…Anwyl Cooper-Willis makes her impression on the viewer through her imposing installation situated between the main gallery areas. The inspiration for this piece was based on the idea of control and propaganda being created through architecture. Her installation consists of what can be described as the front of a bold, powerful building, possibly linked to German architecture. The focus is on drawing our awareness to the level of control and manipulation over us and how objects such as buildings can have a big effect upon us. In order to state power and government these buildings are created and consist of large imposing structures that are used as a way of protecting the power which has been obtained; these everyday sites acting as a threat or reminder with regards to who owns who and how we must be compliant.
Anwyl has addressed this subject well as her installation is threatening in its presence and the large silver/grey pillars almost resembling prison bars, reminding us of how restricted we can become under government and law. I particularly like the use of materials as the artist has used card and paper, which beautifully symbolises just how fragile and short-lived power can be. The structure of the piece is weak and unstable and it will not stand forever the same as the power and fear that is associated with it.
Chris Hill’s photography is documentary in its style and tells the story of everyday people through a single image of their life.
There is no particular focus on one culture, class or area, the photos seem to have been taken in random areas and draw attention to the progression of British identity and society. Certain images elaborate on a person’s role within society. A car mechanic is shown standing in front of a car on a vehicle lift at a garage, then two men, who could possibly be related can be seen in work clothing standing next to agricultural machinery. In another image a woman can be seen standing behind a counter at a store. These images demonstrate to us the people behind our community who help to run and maintain the necessities that we take for granted. The style of these photographs is very similar to the type of photography that could be seen during the 1980s. The use of black and white, for me, emphasises the documentary aspect to these images and a theme of recession can be noted throughout them. This can be linked to the economic struggles during the 1980s and this is reflected through the images depicting a punk or metal gig and the football supporters at their teams match. …
The Never Ending Multi-Story is a collaboration of four artists, each exploring the idea of alternative existences to that which they have become accustom to.
With each artist recently graduating from University, this exhibition enables the viewer to see fresh work emerging onto the contemporary art scene and gives insight into the direction the industry is moving towards.
Charlotte Radcliffe explores the idea of a hybrid world. As we constantly strive to improve our surroundings with modern architecture, state of the art technology and the integration of cultures; our previous marks remain creating a juxtaposition between old and new. Amongst the developments and re-developments, pockets of existence become lost in the process and it is these spaces, or ‘non-sites’ as Charlotte refers to them, that are explored through her work.
The paintings are abstract in their style, but are also representational of the themes and objects which have been explored, allowing the viewer to be able to place and relate to what they are seeing. It successfully engages the viewer and invites them to visually explore further. The colours that have been used seem to have been inspired by urban graffiti art; this demonstrated by the use of bright colours presented in a style to that which we see regularly tagged to walls and buildings in our day to day lives. These colours are then composed with earthy tones and a darker feel is created through this. An urban landscape is created where nature can be seen fighting to exist against the waste and unwanted items that we have left to be consumed and become a part of these ‘non-sites’. It is an exploration of an evolved hybrid landscape not belonging to any particular part of our society due to it being forgotten or deliberately ignored. The idea of mixed elements is demonstrated well as she explores flat painted areas composed alongside sections aimed to be visually three-dimensional.
There is certainly a feel of warfare explored in her work with colours associated with common camouflage being used together to create an urban jungle, and this could symbolise these ‘non-sites’ fighting to be seen and acknowledged. It also plays with the idea of the nature battling with the artificial as we impose our ways upon the earth. All in all it creates a visually rich experience and will hopefully encourage the viewer to think about the issues that the artist has addressed in her work…
The Never Ending Multi-Story
Joss Cole, Anwyl Cooper-Willis, Chris Hill, Charlotte Ratcliff
21 November – 18 December 2009
Preview Friday 20 November
It is a fact of space science that there is such a body in the universe as a black hole; in a theory of quantum physics is proposed that at the centre of such a structure there is a form known as a singularity. A singularity it is surmised may provide a gateway between our universe and an infinite number of alternatives, which run unseen alongside our own. The theoretical notion of infinite alternatives may in some way relate to our own fantasies of alternative realities in which we may have taken different paths at one point or another in our lives. Who or what would we be if we had turned left instead of right, rich and famous, happy. We always lean towards the positive, in some way feeling that our current experiences are somehow in complete, and that there must be somewhere better.
The four artists that feature in “The Never Ending Multi-Story” have not only just encountered their own singularity, in graduating from their respective arts degrees, but also explore ideas of alternatives through their works. These ideas document our relationship with our environment and how we exist there. Power, struggle, harmony, fragility and conflict are among some of the elements that are contained within the artists’ works.
John O’Hare – The Trouble With Monuments
6th – 20th November
AirSpace Gallery Window
As part of Dialogue Box 2009
In my practice I appropriate and manipulate familiar objects in order to challenge processes of recognition and interpretation. My work examines the public reception of the artist’s work and its problematic impact upon the determination of the artistic vision. Whilst artistic style and content can be borrowed or appropriated there is still a faith held in the importance of the artist’s work and of their ability to transcend the everyday or have something valuable to impart. The appearance of my work is based on arbitrary decisions with the aim that they will receive their credence and consequence by the viewer, resulting in me playing with the aspirations to meet fleeting judgements of taste that also determine engagement.
The Trouble with Monuments is a play on the classical figure and its display (something often reprised with shop window displays of mannequins); an obese torso complete with ambiguous stains becomes a monument to the larger, fuller figure, yet one that is also characterised by its interpretation as a messy glutton. The desire to impart some truth about the contemporary human body through a figurative work conflicts with being unable to resist forcing an interpretation on something that might be better served by saying nothing. This conflict continues with the materials used to render the plinths and what they support; both the plinths and references to classical style accentuate the metaphor of the plinth and display techniques as things that focus attention, bringing about a dialogue, and with it expectations.
www.airspacegallery.org
[email protected]
01782 261221
…
As well as the film was the installation of an interactive clay wall that allowed visitors to touch and manipulate the clay in whatever way they wanted. This was very popular with children visiting the gallery and allowed them to experience the feel of the material as well as creating some of their own works of art above the clay wall. I felt this was an important aspect to the exhibition as the viewers could touch the clay to get a sense of what the artists were feeling and what it was like to use the material.
A striking contrast to the clay wall was the bed of clay that sat opposite the wall. Alexandra Engelfriet created a performance which involved manipulating the clay with only her body and the aid of water to wet the clay. This was very intense as she recreated the techniques used in the Marl Hole film. To be confronted with what you had viewed on a screen and to see how the material reacted in the flesh certainly put things into perspective. Even though the area of the clay which she was manipulating was on a minute scale compared to the quarry, you realise just how exhausting working with such a material in this way is. As the clay become wet and sticky, Alexandra had to fight with the material to free herself ready for her next move. As the performance progressed you could see the fatigue consuming her as well as the material covering more and more of her body resulting in an epic struggle; again symbolising with the pottery industry and the struggles which it faced in its later years being consumed by capitalism and eventually being exported abroad to allow greater profits.
Over all I felt the exhibition was a great success. The aim of the exhibition to confront the traditional idea of clay and its purpose was certainly achieved as well as symbolising the history and industry of the area. Hopefully this will give new hope to the area by presenting the potential of ceramics in the art industry and recapture the enthusiasm of the material that was once felt whilst the Pottery Industry was still thriving.
Stacey Booth
