2013 update

Still studying for my PGCE (not long left)
More teaching hours at WNC, rejoined the gym, had some holidays too. Lots of training with Stix at the House of Pain Wrestling School.


Doctor Craven with his tag partner (and patient) Felony.

Back wrestling, stronger than ever! Lifting Diamond Dave Andrews with ease.

Also, check out this wonderful "flying ass" manoeuvre on Heavy J

And this devestating senton on Danny Chase

2012 Update

I have begun studying for my PGCE, for the time being I will be writing a teaching journal. so won't be able to update my Blogger account so often.

I got a bird on my head...

and bought myself a playstation 3. Maybe, I'll never be seen again!

Taking some time off wrestling... But the Doctor will return

Dr Craven @ House of Pain Wrestling

After acting as a manager over the psycho wrestlers of the Asylum at the house of pain for the last year Dr Craven finally makes his wrestling debut at the "Christmas Chaos" show host by Stixx at the House of Pain.

The naughty psychiatrist took it upon himself to arrange a match against his former patient Zero Tolerance.

Although this was Craven's match debut it is not the first time he donned a leotard to enter the ring. He once bravely battle through to the last 5 in an over-the-top-rope, battle royal, rumble match. Well, he came in as the last man and was eliminated almost immediately.

Wes & MAMA’s Quartet of Queer Experiences - Witte de With Festival

Wes & MAMA’s Quartet of Queer Experiences was part of the Witte de With festival know as Wereld van Witte de With in Rotterdam. My contribution as one of the quartet was my over the top billing as "the strongest man in the world" who has come to Rotterdam to defeat the city in a series of open challenges to members of the Dutch public as they take me on in one-on-one speed eating bouts.



I was successful in every speed eating challenge with the only exceptions being yoga and a drinking competition where I was defeated, those two lucky contestants getting to take home the coveted trophy much to the relief and appreciation of the crowd.
I was of course invincible at sprouts, ate 6 Reese's peanutbutter cups in the time it took a lady to eat 4, ate three chicken nugget happy meals in the time it took a dutch child to eat one, was challenged by 'Skip' who was young and fresh in his baseball cap to eat three cheese burgers, but I wiped the floor with him. Dutch favourites such as bitterballen and turkse pizza were no problem, nor was the 9 doughnuts. It was just the litre of chocomel... From now on ONLY EATING CONTESTS!

This is my favourite pic from vit-e-mine

Papillon (non performance) @ BACKstage - Backlit - NotLost Festival

The title of this work (Papillon is the french word for a butterfly) is somewhat over titled as my appearance was little more than that, there was no performance as such other than the interaction of myself an the audience. I would speak to people who either knew me or didn't know me about the very physical transformation I have gone through by showing photographs of me from my twenties.


The outfit and the overall way I chose to present myself at this show is all very uncharacteristic of me as evident by the photographs but throughout the evening I was also collecting an anecdote of how people who knew me well were not able to recognise me. I felt that I had achieved a metamorphosis fantasy I had from my school days where I may one summer holidays reinvent myself into someone completely different. I took great pleasure in the experience and sharing it with people who were meeting me for the first time.

Backstage is part of the NotLost festival

Life Model

As I teach painting and drawing for West Notts College and want to give my adult learners an opportunity to experience drawing a life model I decided to wear my wrestling singlet for one session and teach the class whilst stood in front of them so they can draw me.


The response to the lesson was positive and enjoyable for the students. I found many of the resulting studies to be aesthetic for different reasons, here are a couple of my favourites.

Black Swans

Black Swans is the "Sideshow" game show hosted at Tether's TV studio (also used for presenting the sideshowshow)


In Episode One (recorded in October) Jon Burgerman wreaks havoc, Nikki Russel looks bemused, the death of Jack Bauer is decided, A really big meat pizza is ordered by Bruce Asbestos, David Cameron, Rob Blackson Dancing, a waitress, a round of applause for a bow tie and much more.

In Episode Two (recorded in November) Curator Rob Blackson is back for revenge, we say goodbye to Jon Burgerman as he leaves for New York, Nikki Russel looks bemused, little violence but lots of sex, erections, piles and intercourse.

In Episode Three (recorded in December) Curator Rob Blackson is back for more revenge, we celebrate Christmas and commiserate the end of Black Swans, The British Art show, Sideshow and the Tether Studios. We play the game Hitler or His Highness, Nikki Russel gets into an arm wrestle, Sonic the Hedgehog brings gifts, David Blandy and more.

The Elreys

The Elreys are a rock band from Mansfield.

I'd like to introduce you...

Throbbing bass lines courtesy of Chris, he has the bluest eyes on a man that I've ever seen and likes to hit his licks loud.


Adam the drummer, big into his Waits and Cave, he's the bleeding heart that gives this band life and soul.
.

Rich Cutts, formerly of (John Peel session recording) "Intense Degree" has the dirtiest riff you have heard.


Bryony, 'The Vamp', sultry keys and haunting backing vocals. She will mesmerize man, woman and child.


And me... Seedy, sleazy, dark hearted crooner... enough torment, controlled and ready, to share with everyone. An eyesore of a vision in brown. May sell you snake oil or buy your soul, either way you'll be stung.

Patent Application

I have filed my patent application in march 2009, and was published on 28/07/10

"in production" @ nottingham contemporary

In production is an opportunity for Midlands based artists working with video to present new video to people involved in the local art scene for some critical feedback. I found the process to be useful for hearing views on what I could do to develop my documentation.

The evenings curation was quite interesting as it unfolded Thomas Darby and Theo Reeves-Evison who both produce works that explore themes of the male mind, made a comfortable segway for my video and allowed me to talk freely about how wrestling is an important part of my current art practice.

Becoming a Wrestler

In the first of a series of Tethervision videos following artist Duncan Allen's quest for macho-ness, we see him learning how to become a wrestler.

This video has been co-funded by NCAN.
Supported by the National Lottery through Arts Council England.

Evening Post

Appearing on radio Nottingham to talk sprouts and Being a world record holder at the time gave me the courage to appear on the Guinness world Records "Smashed" and now the evening post. Twice.

It was the Smashed Christmas special, I shared a dressing room with a bunch of Britain's most talented pro-wrestlers, met Biggins, Steve Jones and Peter "the voice" Dickson.
I won't spoil the surprises in case you ever get chance to see the show on sky one and hope to put a link up in the future.

Smashed

In 2001 I chose the domain name videomouth to represent me in what ever venture I intended to pursue. Not to dictate and not to influence. I had a variety of motivations for sticking those two words together, including my awareness of emerging digital video technology. I had no idea however, that I may appear on national T.V. for such a dubious oral talent.

My natural aptitude for speed eating has landed me a spot on a prime-time Sky One TV show.

"Smashed" the modern day incarnation of Record Breakers, (starring Steve Jones as Roy Castle)

Look out for the Christmas special later this year:)

NOW NOW - Make it, Break it - Glasgow

For the opening of "MAKE IT BREAK IT" I ate 28 brussel's sprouts extending my current world record by just three. (I had planned to smash the record but unfortunately the sprouts where not at room temperature and burned my mouth... OUCH!)
As well as exhibiting the residue of the performance, my current Guinness World Record certificate and video "wrestler for a day", I took "beard (May - Dec 2007)" a work made on the same day as "wrestler for a day" was recorded. I prefer to show these two works specifically together when I have the opportunity. I feel that "collection of achievements" is tied together by macho endeavor and has more appropriate in locations with a "gritty" cultural association or among social settings of alpha dominance. These works weren't intended to be viewed as commentary on art but of the masculine artist. A reflection upon the Psyche of the passionate, motivated creators in art history whilst a back door into contemporary thought.

The show (and opening) was a lovely success and I had a fab time in Scotland. My hosts Catherine and Nadia where superb.

Defunct @ Backlit studios

Electric Bill (above) is made from Electricity Metre cards (sorry about the cheesy pun).



Toddler sized Robot in with arms upwards asthough asking the veiwer to pick him up (in the same way a child might)
Defunct (curated by Tom Duggan and Alia Pathan) @ Backlit studios forms part of the "Grand opening" of the studio/gallery/

Mr Achievment

Me recieving my prize at the schaakstukken museum from Ridder Dijkshorn.




The hat is because I was on Holiday. Speaking of hats, I also Graduated recently among my many other achievments.

Circus Papi Kuko @ "De Player" Rotterdam

My 'Circus Papi Kuko' debut at De Player, Rotterdam.

A series of Papi Kuko Events were arranged by Wes Westenburger as part of his Graduation work. Fliers for these events where available in Wes's exhibit at the WdKA graduation show in "Las Palmas".
The Papi Kuko Event was kicked off by the new addition to the Kuko roster, 'Duncan the strongest man in Mansfield'. Where I was fitted with a harness and dragged a VW and six members of 'Circus Papi Kuko' down the road in front of De Player, an arts/performance club in Katendrecht.

For the event I made a special costume including a convincing weightlifting belt made from a second-hand ladies handbag.

NTUART

Nottingham Trent University Fine Art Degree Show 2008

NTUART.COM

Robot King

My submission at the degree show was a man sized, aluminium, freestanding, puppet built to resemble various robots from film and TV. Elements such as colours, shapes and styles where borrowed from robots such as: Transformers, Maria from Fritz Lang's Metropolis and the Power-Loader from Aliens (used to kill the alien Queen)

'Robot King' was also used in a series of short videos (three of which were shown alongside the sculpture). 14 positionable armatures in Robot King's joints allow versitile animation posibilities including a fight scene in a real life boxing ring.

WUNDERKAMMER

My animation "Vader Van het Bos" was one of the videos shown at the WUNDERKAMMER, West End Arcade, Nottingham. The exhibition was BRILL!

Pipe Dream

Part of the Tether Festival, Pipe dream is a collection of art which lends focus to the artist fantasy. The "Exhibition in Progress" presents work amidst a transient state where completion is not necessarily achieved presently.

My work extends from the Prototype show a development of the Particle accelerator idea, this time hinting at the furthest equatorial point from the earths core, Mount Chimborazo in Ecuador. I now suggest that this is the fastest place on earth and may already be travelling close to the speed of light.



















All that's left to be done now is erect a tower at the peak which should then have the greatest warp factor ever for a stationary object on earth. Should someone climb this tower they would indeed be transported gradually into the future.