Hand Delivery

Since the successful public launch of the Leeds Plan B manifesto back in October, we have been hard at work ensuring the project has not gone unnoticed by the city’s decision makers. On a dull, rainy November day Jai and the team took to the streets of Leeds to personally hand deliver the Leeds Plan B Manifesto as a gift to key organisations around the city centre. We successfully delivered 10 biodegradable bags of compost each hand printed with the 13 point sustainability plan. We hope that these handmade works of art would encourage discussion and perhaps a new vision for the city of Leeds.

Omnicrom CT500

Currently in production for the extinked exhibition are the event fact files. 100 are to be produced, one for each species, using the appropriately obsolete transfer process of the Omnicrom system for the covers. Omnicrom is a simple transfer process based on the chemical interaction between Omnicolour colouring sheets and the thermoplastic resin used in photocopier toner. The pigment present in the Omnicolour sheet is transferred under conditions of heat and pressure directly to the surface of the photocopy, and once transferred, it can not be removed. The end result has a finish comparable with with litho printing and foil blocking.

Leeds Plan B manifesto launch

Leeds Plan B came to its conclusion on October 24th with the public launch of the sustainability manifesto. In spite of the autumnal weather our stall giving away the manifesto, hand printed on dozens of bags of compost attracted a great deal of interest.

By the end of the afternoon we were soaking wet but had given away a hundred bags of compost. The Leeds Plan B manifesto, written by Jai Redman (as artist in residence with the universtity's school of geography) with students, lecturers and local campaigners, calls for the 'composting' of the city's resources, returning the assets to local grass roots stewardship.

If you want to see one of the few remaining manifesto bags, visit Manchester's Cube Gallery, where the work is on display in the current Open Submission show until 18th of December.

Signs of Revolt exhibition

Some of UHC's artwork are being exhibited at the Signs of Revolt, Creative Resistance and Social Movements since Seattle exhibition in London next week, alongside artists such as Jonathan Barnbrook, Jody Boehnert and Noel Douglas. The exhibition highlights activist artwork produced since the demonstration in Seattle 10 years ago where direct action activists, environmentalists and trade unionists shut down the meeting of the World Trade Organisation. The exhibition is also looking towards the Copenhagen climate summit, weaving together stories from a movement working against capitalism, war and climate change.

If you're in London next week this should be well worth a visit. It takes place at Shop 14, The Old Truman Brewery, Brick Lane from Friday 13th November to Sunday 22nd November.

A third of all species threatened with extinction!

It's all about ExtInked at the moment. Shocking news this morning, "More than a third of species assessed in a major international biodiversity study are threatened with extinction, scientists have warned." That's according to the IUCN. Read the full article on BBC News here. Also, according to the RSPB the bird Hen Harrier (which is on our list of possible tattoos) has had a really bad year. Both the IUCN and the RSPB referred to climate change and loss of habitat due to human encroachment as major contributing factors.

ExtInked launch invites

The ExtInked launch invitation flyers arrived from the printers today and we can't wait to send them out! The event takes places on Thursday night the 12th November, all of the 100 drawings will be exhibited to the public for the first time and it will also be the opportunity to sign up for the tattoo of your choice, so don't miss out!

ExtInked on Co-op blog

We're very excited to see our tattooing project ExtInked being featured on the Co-operatives UK In the Spotlight blog, check out the post here!

Leeds Plan B - Saturday 24th

Leeds Plan B - Manifesto Launch

Created as a collaboration between the people of Leeds, students from the School of Geography at Leeds University and artist Jai Redman from Ultimate Holding Company - the Leeds Plan B manifesto is about to launch.

The 13 point plan for 'composting the city' (and returning its resources to common ownership by the people) has been printed on hundreds of compost bags. The bags are painted bright yellow, printed with an elaborately illustrated Leeds Plan B logo and backed with the 13 point plan. Each contains a generous supply of locally produced sustainable compost mulch and the bags and liners are fully biodegradable.

The manifesto bags will be given away for free at Dortmund Square from 11.00am - 4.00pm on Saturday 24th October.

This is a one off, unique public event - come down and grab a beautiful bag of art.

The Leeds Plan B manifesto is also published online at www.leedsplanb.org.uk and is a living document and your comments and additions are welcomed.

More details are also available from the Leeds Plan B project page or by emailing info@leedsplanb.org.uk

Location & Date

Dortmund Square, St Johns Centre, The Headrow, Leeds, LS2 8RE from 11.00am - 4.00pm on Saturday 24th October. (map here)

Bag supplies are limited - arrive early to avoid disappointment. We recommend you bring a friend to help carry the compost - the bags weigh approximately 15kg. (The manifesto is also available as more traditional paper flyers!).

Friends

Ultimate Holding Company residency was developed by artist Jai Redman and was Supported by the Leverhulme Trust.

The manifesto launch is presented as part of Listen To Leeds' Day of Climate InterAction, and has been devised in conjunction with students from the School of Geography's Activism and Social Change MA.

Photo by Thomas Bing.

extInked event details confirmed!

Opening Thursday, 12th November 2009
In the year in which the world celebrates Charles Darwin’s birthday bicentennial Ultimate Holding Company embarks on a once in a lifetime social experiment.

With the expert assistance of several prominent conservation charities and the artistry of tattooists from Ink Vs Steel, Ultimate Holding Company have created extInked.

A new exhibition of drawings, individually illustrating one hundred of the most endangered species in the British Isles opens next month and reaches its conclusion with the live tattooing of the drawings on one hundred willing volunteers.

The result of this unique exhibition will be an army of ambassadors for threatened and rare birds, fish, amphibians, reptiles, mammals, plants and fungi.

Preview and Launch
Exhibition opens 7:30pm, Thursday 12th November, 2009 Continues daily (10:00am - 6:00pm) until the 1st of December.

Tattooing commences 7:30pm, Thursday 26th November and continues until Sunday 29th November.

Unit 108, Chapel St. Walks Development, Chapel St., Salford, M3 5DW

Become an Ambassador If you're interested in becoming one of our life-long ambassadors, and being tattooed with an endangered species simply come along to the exhibition from the 12th November.

You must be 18 or over to be considered. Tattoos are free, however a deposit will be required.

A full list of species is available from our extInked project page.

Partner Organisations
extInked is presented In proud association with the Marine Conservation Society, Buglife - the Invertebrate Conservation Trust and the People's Trust for Endangered Species.

Support
You can still donate to help extInked happen. Any profits will go towards our conservation partners.

Join our 700 supporters on Facebook.