Supernormal

About

SUPERNORMAL is a three-day, experimental arts and music festival taking place at Braziers Park in Oxfordshire. It offers a platform for artists, performers and musicians to work collaboratively and creatively for a new kind of audience seeking experiences out of the mainstream. It is determinedly small and intimate with an audience of 1,500 and has been born from a place that values the currency of ideas and imagination rather than commercialism and profit.

Supernormal allows the exploration of the unspoilt and extraordinary grounds and manor house of Braziers Park; an eco-site with fresh running water, eco toilets and hot outdoor showers with a wooded camping area.

Highlights in 2016 include:

1. City Partners Programme 2016-17, an exchange-based collaboration with galleries and platforms for art across 8 cities, that begins in Braziers park and will tour the country after the festival. Highlights include:

SERENA KORDA selected by G39 (Cardiff)

CEPHALOPOD  Bristol Experimental Expanded Film (Bristol)

S.A IN RESPONSE Spike Associates (Bristol)

SAM WEAVER & RACHEL GOODYEAR selected by Islington Mill/Fat Out (Manchester)

ANGELA RAWLINGS selected by Counterflows (Glasgow)

OPEN MUSIC ARCHIVE selected by Modern Art Oxford (Oxford)

2. The Artists Shed Commissions, five artists will be transforming a common garden shed into intriguing enclaves, micro museums, curious shelters, provocative installations or miniature venues. Confirmed artists are MATT COPSON, GEORGIA HOGAN, PESTER AND ROSSI, BEEF: CEPHALOPOD, EASTVILLE PROJECT SPACE.

3. The new Vortex Space will contain an integrative plethora of performance, sound, music, talks, presentations and moving image.

It features a new performance with artist Sam Belinfante and acclaimed percussionist Mark Saunders; 

LUX and Club Des Femmes present This is now: Film and Video after Punk: Through a glass, Darkly; 

Adrena Adrena: a collaboration between drummer E-Da Kazuhisa (Boredoms, Seefeel) and visual artist Daisy Dickinson;

Film Material in residence: expanded film performances including Mary Stark and 16mm film screenings from members.

4. Residency Artists 

Jack Catling, Melanie Clifford, Sam Cook, Rebecca Lennon, Sam Underwood, Lucy Woodhouse will be presenting work made at the art and music residency at the beginning of May.

5. Workshops and Activities

A selection of this years activity will include a workshop with Newcastle’s Noize Choir, Safehouse Open Improv sessions for all, experimenting with bells with Charles Hayward, 16mm film workshops from BEEF & Film Material, responsive mindful writing workshop with This Place I Found, exploring sound poetry with Angela Rawlings and the return of the wonderfully serene daily Life Drawing barn sessions. Audience members will also be invited to take part in a ‘jam’ with The Neighbours Are Bats, a collaborative sound/performance project making use of bat recordings courtesy of the Bat Conservation Trust.