# Arnolfini in Bristol



## Paul Russell (Sep 15, 2005)

It re-opened last Saturday, I think.

Anyone been yet? What's it like?


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## Mrs Magpie (Sep 15, 2005)

I haven't been for years...the locals called it the Arnolphoney then.


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## Paul Russell (Sep 15, 2005)

Mrs Magpie said:
			
		

> I haven't been for years...the locals called it the Arnolphoney then.



Most of the exhibitions I saw there were rubbish, IMHO.

I only really used it for the bar, toilets and bookshop! But I missed it when it was closed.


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## WasGeri (Sep 15, 2005)

We went on Saturday - it's a lot bigger, on three floors now with lots more exhibition space. The bar is still in the same place but it's been done out in colours which are too bright, in my opinion, and the seating has been re-arranged so it looks a lot less spacious. The long tables are gone. I can't comment on the bookshop or the toilets as I haven't checked them out. The toilets can only be an improvement on what was there before though, I would have thought.


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## Paul Russell (Sep 15, 2005)

Good that there's more exhibition space.

I liked the long benches in the bar, and the bar itself, and guessed that they would probably ruin it.

I saw in the Guardian that the bar was designed by a famous designer/architect (?) who I'd never heard of.




			
				Geri said:
			
		

> We went on Saturday - it's a lot bigger, on three floors now with lots more exhibition space. The bar is still in the same place but it's been done out in colours which are too bright, in my opinion, and the seating has been re-arranged so it looks a lot less spacious. The long tables are gone. I can't comment on the bookshop or the toilets as I haven't checked them out. The toilets can only be an improvement on what was there before though, I would have thought.


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## Cakes (Sep 15, 2005)

Mrs Magpie said:
			
		

> I haven't been for years...the locals called it the Arnolphoney then.


My mate was a barmaid there for years. She called it the Analfairy.


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## Sunspots (Sep 15, 2005)

Cakes said:
			
		

> She called it the Analfairy.



LOL!  

I've only ever really gone there to see films, and I'm glad that's now available again.  Between them, I think The Cube, The Watershed and The _...er..._ Analfairy offer a great chance to see most of the leftfield films doing the rounds. I feel lucky that we've got three places showing all the arty wank.  

Most of the actual art exhibitions at The Arnolfini just leave me cold though.  Far too much conceptual emperor's new clothes.  Maybe I need to start wearing some of those arty rectangular-framed specs before I can truly appreciate it...   

The new bar looks very... _colourful._


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## DaveCinzano (Sep 15, 2005)

only ever drunk there, and seen one film ('orphans'). always struck me as a bit poncey, and definitely overpriced. but still strangely pleasant! though as much as anything you'd just go there in the summer with your carry-outs and drink sat outside with everyone else


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## Cakes (Sep 15, 2005)

bristle-krs said:
			
		

> ...just go there in the summer with your carry-outs and drink sat outside with everyone else


And then use their toilets for free!   That'll learn them for over pricing beer!

Best thing I ever saw there was The Jewess Tattooess on my 20th birthday, the most exciting and lucid piece of performance art I have ever seen.

Worst thing I ever saw was a film called Happiness. By it's title I thought it sounded like the right choice for a first date but turned out to be an about incest, suicide and child abuse. It was agonisingly uncomfortable to watch.


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## easy g (Sep 15, 2005)

Palindrome by Todd Solondz (director of Happiness) is/was on at The Cube this week

didn't enjoy Happiness but blinding film


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## bristol_citizen (Sep 15, 2005)

Cakes said:
			
		

> And then use their toilets for free!   That'll learn them for over pricing beer!
> 
> Best thing I ever saw there was The Jewess Tattooess on my 20th birthday, the most exciting and lucid piece of performance art I have ever seen.
> 
> Worst thing I ever saw was a film called Happiness. By it's title I thought it sounded like the right choice for a first date but turned out to be an about incest, suicide and child abuse. It was agonisingly uncomfortable to watch.



Going a bit off topic...
Can't remember whether I saw Happiness at Arnolfini or Watershed but I thought it was a comic masterpiece. Best film to come out of the US since Blue Velvet.
I can see it's not first date material though.


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## Sunspots (Sep 15, 2005)

Cakes said:
			
		

> Worst thing I ever saw was a film called Happiness. By it's title I thought it sounded like the right choice for a first date but turned out to be an about incest, suicide and child abuse. It was agonisingly uncomfortable to watch.



_Happiness_ as a 'first date' film?!!      -Sorry, but that does conjure up a funny image!   

I love that film.  Dark, dark, _dark._


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## Sunspots (Sep 15, 2005)

easy g said:
			
		

> Palindrome by Todd Solondz (director of Happiness) is/was on at The Cube this week



I think last night was it's last night there.  Wanted to go, but didn't get 'round to it.


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## easy g (Sep 15, 2005)

snap....


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## WasGeri (Sep 15, 2005)

One time me & my sister were going to the Arnolfini to see a film about a female Russian army officer, which I can't remember the name of. Anyway, they didn't have anyone to stand on the door and tear the tickets in half so they asked me if I would like to do it, and we could get in for free. Naturally I said yes, but I didn't really expect a load of people I knew to turn up later on, which was quite funny, as they were saying "Oh, we didn't know you worked here!" and I was like "Um, I don't, actually..."

I quite enjoyed it and it was very little effort for a free film.


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## Paul Russell (Sep 15, 2005)

I don't live in Bristol, I only pop up on the train every now and then.

Where abouts is this mysterious "The Cube" that I keep hearing about??

I agree about the exhibitions.

I used to enjoy sitting in the bar and watching people pretend to be serious artists, making notes about their forthcoming "projects", that sort of thing.




			
				Sunspots said:
			
		

> LOL!
> 
> I've only ever really gone there to see films, and I'm glad that's now available again.  Between them, I think The Cube, The Watershed and The _...er..._ Analfairy offer a great chance to see most of the leftfield films doing the rounds. I feel lucky that we've got three places showing all the arty wank.
> 
> ...


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## Paul Russell (Sep 15, 2005)

easy g said:
			
		

> Palindrome by Todd Solondz (director of Happiness) is/was on at The Cube this week
> 
> didn't enjoy Happiness but blinding film



Did you used to live in Bournemouth? Or I am I mixing you up with someone else?


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## Paul Russell (Sep 15, 2005)

What happened to the erm, elderly gentleman, who _always_ used to be in there with his headphones. You know. Him.

Where did he hang out when they closed the Arnolfini?


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## butterfly child (Sep 15, 2005)

Cakes said:
			
		

> Worst thing I ever saw was a film called Happiness. By it's title I thought it sounded like the right choice for a first date but turned out to be an about incest, suicide and child abuse. It was agonisingly uncomfortable to watch.



I thought Happiness was hilarious


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## butterfly child (Sep 15, 2005)

Geri said:
			
		

> One time me & my sister were going to the Arnolfini to see a film about a female Russian army officer, which I can't remember the name of. Anyway, they didn't have anyone to stand on the door and tear the tickets in half so they asked me if I would like to do it, and we could get in for free. Naturally I said yes, but I didn't really expect a load of people I knew to turn up later on, which was quite funny, as they were saying "Oh, we didn't know you worked here!" and I was like "Um, I don't, actually..."
> 
> I quite enjoyed it and it was very little effort for a free film.



I liked going to see films there, everything else tended to be wank.

Of course, I'm much more "lunden" these days, so would find it less wank!


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## DaveCinzano (Sep 15, 2005)

Paul Russell said:
			
		

> I don't live in Bristol, I only pop up on the train every now and then.
> 
> Where abouts is this mysterious "The Cube" that I keep hearing about??



the cube microplex is on king square, between stokes croft and the back of the b.r.i.


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## Sunspots (Sep 15, 2005)

Paul Russell said:
			
		

> What happened to the erm, elderly gentleman, who _always_ used to be in there with his headphones. You know. Him.
> 
> Where did he hang out when they closed the Arnolfini?



Unsurprisingly, he re-located to The Watershed.


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## Sunspots (Sep 15, 2005)

butterfly child said:
			
		

> I thought Happiness was hilarious



Me too.


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## Paul Russell (Sep 15, 2005)

Sunspots said:
			
		

> Unsurprisingly, he re-located to The Watershed.



Ahh, I should have guessed. Maybe he is a performance artist. Challenging our very notions of modernity.

I do have a photo of someone who looked a lot like him who I saw in Clifton, but it _could_ have been someone else:

bloke


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## fat hamster (Sep 15, 2005)

bristle-krs said:
			
		

> the cube microplex is on king square, between stokes croft and the back of the b.r.i.


Oh no it isn't!   

Since it was refurbished after the fire, The Cube's entrance is on Dove Street South, round the corner to the left and along a bit from King Square.


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## fat hamster (Sep 15, 2005)

Paul Russell said:
			
		

> Did you used to live in Bournemouth? Or I am I mixing you up with someone else?


We have assimilated easy g...


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## exosculate (Sep 15, 2005)

I thought you were from Bristol Paul Russell.

Bristol certainly has some good arts, I'm sure I will move there before long.

Also - _Happiness_ is a crackingly good film.


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## butterfly child (Sep 15, 2005)

Paul Russell said:
			
		

> Ahh, I should have guessed. Maybe he is a performance artist. Challenging our very notions of modernity.
> 
> I do have a photo of someone who looked a lot like him who I saw in Clifton, but it _could_ have been someone else:
> 
> bloke



I thought you might have been talking about the old guy who walks to the services at Portbury every night.. but that photo was no help.


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## Paul Russell (Sep 15, 2005)

exosculate said:
			
		

> I thought you were from Bristol Paul Russell.
> 
> Bristol certainly has some good arts, I'm sure I will move there before long.
> 
> Also - _Happiness_ is a crackingly good film.



No, I live near Dorchester (Dorset) at the moment.

It would be nice to live in Bristol.

I go up to Bath and Bristol on the train quite often just to see the Bright Lights, Big City, motor vehicles, and that sort of thing.

It's a very scenic train journey up from Dorchester. Direct, 2 hours, no messing.


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## WasGeri (Sep 15, 2005)

fat hamster said:
			
		

> Since it was refurbished after the fire, The Cube's entrance is on Dove Street South, round the corner to the left and along a bit from King Square.



Through my office car park!


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## easy g (Sep 15, 2005)

Paul Russell said:
			
		

> Did you used to live in Bournemouth? Or I am I mixing you up with someone else?



yep...I came up last week...moving in this weekend


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## Sunspots (Sep 15, 2005)

I *heart* The Cube.


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## Paul Russell (Sep 16, 2005)

easy g said:
			
		

> yep...I came up last week...moving in this weekend



More interesting than Bournemouth I bet.


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## Paul Russell (Sep 16, 2005)

butterfly child said:
			
		

> I thought you might have been talking about the old guy who walks to the services at Portbury every night.. but that photo was no help.



Sorry, it's not exactly passport material, is it.


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## Paul Russell (Sep 16, 2005)

fat hamster said:
			
		

> Oh no it isn't!
> 
> Since it was refurbished after the fire, The Cube's entrance is on Dove Street South, round the corner to the left and along a bit from King Square.



Cheers. It's more central than I thought. I think.


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## J77 (Sep 16, 2005)

It used to be nice drinking beer outside the Arnolfini in the summer - they had exhibitions there too?!?


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## easy g (Sep 16, 2005)

Paul Russell said:
			
		

> More interesting than Bournemouth I bet.



definitely...feels like I'm living somewhere real as well iykwim


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## Zaskar (Sep 16, 2005)

I think the place is a great resource for bristol.  We get some fantastic art and performaces there.

I remember watching 2 bald comnpletely starkwers blokes doing some contemporary dance that was well cool, I went in tracies tent and marvelled at those beetle men and on...... 

I wont be happy totally untill i get one of my films screened there tho.

Pressing question for me is will they still queue like people in a bank at the bar ?


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## Paul Russell (Sep 16, 2005)

easy g said:
			
		

> definitely...feels like I'm living somewhere real as well iykwim



What struck me about Bournemouth is that all the kidz seem to have fake perma sun tans and try to look like they have a load of dosh (which they probably have). Whereas in Brighton, say, everyone tries to look pale and interesting and poor and arty.

Don't know what the Bristol look is...


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