ARTISTS TALKING

# 84 [3 February 2010]

\"home\"

presented by AirSpace Gallery13th February – 27th March, 2010 | Opening Reception Friday 12th February, 6-9 pmAirSpace Gallery – 4 Broad Street Stoke-on-Trent Staffordshire UK ST1 4HL| Open Tues - Sat 11am - 5pm

Featuring: Kashif Nadim Chaudry, Samit Das, Chinmoyi Patel, Hetain Patel, Harminder Singh Judge

\”home\” is a group exhibition looking into how, when set in a comparable context with artistsfrom South Asia, British artists of South Asian descent view their own origin and literal physicalsense of location, alongside more figurative investigations and manifestations of the self andidentity, locality and vicinity, foreign and foreignness, home and origin.

# 83 [23 December 2009]

Brian Holdcroft – The Process of Rendering Something Sacred

As part of Dialogue Box
AirSpace Gallery Window

This work examines nature and landscape myths and questions how our sense of place is as much a product of memory. Through the recollection of events and stories landscapes are established that extend across time and space and are shaped in the mind. Establishing a continuity with the past they add to a collective understanding that provides a reassurance of identity.


www.brianholdcroft.co.uk

# 82 [9 December 2009]

Creative duo roam the West Midlands on photo trail….

Rhonda Wilson and Lorna-Mary Webb are the creative and organisational forces behind Rhubarb-Rhubarb - widely regarded as Europe’s premier International Photographic Portfolio Review - based in Birmingham.  In early 2010 they’re hitting the road to meet new and emerging photographers who wish to make more of their talents.  They’ll be covering all corners of the West Midlands region and are keen to see what’s out there.

The event is open to all photographers based in the region and is free of charge.

Photographers get a thirty-minute portfolio review session with Rhonda, Rhubarb’s Creative Director, or Lorna-Mary, Company Manager.  Both have reviewed far and wide internationally, at photo festivals held in the UK, USA, China, Korea, Poland, Denmark and France among others.

“The aim of the tour is to see the work of photographers who wish to make their photographs more visible, get advice on the images in their folios and outline some of the forthcoming events and schemes being operated by Rhubarb-Rhubarb. Among these is our annual bursary scheme, giving photographers the chance to attend one of our major national or international review and seminar events.

“In 2009 the winners also had a show at Wolverhampton Museum and Art Gallery and two of them were chosen, one from the West Midlands and the other from the UK, to accompany me to Fotofest's Meeting Place 2010, in Texas, to show their work.  It’s always exciting going to look at work and there are always some spectacular finds out there in the region.” says Wilson.

The 2009 event was fully booked and saw the duo visit 6 venues across the region, seeing the work of over 40 photographers, helping them to move their practice forward.

2010 Roaming Rhubarb dates and venues;

Wednesday 10th February 2010 – Solihull Arts Complex

Thursday 11th February 2010 – Airspace Gallery, Stoke-on-Trent

Wednesday 17th February 2010 – Artrix, Bromsgrove

Wednesday 24th February 2010 – Light House Media Centre, Wolverhampton

Thursday 25th February 2010 – Herbert Museum and Art Gallery, Coventry

Those interested can visit www.rhubarb-rhubarb.net

For bookings contact Sean McGarry on admin@rhubarb-rhubarb.net or call 0121 773 7889

# 81 [9 December 2009]

CHRISTMAS CARDS

New for 2009 and available now; a range of Christmas cards featuring new limited edition artwork by AirSpace Gallery studio artists.

The cards are available in two sets with four different cards in each set, these cards give acontemporary slant to the christmas card, and have been created to help support the continuing exhibition programme for 2010.

Available to buy at the gallery or online at

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/4-FINE-ART-XMAS-CARDS-AIRSPA...

and

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/4-FINE-ART-XMAS-CARDS-AIRSPA...

# 80 [9 December 2009]

Each artist has explored the idea of looking at life from another perspective and the level of contrast that can be seen through the work on display puts a real emphasis on how fixated we can be with regards to the perspective we have become comfortable with.  Hopefully this exhibition will allow the viewer to see their everyday life in a different way and encourage us to look at our surroundings for what they are.

Stacey Booth

# 79 [9 December 2009]

.  ... Images showing a funfair closed and a building in ruins also draws to this theme.  The change in politics can also be noted as anti-BNP graffiti messages are spray painted onto walls and a man displaying an England t-shirt whilst smoking a cigarette poses for a shot.  With our society now a multi-cultural one, these photographs show how certain people want to be patriotic or feel like they still belong to some form of British identity whatever that may be.  The viewer can relate to incidents occurring during the Thatcher era and points out to us that even after two decades, we are still in similar situations to the ones we were struggling with then.  It raises the question to whether our society has progressed at all.
When I first read the description for Robert Johnson’s work, the aim being to bring elements of blues music and Zen practises together, I will admit I didn’t know what to expect.  When entering the space where Robert’s work can be seen you are immediately drawn to the layout of area.  The first thing to catch your attention is the broom resting against the pillar in the centre of the room and from here you start to notice the careful positioning of the works.  You are invited to study each piece carefully just through the careful layout and the calmness that is created.  As you walk through the doorway you pass a chair facing towards the corner of the wall and in front of it is a diddley bow.  You then start to notice each painting where blues music is represented through the dark tones, almost creating the night feel of a blues bar.  There is a lot of energy within these paintings, yet they are not chaotic in their style.  In contrast to these is the painting of a landscape where a single string has been stretched across the canvass and secured at either end.  This playing with the idea of the diddley bow, but also addressing a much deeper idea based around Zen practises.  The use of diddley bows symbolises with the Zen idea that all content should be stripped away to reveal a neutral zone where we can then explore and experience things on a much deeper and richer level.  The single string of the diddley bow is that neutral zone, and the many sounds that can be created from this one string, opens up to us the idea of deep self exploration and a search for truth rather than settling for constant representations.  Robert Johnson’s passion and interest in this area certainly shines through and he manages to portray a lifestyle of blues and the search for truth and peace. ...

# 78 [9 December 2009]

...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. ...

# 77 [9 December 2009]

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...

# 76 [18 November 2009]

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. 

# 75 [9 October 2009]

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
airspaceinfo@btinternet.com   
01782 261221