The Folk Blues tells about the emotional worlds of everyday life. Grief over a loss, a new love, the fear of losing one’s job or homesickness are some of the emotions transported in Folk Blues. The catchiness of its lyrics and rhythms led to a great accessibility, numerous songs were not only performed on stage, but also sung about in everyday life.
For the New Zealand artist Kate Newby, it is precisely this immediacy that is important: no hidden allusions, no politically motivated calls for action, only the direct description of a state of mind is the main focus of Folk Blues. Here she sees a connection to her own artistic work and her exhibition “Crawl out your window” at the GAK. With everyday materials like a carpet or concrete and simple invitations like Swimming or I’m so ready, the artist also takes a very direct approach. Like the lyrics of the Folk Blues, her works have a readability oriented towards everyday life.
Kate Newby will play some of her favourite songs from the turntable on the My Blues Song evening, explaining her selection and the links to her artistic approach. She will be accompanied on the ukulele by Raimar Stange, art critic and curator from Berlin.
An event to the exhibition “Kate Newby. Crawl out your window”.