History
Max Zadow
Raspberry Heights – City of the Future Digital Production by Disabled People was formed by Max Zadow and Ross Clark in 2002 for the Biennial of that year. It was then known as Digital Arts for the Disabled (or DAD). Funding was secured for a series of digital images of a city with appropriate access within the social model of disability. This was funded by White Diamond through the Independents Programme. Moving Images were created in 3D Studio Max, Flash and Premiere and displayed in a variety of venues. This is a project was conceptually sound, although we were less happy with some of the creative outcomes. Those images, as well as our original name, became quickly lost.
Early Short Film Production Members of DPDP collaborated on a variety of short films, made for tiny budgets. These included, Fruit, a sci-fi short about a mutant who is happy that way and Bones, a Virgin Short which was an experiment in psychological horror (many disabled people in cast and crew but not a disability theme).
Digital Installation This is work without a strong conventional narrative that is designed to be primarily viewed in a Gallery or specific space. These included early pieces such as Burning Books about the fetishisation of culture for its purely abstracted meaning and the extra value placed on information contained within a physical transmission object. Also, burning books is fun. Olympia was about power roles in relationships where disability is a factor, and about the mutability of behavioural norms within a society that has entered into an information explosion. Also, getting drunk on fizz and posing in costumes is fun. Counting My Deformities looked at how a medicalisation of images of disabled people in their youth effects that Mirror Phase that Lacan believed was important to how people see themselves. Is there such a thing as the ‘disability gaze’? Both these works were exhibited in the Jump Ship Rat Venue in Liverpool and were mainly authored by Max Zadow and Jessica Prince, but CMD had additional images from Daniel Davies. Another Green World – mainly produced by Onteca, but with DPDP involvement. A game/film hybrid conceptualization
Abherrent Emergence exhibition
Work from Aberrant Emergence exhibition
Ghosts of the Future This was a wider project for the 2006 Biennial that created a framework where a number of artists could create separate works that could be later shown as fragments of a wider whole designed to be shown as ‘moving wallpaper’ at a variety of venues during the Festival. Five Moving Image Installations were made with support from the Arts Council England, and these were shown in a variety of venues, from the official festival opening in the Carling Academy, to FACT to a dedicated exhibition at Out of Bluecoat (the Bluecoat’s display space during the renovation of the venue). This involved a variety of artists including Ross Clark, Diva Hollywood, Daniel Davies, Anne Cunningham, Mat Fraser, Jessica Prince, Beccy Virgo and Max Zadow. It was received very positively by a number of opinion formers.
Live Art A Disability Tour of Liverpool as part of Liverpool Live 06. Collaboration between DPDP and Mat Fraser. (Max Zadow and Dan Davies)
Fine Art Exhibition Aberrant Emergence For the 2008 Biennial DPDP put together a classical ‘white cube’ exhibition of sculpture, painting, installation pieces and photography, all with a twist. This was a great success and led to a piece in Nerve Magazine and praise from James Moores.
Most Recent Short Film Productions ‘Space Freaks: Dance or Die’ one of the 4 Film Council Digital Shorts commissioned in 2008 (finished 09). This sci-fi comedy musical starred Mat Fraser, Diva Hollywood and Lara Masters. It is a bizarre, over-ambitious, rollicking, emotional and over-the-top piece of entertainment. With lots of CGI, costumes and song-and-dance numbers. Top disabled actors and crew with many key members being disabled people, including the director. Max Zadow and Dan Davies. A co-production with Onteca and the North West Vision and Media. We can’t wait for it to go online and reach its true audience. ‘Green Fairies’ – made as DPDP’s contribution to the first Liverpool Kino night. Made in three days for a budget of 120 pounds left over from past projects. Budget went on costume for the fairies and a small sum for venue hire. CGI and best girl band out there.