Not really heroes, but people I respect........Herman Wallace, Albert Woodfox and Robert King, Sunny Jacobs, The Mc Libel Two, Joe Strummer, Joe Rush, Grayson Perry,Angola 3, Mumia, Clive Stafford-Smith, too many to remember right now
About me: Baroness Carrie von Reichardt was born in 1966. Her title, used ironically, has a connection with the last Tsar of Russia, who made her grandfather an honorary general for helping the allied forces in WW1.
After completing her foundation at Kingston Uni in 1988 she went on to study fine art at Leeds Metropolitan University. Much to the horror of her tutors she was awarded a First by the external examiners.
Her work at this time was informed and influenced by the themes of body modification, fetishism, scientific research and animal cloning. She was featured in Issue 5 of Iain Forsyth and Jane Pollard’s ‘Words and Pictures’ – project along side bob& roberta smith. In 1998 she won the ‘Bizarre Bra’ award in the New Zealand Wearable Art Awards. Her infamous doubled headed latex pig bra in now on permanent display at the Wearable Art Museum in Nelson, New Zealand.
She also at this time appeared alongside artists such as Paula Rego, Nicky Coutts, Olly and Suzi and Mark Fairnington.
In 2000 the Baroness was to meet her soul mate and artistic collaborator the loving Mr Spunky. Together they decided to transform their home into a living work of art; hence The Treatment Rooms was formed. They are currently working on an ambitious, unique mission to cover the entire outside walls of their home in bespoke mosaics and ceramic artefacts.
Also at this time, the Baroness was to start on a life-changing path by corresponding with an inmate, Luis Ramirez, on death row in the USA. Now she corresponds with several death row inmates and political prisoners. Last year she went to Texas to witness the execution of another of her friends, John Joe ‘Ash’ Amador, and within an hour of his death she had assisted Nick Reynolds ( ‘Alabama 3’ harmonica player) in making a death mask of him. Having become personally involved with the horrors of the American penal system, her work was to shift from the human body to the human condition.
In 2007 the Baroness and Mr Spunky were awarded a commission from ‘Walk the Plank’ – acclaimed specialists in outdoor performance to mosaic a pick-up truck for the first ever UK art car parade. The Tiki Love Truck, dedicated to the memory of Ash, won first prize in the ‘Best Decorated’ category in the inaugural parade in Manchester, and has since participated in the Illuminated Parade in Blackpool and the highly successful Glowmobile Parade in Gateshead last New Years Eve.
The Baroness is currently making a series of ceramic spray cans – a time honoured symbol of resistance. Having spent the last 6 years investigating methods of transferring images onto ceramics, she has developed a technique of layering images, using a combination of homemade, vintage and digital ceramic decals (transfers). Instead of spraying the streets, the Baroness prefers to have her art on ceramic spray cans. By juxtaposing an eclectic range of imagery with simple words and sayings, she invites the audience to re-question and think again about how they view the world.
Her compulsive obsessive tendencies have also lead her to have one of the most extensive collections of vintage ceramic decals, that she sources from across the globe and is slowly tiling the entire inside of her house with them.
She is currently collaborating with Herman Wallace, an ex Black Panther and political prisoner in Louisiana State Prison, and the longest serving inmate in solitary confinement in the USA – currently in his 36th year of incarceration. Together they are working on a series of spray cans featuring 20 dead revolutionaries you should know about – as Herman says ‘‘… an old vintage of spray pantherism – guaranteed resistance’
The Baroness’s art has featured in a diverse selection of publications, including Raw Vision, The Guardian, The Evening Standard, Nude, Tile and Stone, Grout, Westside, The Londonist, Abort, Mozake and That’s Life.. A large article about her most recent trip to Texas is in the current issue of the Soho House magazine.
POWER TO THE PEOPLE
Who I'd like to meet: Artists, activists, and anyone who is trying to bring about change - if you aint pissed off you aint paying attention!!!
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Thanks for adding me. No worries about the cell, I know you are really busy! It was great to meet you though and thanks for taking time out to come and speak to us. Everyone was really excited and hyped up after your talk, they haven't stopped talking about it. I've had lots of people coming and asking me how they can get more info too which is always good. Hope all is well with you and you had a good drive back.
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