Author Archives: James Attlee
Kirill Medvedev and Friction Talks
Poet, publisher and musician Kirill Medvedev is one of Russia’s most provocative and controversial literary figures. On 21st October, during a short visit to Britain, he will be in Oxford for just one reading for Friction Talks. Like his friends Pussy Riot … Continue reading
Claire-Louise Bennett / Friction Talks
On Friday 9 October we will be hosting the first of our new series of writers’ events in East Oxford, under the banner Friction Talks, at Quarter Horse Coffee on Cowley Road. Claire-Louise Bennett will be speaking about her debut … Continue reading
London event for Station to Station
Station to Station pulls into the platform in London at 6.30pm on 30th June at Stanfords Travel Bookshop in Covent Garden. I will be in conversation with BBC arts correspondent Will Gompertz. Details of how to book tickets, directions to the venue and … Continue reading
Isolarion vs. Nonstop Tango
NEW EVENT Cowley Road Carnival Fundraiser at Fusion Renegade local avant-garde outfit Nonstop Tango will perform their album Unnatural Selection, based on a dream-voyage up Cowley Road, together with author James Attlee who will read from/perform sections of his book Isolarion: A Different Oxford … Continue reading
Train Reading
On the morning of Monday June 1st I rode from London to Bristol giving readings on the train. The train appeared on Platform 1 at Paddington on time: the books arrived. I’d timed the readings and knew how long I … Continue reading
Of Bees and Beavers
And as it works, th’ industrious bee Computes its time as well as we. How could such sweet and wholesome hours Be reckoned but with herbs and flowers! Andrew Marvell, The Garden, 1678 ‘Since men in their endeavours do not … Continue reading
Psychological landmarks
Once we have made the same journey 100 times are we truly able to see anything along our route anymore? We have evolved to discount the familiar through the process known as habituation, in order to remain alert to new … Continue reading
Wage Slaves, The Slave Trade and Railways
March 25 2015. Today is the International Day of Remembrance of the Victims of Slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade and I’m reminded of the connection between railways and slavery: not just in America, where jumping trains offered one possible … Continue reading
Shifting the Dial
I came across a recording recently of the composer Morton Feldman in conversation with the artist and composer John Cage in 1966. Feldman was complaining that when he went to the beach he suffered torments from innumerable transistor radios, blaring … Continue reading
Colony 5-20 December 2013
From December 5 to December 20 2013 , Gordon Matta-Clark’s concept of Anarchitecture, as well as his communitarian spirit as expressed in the artist-run restaurant FOOD, will be explored and reanimated in a disused lighting warehouse in Warren Street in … Continue reading