‘Hope of deliverance from the darkness that surrounds us’

High Rise

‘And they promised us the world … in Hooverville’* (© Leech 1992)

That fabulous Mersey mop-topped maestro Paul McCartney wrote this post’s title’s lyrics way back in ’92 and they resonate true  today. Inequality and disparity reside in every rat-ridden doorway, under every dank,  derelict bridge and inside 99% of inner-city high-rise ‘scum-streets’ (as muttered off the record by Tory Councillor for Sittingbourne, Jerrence Mallanby-Birch). The still image reveals more than any words ever could. Context is prescribed by the eye of the beholder, a framed perception that defies contesting.

It is only through capturing and documenting these cesspits of filth that a better future can be achieved. Therefore, it is with great honour and pride that I can announce the imminent publication of a vital phot-tome by a truly great citizen and filmic auteur, Kenneth Leech. Not only is he a trusted friend of my charitable causes, but, his provocative visi-texts and antagonistic art continue to stir the embers of complacency at the seats of power.  Forever rustling feathers and hustling bell-wethers in the pursuit of integrity and honesty , ‘Kenny’ mashes up pop-cultural history with searing commentary that sadly reminds that these problems are not today’s problems, but, the mistakes of the past that perpetually haunt the present.

Like his near contemporary, incognito graffito Banksy,  Leech blends his anti-capitalist critiques with everyday reference points (e.g. *The Christians and Bucks Fizz+ lyric inspired captions) in order to be understood by everyone, speaking on the level, ‘never above, never beneath’  is his modus operendi.

Camera

‘My camera never lies, so I’ll put you in the picture and cut it down to size’+ (Leech © 1994)

His work has seen him travel and explore the outer reaches of the globe along the way encountering many remarkable people which have suffered grave indignities.  When pressed by the Alan Nobel Committee © on his motivations Kenny humbly said:

‘I always used to walk hurriedly past and through life at haste, never seeing what was clearly in front of me. It was meeting Mick Talbot, ex-British Armed Forces, that my eyes and ears were turned towards a greater issue, that of horrific disparity in society and that continued ignorance would only make matters much worse. It was from this awakening that I vowed to make a difference so I bought a camera and sought to tell the stories beneath the surface. The hidden stories from the submerged people who have fallen down the cracks in the system’s pavements, their voices and their tales need hearing and telling’

With 5% of all proceeds going to charity, treat your families and friends with this hard-hitting expose of the real state of the nation.

Buy: http://www.skindeepsecrets.com

Quote code LEECH20 for a tax deductible discount

REVIEWS

‘Kenny’s new gloriously glossy hard backed book is a must for all des-res coffee tables this Christmas. Hard-hitting and emotive.’  Nina Myskow, TV Times

***** Help for Heroes

‘In the age of image over stimulation this book reminds us of the power latent in the artists’s eye, each and every snap in this collection  a stark and gut-wrenching prod to the conscience’ Tallulah Getty II, GettyCorps.

 

Anarchy’s mask (apply with confidence)

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Ye are many—they are few!

In these times of global unrest, social disharmony and psychic decay it has never been more important to not only protest, but, also be mindful of the meaning of protest. I always seek guidance and solace in poet of romance yet also one of human conscience, Percy Bysshe Shelley and his ode to the Peterloo massacre in 1819, The Masque of Anarchy.

Generally believed to be the first modern instance of non-violent resistance the protesters, who wanted parliamentary reform in a time of famine and unemployment, were met with the brutality of the government’s forces leaving 15 people dead and hundreds wounded. In order to understand the present one must look to the past. My peer and esteemed colleague, Mike Leigh, has a film on the subject due out in November 2018. I urge all my subscribers to see it and build on its call to response.

Shelley’s timeless poem attacks the unholy trinity of ‘God, King and Law’ and how pacifism met with violence can only lead to negative psychological consequences. These effects can be visible seen in the shell-shocked PTSD returnees from foreign interventions.

The coming together of the people/the many/the 99% will always survive any form of attack despite retribution. Anarchy’s mask is one that should be worn by every citizen of the human race.

I invoke this because there appears to be a lot of misguided ‘action’ surrounding the potential visit of Donald Trump, President of the USA, the ‘democratic’ self-appointed leader of the ‘free world’. Now, I’m no fan of his, but, this is mass-distraction on the largest scale.

As my readers know, I am a firm believer in the potency of grassroots action. In order to see the oak tree one must first plant the seed. Already I see my social media timelines littered with enraged people mortified at the prospect of one insider coming here to visit other insiders. Change has to come from the root, the bottom of the pyramid is the scaffolding that supports the top, without it the whole charade collapses.

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‘We are the necessary gust required to topple tyranny’ Wat Tyler (unknown)

My new film currently in progress is called Rising Up and the downside of missing the target. It will address these very issues and highlight how through mass communication systems our points of focus are continually under attack causing the main issues to become missed, ignored and forgotten.

I am currently seeking financial input in order to get this vital expose off the ground. Fellow working-class auteur, Frank Farquharson-Baxter (First AD on the Sky Atlantic miniseries Poverty starts in the womb), has this to say ‘I cannot stress enough how important this documentary is, the message propagated by the media is a false one so films like Dilettante’s are the only corrective. Successive generations rely on us acting NOW’.

To contribute and be part of this momentous adventure please go to: http://www.beggingbowlmeup.org

 

Beneath the misery lies hope

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95 year old farmer Valdis Balinsky

I am delighted to announce that my last documentary Beneath the misery lies hope has been selected for airing on the European channel FreiSat 5 (Freeview 541) on Wednesday 18th April at 02.00 CET.

This project was a six month long trawl across Europe with just an Iphone 9 and a notepad taking in 12 nations all affected by austerity and financial corruption. These issues are universal and threaten to deepen even more. I met many interesting people along the way, most of whom feature in the film At times heartbreaking at others uplifting I am proud to say that I receive many letters a week thanking me for highlighting and exposing the machinations at work that cause such untold devastation. Here is one such letter:

Dear Dilettante,

We can not thank you enough for the time and inspirations you gave us. We no the roads ahead are many and that difficulties are many too although our spirits keep us strong.

Yours friends

Balinsky familys  

No matter how many times I read it it always brings a tear to my eyes. I don’t seek rewards or attention, fame or fortune, this passion is my calling, I desire to help the marginalised and less able through my art and efforts.

Please take the time to view this film and please contact me with any thoughts.

 

Every picture tells a history

Throughout my work and travels as an auteur, artist, curator and as a simple citizen I have witnessed many a sorry sight, some too painful to remember which is why the power of the image is such a positive facet of the culture of art. The lens can freeze-frame the moment and bottle it for eternity.

The art of imagery and photography in general have taken a battering over the last 10 years due to the proliferation of technological snap-machines that might take a picture, but, they fail to ‘capture’ the essence of what is being seen.  With this in mind I, along with several collaborators, have compiled a glossy, fair trade coffee table book, Posterity G.B.: This Sceptered Isle’s unseen mysteries (Feedmyego Publishing, Bristol).

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(‘Nail in the coffin of existence’,  Cleethorpes (c) Janiseed Talbot-Hughes 2017)

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(‘Angels with dirty faces #1,  Totnes (c) Jack Atkinson 2017)

Binmen

(‘Doing the dirty’, Hounslow (c) Walter Bottomley 2017)

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(‘How the 99% live’, Isle of Sheppey (c) May-Jean Gutteridge 2018)

All images can be purchased from http://www.sliceoflife.org

Individual prints are £55.00 (colour), £100.00 (b/w). Signed by the artists add £10.00