Member Article

What’s on this weekend: January 13-15

This week’s top pick

Mike Kelley and Michael Smith: A voyage of growth and discovery - Baltic Centre for Contemporary Art. Free Admission.

This is the UK premiere of a major collaborative installation between American artists Mike Kelley and Michael Smith. A Voyage of Growth and Discovery stars a character called Baby IKKI, developed by Smith over thirty years, who is described as a “man-child.” As he navigates the Burning Man festival in the Nevada desert, he encounters the primal elements of fire, water, earth and wind. Expect a fantasy environment that evokes a sense of the festival, as a six-channel video installation replays IKKI’s ‘voyage.’ This weekend is the last opportunity to catch this installation.

Cinema

Another Earth - Stockton Arc. Saturday, January 14, 5.30pm. Tickets: £6; £5

A science fiction drama from Mike Cahill, his feature film debut. A mirror Earth has been discovered, and the eve of the discovery, the path of a young woman and a family man become tragically entwined. One is presented with the opportunity to travel to the other Earth, and and live an alternate reality, that might heal the wounds of life on this planet. Named as one of the top 10 independent films of 2011 by the National Board of Review.

Art

Angela Hughes: Transitions - University Gallery and Baring Wing, Newcastle. All weekend. Free admission.

Angela’s work explores architectural spaces, using light and objects as evocative symbols. Having worked in Lemington Glassworks and at Swan Hunter’s, she recognised their vulnerability as they were about to close down. Her response was to record their fading life, using shadow depictions and presences to create a mysterious set of works that capture the enigmatic objects and residue of human activity in these environments.

Comedy

Big Mouth Comedy Club - Middlesbrough Town Hall. Saturday January 14, 8.30pm. Tickets: £12.50.

Topping the bill is Nick Doody, a comic who toured with Bill Hicks on his final tour, at the man’s own request. Nick uses his physicality to perform his political comedy and satire. Nathan Caton is a young stand-up who uses observational humour to talk about his upbringing, from the strict West-Indian mother and Nigerian traffic warden. Danny McLoughlin takes his jokes one, or two steps further, keeping the audience laughing along.

Family

Great North Museum: Hancock - Newcastle. All weekend, Saturday 10a,-5pm, Sunday 1pm-5pm. Free Admission.

Spend a few hours browsing the vast array of objects and artefacts at the Hancock, including Egyptian mummies, a life-size T-Rex skeleton and a planetarium. The recently revamped museum now also includes a large-scale interactive model of Hadrian’s Wall. Live animal tanks and aquaria allow you to see wolf fish, pythons and lizards, amongst others. On Friday, 7pm, a free talk on Northumberland’s seal population will be lead by Dr David Thompson of the Sea Mammals Research Unit at the University of St Andrews.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Tom Keighley .