A Letter To Power

In this blog, Alex Norcop talks about his work, A Letter to Power, and his experience on B arts one-month residency programme Blank Space.

Alex Norcop is an artist and printmaker based in North Staffordshire. His work for Blank Space takes inspiration from the Diggers, were a group of rural communists from southern England who flourished in the mid 1600’s. They were a splinter group from the Levellers and were led by Gerrard Winstanley and William Everard. They believed in a radical system of land ownership and cultivation, and in an ecological interrelationship between hymns and nature. They are often seen as the roots of radical socialism and anarchy in Britain.

Alex’s work will remain installed at 72 Hartshill Road until 16th March, we encourage you to come and see it!

Author - Alex Norcop - 7 March 2022

Being given freedom to create, raise my voice and voices of others. To creatively talk of social and political issues, of radical change. I was able to introduce a project I have been working on for a while. This residency gave me a much needed push to get the Revolting Beasties out. In silence the fight cannot go on. The time is now. Out of the sketchbook and onto the streets.

I feel that I received just the right amount of support and guidance, in that B-arts approach and work with each person on an individual and appropriate level, they probably knew I was more comfortable and productive doing my own thing. That my support needed to be focused more on logistics and having the space, both physically and intellectually to work. Working almost on the fringes of the art scene , consciously doing this, my residency worked really well for me and my practise. 

Its great to feel that B-arts, although solidly engaged in political and social issues already, are making an a huge effort to work with other activists and open up to potentially showcase radical revolutionary ideas and action. 

If I had to say, about the challenges and obstacles that I faced, it would be of time. Other than working a full time job, doing my creative bits when I can. It would be of the scale of the piece, its pretty big and takes a while. I spent many hours on it but not as much as id liked. Paint drying times come into this massively.

With this, an adaption of technique was needed, mostly with more immediate mark making. I had to let go of my want to be precise. The beastie is to be seen from far back. However, up close you can see all the little splatters and finger or foot prints which make it a real process of making.

Did I get the message across? Maybe not as strongly as id originally hoped , but I made a choice to be more subtle and  poetic with the  text element of the work. Because its an on-going project, like the resistance, The beasties are here to stay and to survive, to fight and to maintain. Wanting to shock but staying grounded.

There is a whole zine or small self publication in the works, , following on, with other beasties, others scenarios, many angles of attack and resistance against the over powerful capitalist system. When I get it all together under surviving in said system, there will be the whole thing. Combining my craft as an illustrator, print maker and passion for traditional book binding. The book will be sold at times, on a sliding scale of cost depending on what people are able to pay. Other times used to fundraise, or just for free. Hopefully to make it as accessible as possible.

A letter to power, unsincerely and in anger, The Revolting Beasties. Through grey skies, factories inside, heads out of hands.

Got to say, I am so happy and grateful to have had the opportunity to do my thing at B-Arts, an organisation who have done so much invaluable work with people of the city. A city, like many, in much need of it.

I’m ultimately keen on building communities of artists and activists, of art organisations and political ones too. Realising creativity as a tool for change and to reclaim culture for and made by the common people.

Alex Norcop