Nub of the Art

MARCUS WILSON investigates the weird and wonderful world of ‘Nub’.

INHABITANTS of Easter Ross are witnessing a strange phenomenon, as the cream of Highland-based artists gathers to plot the creation of a brave new world, known as ‘Nub’.
‘Nub’ is reminiscent of the worlds created in Pratchett’s ‘Discworld’ or Peak’s ‘Gormenghast’.  However, Nub is a world created collectively by story tellers, musicians, visual artists, costume designers, dancers and craft makers – both amateur and professional.  Nub is an organic process of collaboration, and it’s growing.

Essentially a vehicle for artistic expression, the underlying mythos of Nub’s parallel universe is essentially opposed to that of our own – rather than commerce, it is creativity, culture and performance that drive the world’s development.

Thirteen visual and performing artists from the Highlands and Islands form the core of Nub’s performing contingent or ‘Ambassadorial delegation’ (by definition an Ambassadorial contingent must consist of the twelve Delegates and the Thirteenth Fairy – after the disaster of Sleeping Beauty, it was decreed that she was better in than out and it has remained a matter of contention ever since).  The Ambassador and his entourage provide the focal point and only unchanging element for Nub’s sumptuous performance events.

However, Nub performances also boast a colourful and growing cast of occasional supporting characters, including the Blind Cameraman (who can only photograph those who move ‘into frame’), the Priniciple Doodler (recognisable by his tall black hat and considered sketching of audience members), the Invisible Woman and more.

Around this core team, Nub events take on a local flavour wherever they are held, with artists and musicians recruited from the communities in which performances take place.  Similarly, Nub events blur the distinction between performers and audiences.  Indeed, audiences are encouraged to dress up for the occasion of a Nub event, and are even invited to take part in workshops prior to the event to develop their costume and character.

Part masked-ball, part pageant, part murder mystery and part alternative pantomime, a Nub event always offers something different, from the sublime to the ridiculous.  Part scripted and part improvised, the ‘performances’ are interspersed with various happenings – including frequent assassination attempts on the ambassador by the AntiNubs, or the ‘Nub News at Ten’, broadcast live from Nub and which always features stories from the current location of the Delegation.

John McGeoch, Artistic Director of Easter Ross-based theatre company ‘Arts in Motion’, came up with the idea for Nub in 2001 alongside his collaborators.  The street theatre background of Arts in Motion and their commitment to community events has given them a head-start in involving amateur and professional performers, children and adults in projects.  Indeed, the Nub project depends on input from local communities to develop ideas for events.  With strong backing from visual and applied artists, the group is also able to transform any space into a magical location, from community halls such as Ardross, to large professional venues such as the Royal Scottish Museum in Edinburgh during the annual Arts and Business Awards.

The name of the piece was inspired by the `Nub end’.  This is the substantial log that fires are built against in North American Indian Tipis.  The Nub end feeds the fire and gives it a solid wall to burn against.  The fire burns deep into the log at night and is able to easily rekindle the fire in the morning.   Likewise, the new ‘Nub’ is central to nurturing exciting collaborative and creative partnerships between the artistic community of the Highlands, and can underpin the many individual, unconnected short-term projects that every artist always has on the go.

Indeed, McGeoch sees the Nub project as a receptacle for many worthwhile creative projects that may otherwise not find a home.  Writers are involved in scripting Nub events, composers contribute new pieces of music, and art installations are commissioned to decorate the sets.

“Often, artists and musicians can spend a lot of their time concentrating on one type of artwork or one type of music that they know is saleable and will make them a living.  As a result, they often don’t have the opportunity or courage to explore fully the new ideas that they have, and so these ideas get left on the shelf and the artist gradually finds himself pigeon-holed into one style of work.  Through Nub, we can absorb these ideas and, through collaboration, realise the visions and give the artist the room to explore.  Anything goes!”.

Nub enables amateur artists to work creatively alongside professionals, thus developing their skills and confidence.  It also addresses community education and participation by working closely with audiences to develop performances.  Above all, however, Nub is fun, and explodes the pomposity which can sometime permeate people’s idea of ‘the arts’.

The Nub Delegation will engage in a `Grand Perambulation of the Highlands and Islands’ in the autumn of 2003.  Up to eight communities will be invited to receive the Delegation, create a temporary Embassy and assist them in their perennial search for the next incarnation of The Grand Duke, as recognised by the signs that are unmistakeable, yet always debatable, thus seemingly sealing the Delegation’s fate to continually perambulate this often barbaric planet.  In each area, Nub performers will spend a weekend or two in each venue prior to performances preparing local people to participate in the grand event through a series of workshops developing costumes and a background for their characters.

“The format of a Grand Ball has been useful as a starting point for Nub events, but there is plenty of scope to try new ideas.  For instance, a voyage to Nub is a possibility for an event, using multimedia to transport both performers and audiences to this strange land.”

Only time will tell if ‘Nub’ achieves the cult status of either ‘Discworld’ or ‘Gormenghast’…

Any communties or venues that would like to receive the Nub delegation as part of their forthcoming tour should contact John McGeoch directly at artsinmotion@btinternet.com.