- Venue
- Mill Bridge Gallery
- Starts
- Friday, February 7, 2020
- Ends
- Saturday, February 29, 2020
- Address
- 3 Mill Bridge Skipton BD23 1NJ
- Location
- Yorkshire
- Organiser
- Mill Bridge Gallery, Skipton
‘Ash: A Celebration and a Lament’ features work from Grassington artists Robert Keep and Mark Butler.
Mark’s work focuses on the impact of the disease on the landscape, using gunpowder to create holes in maps of the Yorkshire Dales created by rust printing and ink drawing. These holes mark the locations of ash trees, giving a strong sense of loss that these majestic trees will leave behind after the full effect of ash dieback is felt. A few locations are shown in gold leaf, depicting the glimmer of hope that some trees will resist the disease and survive. These drawings are accompanied by a number of sculptures in bronze and rusted steel, exploring elements of the ash and the ash dieback fungus.
Trees have been a recurring subject in Rob’s work over many years, from windswept hawthorn to majestic oaks and apple orchards. Ash had not featured up until now, and this project provided an opportunity to explore a new subject in detail. Studying the ash revealed its amazing variety and beauty, but also its significance in the local landscape and the devastating impact ash dieback will have on it. Work in pencil, charcoal, ink and paint will be featured.
Ancient semi-natural woodland – the most important type of woodland for biodiversity – covers about 1% of the Yorkshire Dales National Park. About 80% of this woodland is made up of ash, making it the iconic tree of the Dales.
Both artists hope the exhibition will raise awareness of the disease and the impact it will have on the local landscape.
Exhibition Open:
7 to 29 February 2020, Thursdays – Saturdays 11-4pm
Preview 7 February 6-8pm
