The exhibition was commissioned by Ulster University in partnership with Outburst Arts to celebrate the 175th year of the Belfast School of Art
Acclaimed international artist Phil Collins will host the UK and Ireland premiere of Mixtape #1, an unorthodox view of his decades-long work in moving image, in Belfast, the city where he studied his craft before embarking on a distinguished career as a visual artist.
The Ulster University alumnus returns to the Belfast School of Art as it celebrates its 175th anniversary to present Mixtape #1 and launch the beginning of a new, long-term commissioning partnership with Ulster Presents and Outburst Arts.
Drawing its title and concept from a devotional form of music compilation, Mixtape #1 is a genre-bending collection which brings together a heady blend of episodes, excerpts, off-cuts, and ‘wild footage’ from Phil’s extensive filmography. Notorious for its tendency, and tenderness, towards poetic overture, insinuation and desire, the mixtape foregrounds interactions between form and feeling, and underlines proximities between giver and receiver. Such connections have long characterised Collins’ practice and are revealed here as sustained techniques of production.
Mixtape #1 includes, amongst others, moments from they shoot horses (2004), an endurance dance marathon in Ramallah, Palestine, filmed during the Second Intifada; it channel-surfs across two nights of teleshopping in This Unfortunate Thing Between Us (2011), first performed in Berlin and broadcast live on German public television; and it eavesdrops on karaoke enthusiasts in Bogotá, Istanbul, Jakarta and Bandung, singing The Smiths in the world won’t listen (2004-2007).
Elsewhere, excerpts of the melodrama soy mi madre (2008) show Collins’ lush cinematic take on the popular form of the telenovela, shot in Mexico City, and the first of the artist’s films to employ professional actors; while scenes from the long-term collaborative project Desire Lines (2022-ongoing) gesture towards decolonial, queer collectivity expressed through dance, dialogue and performance. Braided together alongside music videos, animations and ephemeral scenes, Mixtape #1 operates in a heterogenous mode of abundance.
A socially engaged artist, community organiser and educator, Phil Collins lived in Belfast in the 1990s and graduated from Ulster University’s Master of Fine Art (MFA) course in 2000, before earning global recognition and, amongst other distinctions, a Turner prize nomination for his practice which addresses the intersections of art, politics and popular culture.
Speaking as he prepares to return to Belfast for the UK and Ireland premiere of Mixtape #1, Phil Collins said:
“It is always an unbridled pleasure being back in Belfast. In the years when I lived and studied in the city, the art school was a beacon for misfits and a crucible of ideas, encounters and creative freedom through which you could, individually and collectively, write your selves anew. The generosity and thoughtful guidance of teachers like Alastair MacLennan, Mary McIntyre and Willie Doherty established a spirit of inquiry and reckoning with the contested political sphere, both within and outside the school itself. With the city’s strong DIY culture of making things happen, in large part this took place as much on the dance floor at Conor Hall, the Penny Farthing Bar, Kelly’s in Portrush or in the early days at the Kremlin, as it did making and showing work in public space or at the MFA studios. It was a transformative, intoxicating time for which I am entirely grateful. I’m pleased to be able to take part in the 175th anniversary celebrations of the Belfast School of Art, a cornerstone of the city’s artistic and cultural history, and to embark on a new partnership with Ulster Presents and Outburst Arts for more collaborative projects in the future.”
Mixtape #1 opens at the Ulster University Art Gallery on Thursday 31 October and runs from 10am-6pm Monday–Saturday until Thursday 5 December. Admission to the exhibition is free and is presented as part of the 18th Outburst Queer Arts Festival.
Ruth McCarthy, Artistic Director, Outburst Arts said:
“We are delighted to work with Ulster University and Ulster Presents to share this thrilling and deeply relevant piece by Phil in the festival this year and to continue development with Phil on new work. As Belfast changes and evolves, we at Outburst are excited about celebrating the best of the city in partnership with UU, including those who have contributed in significant ways to the city’s arts and subcultures over the years. It’s important to amplify the queer voices and cultures that have always been a part of what makes this part of the city so vital, and who in turbulent times continue to hold space for creative reflection and new possibilities.”
Cian Smyth, Arts and Culture Manager at Ulster University said:
“We are excited to open the doors of the Ulster University Art Gallery to Mixtape #1, an exhilarating overview of Phil Collins’ work in moving image over the past 25 years. From self-organised events, grassroots initiatives and artist-led spaces to film festivals, public commissions, solo and group exhibitions at leading institutions around the world, Phil’s practice has always been involved with people and communities from a distinctly political and queer perspective, examining how we participate in and understand contemporary culture. With this exhibition as a starting point we are thrilled to begin a new commissioning partnership with Phil and our neighbours at Outburst Arts.”
175 years of the Belfast School of Art
Now based between Berlin and Cologne, Phil will travel to Belfast to unveil his work during the 175th anniversary celebrations of the Belfast School of Art. He joins many eminent figures who are celebrating the school, including author and illustrator Oliver Jeffers, contemporary artist Alice Maher and cartoonist Paul Young, who are among a group of seven BSoA 175 Ambassadors championing the School’s local and global impact.
The Belfast School of Art at Ulster University has been at the forefront of innovation and design since 1849, with members of the Turner prize-winning Array Collective, artist John Luke and Game of Thrones photographer Helen Sloane also having studied their craft in the hallowed halls.
Alongside a series of exhibitions and lectures, the programme includes a 175 address from globally renowned artist and Ulster University Chancellor, Dr Colin Davidson on Monday 18 November, before the Ulster Museum host a talk on Joseph Beuys (German artist, teacher, performance artist, and art theorist) on Tuesday 19 November to mark the 50th anniversary of his visit to the then-Art College.
To visit the shows and exhibits or to keep up to date with plans to mark the 175th anniversary of the Belfast School of Art, visit https://www.ulster.ac.uk/bsoa.
Dr Brian Dixon, Head of the Belfast School of Art, adds:
“We are proud to celebrate Phil Collins and his multifaceted practice as we host the launch of Mixtape #1 this autumn. An acclaimed international artist, Phil has exhibited his work globally since he graduated from our MFA in 2000 and will form an important part of our 175th anniversary celebration of the Belfast School of Art this November.”