Nowhere Plains
Alistair Gentry
Castle Green, Nottingham Castle
Broadway Café Bar
Thu 1 Dec 7pm – 7.30pm
Fri 2 Dec 6.30pm – 7pm
Sat 3 Dec 6.30pm – 7pm
Sun 4 Dec 6.30pm – 7.30pm
Free
To view online at times above click here
Nowhere Plains is a literal translation of the Latin name Utopia Planitia, which was the site of the Viking 2 probe’s landing on Mars in 1976. Utopia was chosen by NASA firstly because it was an enormous and relatively easy target, and secondly because it was considered safe and flat. ‘Nowhere Plains’ explores the idea of “boring” places with “nothing” in them, of which Utopia Planitia is an almost unimaginably vast example.
The original, primary meaning of the word utopia is literally “no place”; a place that does not and cannot exist in reality. Utopia has since come to imply a more attainable and concrete state of perfection; the progressive or radical utopia is usually in the future, while conservatives often mourn an idealised historical utopia of decades or centuries past. The idea of visiting and colonising other planets is utopian in both the old and new, right wing and left wing senses of the word.
Alistair Gentry is a broadcaster, writer and artist from the UK. His work is diverse; it's been seen and heard in digital media, on radio, television and the stage, in art galleries, in print and on the net. He is the author of two published novels (Their Heads Are Anonymous and Monkey Boys) and — with Joe Magee— made the frequently (and globally) shown digital animation Hypnomart. He also regularly take part in readings, talks and arts work involving people from secondary school age upwards. His new novel is called Nobody Knows Anybody. Alistair was awarded an artist's fellowship for 2004 - 2005 at Berwick Gymnasium Art Gallery by English Heritage and Arts Council England, North East.
Alistair Gentry
Castle Green, Nottingham Castle
Broadway Café Bar
Thu 1 Dec 7pm – 7.30pm
Fri 2 Dec 6.30pm – 7pm
Sat 3 Dec 6.30pm – 7pm
Sun 4 Dec 6.30pm – 7.30pm
Free
To view online at times above click here
Nowhere Plains is a literal translation of the Latin name Utopia Planitia, which was the site of the Viking 2 probe’s landing on Mars in 1976. Utopia was chosen by NASA firstly because it was an enormous and relatively easy target, and secondly because it was considered safe and flat. ‘Nowhere Plains’ explores the idea of “boring” places with “nothing” in them, of which Utopia Planitia is an almost unimaginably vast example.
The original, primary meaning of the word utopia is literally “no place”; a place that does not and cannot exist in reality. Utopia has since come to imply a more attainable and concrete state of perfection; the progressive or radical utopia is usually in the future, while conservatives often mourn an idealised historical utopia of decades or centuries past. The idea of visiting and colonising other planets is utopian in both the old and new, right wing and left wing senses of the word.
Alistair Gentry is a broadcaster, writer and artist from the UK. His work is diverse; it's been seen and heard in digital media, on radio, television and the stage, in art galleries, in print and on the net. He is the author of two published novels (Their Heads Are Anonymous and Monkey Boys) and — with Joe Magee— made the frequently (and globally) shown digital animation Hypnomart. He also regularly take part in readings, talks and arts work involving people from secondary school age upwards. His new novel is called Nobody Knows Anybody. Alistair was awarded an artist's fellowship for 2004 - 2005 at Berwick Gymnasium Art Gallery by English Heritage and Arts Council England, North East.