Join us for a discussion and audio experience with Nottingham rapper Cappo and collaborating sound artist Tom Harris, exploring the ideas and processes behind CAPStone, Cappo’s week-long exhibition at Bonington Gallery between 14 – 21 June.
For the third event in our Bonington Connects programme, we are delighted to invite Nottingham based rapper Cappo and sound artist Tom Harris to discuss their collaboration and explore the ideas behind Cappo’s solo exhibition CAPStone. The two artists will also lead an improvised sound workshop and experience – utilising spoken word and elements found within the exhibition.
Bonington Connects
Bonington Connects is a student-programmed talks, discussion and workshop series inviting people to engage in thought-provoking conversations in response to Bonington Gallery’s exhibition programme. Aimed at creating an accessible atmosphere, this series encourages exploration of our exhibitions in informal, open and engaging settings. This installment has been programmed and organised by final-year MFA Fine Art student Vidhi Jangra.
We are pleased to acknowledge that funds from NTU TILT have supported this event.
Building upon his captivating performance during last year’s launch of After the End of History: British Working Class Photography 1989-2024 (curated by Johny Pitts), we are delighted to welcome back Cappo to present a free weeklong exhibition entitled CAPStone.
This installation will be a physical translation of the concepts and themes found in the critically acclaimed music of this hugely important and influential Nottingham rap artist.
Exploring new possibilities for the alignment of hip hop lyricism with more traditional artistic mediums, CAPStone attempts to reevaluate how music is perceived, contemplated, and represented in contemporary settings by deconstructing the sounds, thoughts, and feelings contained within it.
Developed and curated with the help of sound artist Tom Harris, and based upon two thirds of the CAPStone LP trilogy (submitted as part of Cappo’s recent doctorate in English, Creative Writing, and rap music), themes of isolation and sociality (in abstracted forms) serve as backdrops for the piece, manifesting as two core experiences:
S.T.A.R.V.E. invites participants to experience isolation amongst the multitudes as part of an age-old narrative inherited by myriad artists, musicians, poets and authors to highlight the potential of loneliness as catalyst for mental health decline.
Houses speaks to an understanding of human existence as being profoundly social. Here, through visual, performative, and communicative means, the innate drive within us to remain part of a collective is uniquely interrogated.
The contrast between solitude and sociality — or separation and inclusion — has long been a subject of artistic investigation. Carrying this tradition forward using modern methods of expression, CAPStone intertextually engages with multiple artistic movements and eras to help revise these fundamental elements of the human condition.
Dr Paul Adey is lecturer of Popular Music and Music Business at Nottingham Trent University’s School of Art and Design. Performing under the artist name of Cappo, he has practiced hip hop lyricism for over two decades. During this time, he has had the privilege of appearing at many of Europe’s premier live music venues, performing alongside artists such as Public Enemy, Skepta, and The Sleaford Mods.
Paul’s interdisciplinary research focuses on popular culture, literary devices and musical concepts such as intertextuality, allusion, and the semiotic analysis of song lyrics. The nature of Cappo’s praxis links his work to rap music, English literature, Creative Writing, and media studies.
Instagram: @kafka_poe_murakami
X: @CAPPO_GENGHIS
Linktr.ee: @_Cappo_
Tom Harris is a sound artist based at Primary in Nottingham, working at the intersection of sound engineering, electronic improvisation, musicianship, and contemporary art. His multifaceted practice wholeheartedly embraces fusion—bridging disciplines such as installation, live performance, essay writing, and collaborative movement work.
Tom’s approach to sound is both technical and intuitive, thriving in interdisciplinary spaces, where sonic experimentation meets visual and physical storytelling.
Recent projects include:
Sonic Service Series – deep electronic improvisations (2025 – ongoing)
Lost in the Hills festival – sound installation/performance with Juliana Day (2025)
Samia Halaby: Performing Abstraction at Nottingham Contemporary with Guohan Zeng and Owen Campbell (2025)
Sonic Sculpture exhibition series with Near Now and Primary (2024)
Emerald Island – Arts Council DYCP award (2024)
NTU Graduate Fashion Show – live score (2023)
Our Acres by Solomon Berrio-Allen – performance live score (2023)
Mixed Feelings – featured by the British Music Collection (2023)
Links:
Tom Harris: Artistic direction/sonic sculpture
Dan Gardner (aka Theorist): Video Design
Danny Boyes: Installation artist
Mr Brown (Bee Graphics): Graphic design
Congi, Theorist, Sam Zircon, King Kashmere, and Dr Zygote: Musical accompaniment
We are delighted to confirm that legendary Nottingham rapper Cappo will perform at the launch of our next exhibition After the End of History: British Working Class Photography 1989 – 2024 on Thursday 26 September, 6-8pm. Be sure to book your free ticket! He’ll be accompanied by Claude Money playing records throughout the evening.
Find out more about Cappo:
LeftLion interview from January 2024
Killa Tapes interview
Cappo interviewed for Fly Fidelity podcast
Dr Paul Adey is a Higher Education lecturer of Music Performance and Music Business at Confetti Institute of Creative Technologies (part of NTU).
Performing under the artist name of Cappo, he has practiced hip hop lyricism for over two decades. During this time he’s had the privilege of appearing at many of Europe’s premier live music venues, performing alongside artists such as Public Enemy, Skepta, and Sleaford Mods.
Throughout his career he’s released music on various record labels including Tru-Thoughts and Ninja Tune, and featured live on BBC Radio One (John Peel), BBC Radio 1 Xtra, and BBC Radio 6 numerous times.
Paul’s interdisciplinary research focuses on popular culture, literary devices and music concepts such as intertextuality and allusion, and the semi analysis of song lyrics. The interdisciplinary nature of Paul’s research links his work to Music, English, Creative Writing and Media Studies.