Hannah Peel presents ‘Awake But Always Dreaming’

Acclaimed singer-songwriter and member of celebrated band The Magnetic North, Hannah Peel announces a one off event inspired by the themes, images and surreal atmospheres of her remarkable new solo album Awake But Always Dreaming, which you can stream here and watch a video for her single All That Matters below.

Peel has created an exquisite, distinct album, full of vibrant, direct colour in the early stages of the record, contrasted with esoteric, dreamscape, legato movements towards the end. The bright, raw magic and joy of personal relationships are set alongside the gradual loss of her grandmother to dementia. It’s a record about memory: the luminous and beautiful formation of memories and the devastating loss or slow, insidious damage to the mind. Awake But Always Dreaming has been described as a “sublime electronic opus” (Q), “an incredible record’” (The Quietus), “rich, detailed and beguiling” (The Irish Times), while The Observer recently described Peel as “A great singer and a latter day Delia Derbyshire.’”

This event joins together like minded independent artists who have created work as a result of being touched by the issues around dementia & memory loss. The audience are invited to become part of an immersive experience – delving into the “rabbit warren” of the mind exploring memory and consciousness through film, literature, music and light illuminations. In this event there will be a kaleidoscope of work shared from artists and scientists around this subject matter. All this takes place in the stunning environs of St Leonard’s Church, Shoreditch, a venue well known for exciting arts events, whose ancient walls are the perfect setting for this collaboration.
 
We will be joined by award winning writer, poet and filmmaker Lavinia Greenlaw who has published five collections of poetry, most recently A Double Sorrow: Troilus and Criseyde and two novels, plus the memoir, The Importance of Music to Girls and Questions of Travel: William Morris in Iceland. Audio Obscura, her immersive soundwork for Artangel/Manchester International Festival won the 2011 Ted Hughes Award.
 
Lavinia’s short film The Sea is an Edge and an Ending will screen as part of the event. It is a study of the impact of dementia on our sense of time and place, drawing on Shakespeare’s Tempest. (Commissioned by FVU and Metal with the support of Wellcome Trust. Supported by Arts Council England). The film premiered at Estuary Festival in September 2016.
 
Shelly Love is an artist, director, storyteller and choreographer, who moved from contemporary dance theatre into filmmaking. Through her films, Shelly creates “other worlds” where narratives unravel against reason or convention. With her understanding of the body, movement and time she makes poetry of curious situations, most of them surreal, yet utterly human. Her short film Scratch will be shown at this event, ‘A lone character inhabits a subterranean world. Stuck between worlds, she fails to move on….’
This film explores the nature of the puppet as both an inanimate object and animated character brought to life through human movement. Scratch was the winner of the prestigious IMZ Best Screen Choreography Award in 2005.
 
Tim Parry, Director of Communications and Brand at Alzheimer’s Research UK, said: “Alzheimer’s Research UK prides itself on being an innovative, forward-thinking charity. Working with young, talented artists like Hannah, who incorporate real-world issues in their art, is a fantastic way to raise awareness among an audience who otherwise might not engage in the issue. Hannah is helping to shine a spotlight on dementia and the importance of memories, and we’re delighted to be associated with her and this collaborative event at Shoreditch Church. It promises to be a special evening.”
 
Kirsteen McNish at Vine Collective creates special arts events in London. Her collaborations most recently include a partnership with the RIBA with the Magnetic North, and artist Bill Drummond and writers Amy Liptrot, Laura Barton & John Grindrod. Kirsteen has also recently co-curated a year of well received “Late’s” at the award winning William Morris gallery.
 
www.hannahpeel.com
www.shellylove.co.uk
http://www.laviniagreenlaw.org/
@vine_collectiv