Nightjam is the latest of Artangel's Nights of London collaborations
Young homeless people in London have collaborated with an acclaimed sound artist to produce a creative project mixing music and photography.
Nightjam, which launches on July 20 2006, is the latest project in Artangel Interaction’s Nights of London series of artist-led collaborations. Acclaimed artist Scanner (Robin Rimbaud) worked with young MCs and photographers from the New Horizon Youth Centre, the day centre from homeless young people in King’s Cross.
The project resulted in two music tracks and a photographic montage that can be experienced online at www.nightjam.org.uk and on a limited edition CD distributed for free through the website.
Young homeless people from the New Horizon Youth Centre worked on the project
Scanner creates multi-layered experimental sound pieces and combines his music with dance, the visual arts and other genres, although working with homeless people was a new departure for him.
“I like to take risks in my work, with no direct anticipation of the outcome,” he explained. “I was initially daunted by the wealth of experience of the young people who collaborated with me. But their sense of trust, dynamism and commitment was extraordinary and refreshingly positive.”
New Horizon Youth Centre is a support, advice and drop-in centre for young homeless people and offers counselling, access to housing services, lifeskills and vocational training, support with drug and alcohol issues and creative and sporting activities.
The young people worked with renowned artist Scanner
Artangel Ineraction’s Nights of London programme aims to explore the nocturnal side of the capital through the eyes of the people who wake, work or watch over it. The artist-led collaborations are partly funded by the National Lottery through Arts Council England.
"Scanner's NightJam project has given a group of very talented youngpeople who've been homeless the chance to collaborate with aninternationally respected artist," said Cathy Haynes, Head of Interaction at Artangel.
Further projects are being developed in 2006 and for the future
"They in turn have invited us to experience an extraordinary view of the London night. This has been an inspiring collaboration."
Nights of London was launched in 2005 with Radio Nights, a documentary film examining the world of West London’s radio culture by artist David Blandy and young people from the Avenues Youth Project in Westminster, and further projects are being developed for 2006 led by George Chakravarthis, Janice Kerbel and Jonzi D.
Find out more about the Artangel projects on their website.
