a sweaty, uncomfortable feeling. Edinburgh locals are famous for hating the Festival but this year with 'go-reborn' in full swing it has taken on a new and memorable sheen.

Day 2 of the blog and I want to give you some of the history behind the 'go reborn' name. I was hanging out with my nemesis AwareInjustice watching a favourite film, The Misfits with Marilyn Monroe (in her 'dark' film, and final role), Clark Gable also in his final role, and the beautiful Montgomery Clift. The film's screenplay is by Monroe's husband Arthur Miller, and it is directed by legend John Huston. It tells of Monroe's decision to leave her boyfriend ("If I'm going to be by myself I'd rather be on my own") and go on a film-long bender with first Gable and then later joined by Clift surrounded by a majestic all-American landscape.

These three are the misfits of the title and all of us at 'go reborn' identify with that desire to search for something better, something bigger, something freer and something MORE. The Misfits embark on a wild journey of discovery and love and desire via honky drinking holes, hardcore rodeo blood fests and a final, heart-wrenching wrangling scene in a moonlit desert in Nevada.

At one point during the film, Marilyn is flushed and drunk after a heroic and hilarious ping-pong bet she wins means she has a bra-full of dollars. A weasel-faced religious woman stalks her, muttering oaths and demanding money in the name of God. Despite Gable's desire to keep all of those damn dollars Monroe in her happy frenzy slips the ratty nun a ton and with a pious glance she dismissed our Misfits with these immortal words: "Go reborn!"

And go reborn they do, into the starry, mental night, with only a lassoo and a bottle of Jack to keep them on the right road.

A F Giles

Cocktails at Dusk

go reborn is in the offing. The space is a truly majestic place - today Edinburgh has been flooded with sun and go reborn HQ was replete with light, glinting off half-put-together furniture, unmade clothes rails and mannequins dotted about the place, sentinels to herald the burgeoning Festival. We've got hold of a monstruously cool cocktail bar which we will use as an entrance piece and we had fun serving fake gin and tonics in the lift on the way up. go reborn Madame Fleur is considering wearing a Cleopatra wig on the opening night whilst dispensing booze - a thrilling promise.

The Twig furniture is looking great - those girls have got kinky minds and their finished pieces are just the kind of stuff go reborn is about - beautifully and professionally finished pieces with depth and intelligence. I can't wait for you all to see it in situ.

Fleur is whirling about with Godiva stuff and the workshop is going to be excellent. If you aren't already familiar with this girl's flair, check it out at Godiva Boutique. The space has just the kind of polish that will show off her one-off pieces at their best.

As the sun sets on a beautiful day up here in Scotland, the sky is immense and red and filled with promise for the go reborn initiative; only five days to go until opening and it is going to be quite some Festival this year.

A F Giles

go reborn

Introducing ‘go reborn’, Edinburgh’s pop-up guerrilla collective, who are bringing to the capital a collaborative and creative space & showroom for one month over the festival.

Godiva Boutique owner Fleur Macintosh has revolutionised the vintage and recycled fashion scene with a massively successful made-to-measure line currently flying off the rails. Her hardcore one-off mentality within Edinburgh’s fashion fraternity has been aped but never mastered, and this summer we take it a step further with the ‘go reborn’ initiative.

Located in the iconic ex-Venue on Calton Road, this unique central hub of creative excellence will also showcase art, design, nu-media and crafts with local and national artists. Projects include creating live canvas work which ‘go reborn’ fashion designers will work up on-site, turning out finished wearable garments for visitors to witness first hand. Visual artists and musicians will also feature at special bespoke functions. At ‘go reborn’ you can expect seminars and events showcased in a top class space towering over the festival with a majestic view of the Crags and from our turret watch Edinburgh sprawled out beneath.

Pop-up culture is by nature elusive. But when it does appear, oozing out of the pavement cracks, something very special occurs. Think Fritz Lang-inspired Tunnel 228, a 15-day culture happening in the bowels of the English capital that shook London to its very core. Even The Clash’s Mick Jones has taken advantage of the supernatural pop-up beast and opened a temporary rock n’ roll library for treasure-hunting geek enthusiasts. Fashion weeks across the globe have started to embrace the pop-up culture, with surprise stores springing up in vacant lots across cities full of flamboyant one-off pieces. Anyone can enter a pop-up store, if they can find it, and its short-fused life is born, burns and dies like a comet, quick, frenetic, hot and brilliant. Pop-up is something that grabs its barrio by the scruff of the neck and shakes it - it comes out of nowhere blazing art guns and laughing wildly.

· The ‘go reborn’ collective bring you their vision

· A trailblazing pop-up space for the Edinburgh Festival.

· A creative time-out bubble for passing art lovers and fashion foragers

· A boutique with many of Godiva’s top designers showing and selling their beguiling garments

· Live canvas work, digital art, installations

· In house graphic designers, photographers and nu-media specialists

· Pop-up, come in and go - reborn.