OBJECT is an exhibition that engages the visual, tactile and spatial senses, exploring the material nature and the perception of art. The exhibition includes work by a wide selection of established and emerging artists in a variety of media such as glass, sculpture, painting and tapestry.
An object is a tangible entity, something placed before the eye. A material thing upon which thoughts and feelings are projected, it also stands in opposition to something else. By contrasting a range of different media, OBJECT thus explores ways of seeing and perceiving, while acknowledging the Late Latin root ‘objectus’ – something thrown before the mind. (1)
Wendy Fairclough and Ross Ritchie employ domestic objects for an elevated purpose and each have a highly developed sense of spatial awareness.
Joanna Braithwaite and Scott McFarlane draw on multiple works and imagery. Like vignettes or pieces of a story when assembled together, they create an overall narrative impression.
Galia Amsel, Malcom Harrison and Tim Main celebrate atmospheric weather conditions and seasonal change.
Jon Tootill, Robert Bourdon, Alexis Neal, Rebecca Harris, Gary Waldrom, Reuben Paterson and Simon Clark utilise key signifiers, often with a humorous approach, to evoke memory. They comment on cultural identity and history while looking toward the future.
John Edgar, Darryn George and James Robinson all share abstract compositions with a strong reference to visual texture. They allude to architecture (George’s tuku-tuku panels), mountainous landscapes (Edgar) and the scumbled surface of the earth (Robinson).
1. Oxford English Dictionary.