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Axis all areas
form of Axis, the vital info is just a tap on the keyboard away. Recently installed at Glasgow’s CCA, Axis Artists Register is an arts database service. Easy-to-use, it currently holds information on over I600 contemporary artists and craftspeople nationwide.
Stored on CD-ROMs, there are numerous ways to access the wealth of information. There’s an extensive list of artist’s ‘materials’ which takes in everything from brass to braid, glittery fabric and silverfoil
artistic style, price of works, lists of exhibitions and an artistic statement. Three examples of the artist's work can be called up and viewed. And there’s no need to take notes — all the info can be printed out.
Axis, though. is still in it’s infancy and there are some huge omissions. On the Glasgow list. high-flyers Douglas Gordon and Christine Borland were not to be found. The problem is the database depends on artists submitting their own details and bigger-name
artists have neither
t0 chra. curious to the time or Ever wondered how man find out how many incentive to do so. ' . ‘ M H k . y artists make use of anISt or “stallions m Also, exhibition artists On . u wor m that versatile kitchen Check out Who 3 Who on the details are kitchen for]? Susanna wrapper, l keyed in local arts SOOIIO, the vital currently up-dated Beaumont has a“ the ‘search’ on srlv'erforl, info is lust a tap on the on . a two-yearly ' ‘ ' f . t . . to find one artist out keyboard away basrs, so many answers ‘1 tel ‘1 V'Slt to of 1600 who used the ' entries are already mm“ “Wanimnfl ‘9 M's com 00"?
Glasgow’s new hi-tech National Arts Register, Axis.
Technology has punched another blow to the heavy tomes: the reference books. Now if you’re in need of an artist orjust curious to check out who's who on the local arts scene, with
@mflogy at your finger-tips. in the
stuff — Glasgow’s Tom O’Sullivan. Alternatively you can search under ‘Style’. Axis delivered seven ‘psychedelic’ artists and fourteen described as ‘kitsch’.
Another point of access is through location. The Isle of Mull presented details on just one artist while Glasgow came up with 85 and Edinburgh 79. Another tap on the keys reveals an artist’s CV with details on
out of date. As CCA‘s exhibition‘s director, Nicola White points out, ‘lt’s a good starting point. but it’s in early daysf
For those who wish to check Axis out for themselves. the service is open to all and free ofcharge. The downside is it’s by appointment only which could prove off-putting for those customers who just fancy popping in for a look. According to White, public
ls just one of the Images featured In Glasgow's new CID-ROM arts database
access is one of the first areas of the register the CCA hopes to improve. Until then all your searches for artists in silverfoil will need to be booked in advances
Sessions on Axis National Arts Database are bookable Wed—Fri. 2-6pm at CCA. Glasgow. Call 0141 332 7521 for appointment.
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‘}€V Open Monday - Saturday Ely“. 1 Visual (“hie-r... ‘5 J x (ice, '.I ' 1 Ph ' ' This year’s Phoenix Festival, which includes appearances by David Bowie. Neil Apple Madmosh Speciahs“ Young. ijrk, The Sex Pistols and Alanis Morissette, is to notch up a Net first when CGC Apprecenue Edinburgh the entire four-day event is broadcast live across the World Wide Web. The site will 16 Holyrood Road,
be accessible from Thursday l8 July - two weeks before the festival starts — and is expected to attract an audience well in excess of the 200,000 who tuned in for the 3 Supergrass Net gig at London Astoria earlier this year. ‘ Phoenix live on the Net is at http://www.goodcleanfunfreud.co.uk
Edinburgh, EH8 8AF Tel 0131 557 5995 ‘ Fax 0131 557 5676 M05
the Web a.
so The List 28 Jun-ll Jul 1996