Phil Rawle
Graphic Designer
'Proposal for an empty window' was my response to being asked to produce some work to go in the AirSpace window between exhibitions in October 2007. The initial concept was to install a tree to fill the window and challenge passers by with its presence. Issues around timescale and physical installation modified the concept to be come a log. This naturally split into 2 phases, firstly the 'proposal' which was a drawing of the inside of the window and proposed log in blue masking tape applied to the inside of the glass. The inside of the window married up with the drawing from one specific viewpoint. Moving past the window created a series of changing perspective relationships between the drawing and the interior. The second phase was the 'installation' on 18th December 2007. Again a drawing of the interior of the window space was drawn, this time in black but on the actual elements being drawn. A drawing of itself. The log was then installed in situ. Due to limited access into the window space and the size of the log, the log had to be placed from top left to bottom right rather than as it had been originally proposed. The piece will be dismantled at the end of January 2008.'
Phil Rawle
AirTrade
With more than 70 great pieces of art work, lots of preparation and one night of fun: the AirSpace auction was a success. The auction raising over £5000! 25% of which will go to the artists that donated their work. The money raised will go towards running the gallery for the following months, allowing us to hold further exhibitions and keep the AirSpace name alive in Stoke on Trent.
Mike Wolfe delivered a great performance as auctioneer, persuading most of the audience to trade generous amounts of cash for original artworks. AirSpace’s first contemporary auction allowed local art collectors to get there hands on great artwork at a price they could afford. The Pavillion at Staffordshire University was full of people eager to take advantage of the opportunity.
Most of the artwork at the auction sold; local artist Rachel Grant raised a brilliant sum of money for the gallery, her artwork ‘untitled’ sold for £270. Adam James a past exhibitor at the gallery sold three pieces ’70 Famous Psychiatrists’ ‘Entrance’ and ‘Earthbound’ totalling £445. Other works, such as Martina Mullany and Common Culture were snapped up at the end, having not reached their reserve prices during the auction. There are still some artworks for sale on the AirSpace website www.airspacegallery.org.
Thank you to everyone involved!
The support of the artists, the organisers and the buyers has helped to keep AirSpace running, it is great to know that the passion to keep AirSpace here is still strong and we endeavour to return the favour by continuing to provide Stoke on Trent with exciting and new exhibitions.
AirSpace with Urban Vision Art and Architect Club
27th November 2007 at Burslem School of Art
Dave and Andy were invited to give a presentation as part of the Art and Architecture Club talks, hosted by Urban Vision.
Wanting to steer away from the usual power point presentation they delivered a presentation with a difference; involving scripts, props, guest speakers and aptly timed photographs. Alongside the presentation two artists were given the task of producing a piece of artwork and on another screen was a live projection of the work being created. The artists were Rob Pointon, a local artist currently exhibiting at the Burslem School of Art and Brian Holdcroft and AirSpace Studio artist, whose work will remain in the School of Art for a further two weeks.
The presentation went well and a successful question time followed. Networking events like this are really important to spread the word about the Gallery and it is really important to us to be able to give AirSpace Studio artists opportunities to show their work.
http://www.schoolofart.co.uk/
http://www.uvns.org/
Keeping Up Appearences
The window project at 4, Broad Street continues to give Stoke on Trent a glimpse into what is happening within the gallery walls. Phil Rawle, AirSpace’s Graphic Designer installed a proposal for his window piece for a few days before the Parallax View; a line drawing with blue tape showing how the work will look upon realisation, the first of a two part piece. An intriguing cross of white tape on the pavement outside the gallery marked the optimum position for viewing the work, although you were required to be a little taller than 5’4" to appreciate it fully.
For the Parallax View passers by were confronted with a more minimal window piece, a white weather balloon pressed between the windows and the beginning of a line of umbrellas that encouraged you to enter the show, where the line of umbrellas continued into an installation by Mozal and Joaquim.
The latest and current piece is the work of AirSpace studio artist Brian Holdcroft, a small series of clay and straw blocks linked with a line of bright blue ribbon. The eye catching colour and striking work will hopefully continue to generate interest in the gallery.
Parallax View
November at the AirSpace Gallery saw the coming together of two artist led spaces. Following a research trip to Moot in Nottingham Dave and Andy invited Tom Godfrey from Moot to co-curate a show at the AirSpace Gallery.
AirSpace designed the research trip scheme in order to create just this kind of opportunity; we believe that networking between artist led spaces is really important and were really excited when Tom took us up on the offer. Networking between Stoke on Trent and Nottingham, a city with a well established art scene, could help increase positive awareness of our city.
The exhibition consisted of the work of nine artists, interwoven with a series of found objects, including tapes from scrap yards available to play, and some risqué found images from the internet.
The artwork though eclectic in appearance was held together by the underlying theme of ‘looking’. Though each artist followed their own agenda a walk around the gallery caused a flow of dizzying perceptions: playing cards whose faces change as you walk past, mirrors placed on the floor and a DVD of a hand animated image, flickering with light.
The exhibition has proven another success for the Gallery with consistently high visitor numbers; with this being the last of our ACE funded exhibitions we look forward to AirTrade, where we might generate enough funds to continue the exhibition calendar a little further.
www.mootgallery.org
