Photography
by Tony Knox
 |
Preston has seen a recent list of activities lately kicked
off firstly on the 24 January 2008 as the official opening
of a state-of-the-art £15 million University of Central
Lancashire 'Media Factory' a glittering red carpet event,
Part financed by European Regional Development. The Media
Factory will allow North West university graduates, budding
entrepreneurs and small businesses to develop the skills
they need to thrive in the global media economy and gives
access to industry-standard performing arts and multimedia
facilities offered via a dedicated business incubation centre
based on the top floor of the building.
The Northern light’s incubation space has been transformed
into a temporary gallery space; I was commissioned by the
management team to curate THREE TO GO which features Tony
Knox, Kevin Whittle, and John Robertson. 'This was a great
opportunity to network but I was two hours late and the
red carpet was being put away by the time I arrived, to
be greeted by jugglers for the Circus Skills Society I felt
like I wandered on to a festival site and this was reinforced
by the images of MothMan.'
Kevin Whittle a printmaker who was one of the artists selected
for the Legacy project at the Liverpool Royal University
Hospital last September, Whittle subject matter is inspired
by nature.
John Robertson a Manchester based Photography who traveled
through Europe showcases his journey on digital canvas http://www.no-borders.co.uk/index.htm.
http://www.uclanknowledgetransfer.co.uk
Friday 25th Two events that evening 1st Paradise: Work by
Kutlug Ataman at the Harris Art Gallery Preston. This is
well worth a look, not only has it got a room, Stefan’s
Room (2004) is a playful five screen installation about
Stefan Naumann’s obsession with over 30,000 tropical
moths which he has collected in his tiny apartment, I’m
sure MothMan would like that room but been no sighting of
him since early November.
Ataman was short-listed for the Turner Prize in 2004, his
work was fluent and the presentation was slick, Turkish
Delight (2006) is Ataman’s first performance piece
and a semi-fictitious self-portrait. With Ataman in traditional
belly dancing attire a single screen projection in a darken
room it appears as though he’s dancing for you. Ataman
elaborated that he was a bit heavier when he did that video
piece, a good way to keep in shape, this engaging show is
on till 26th April 2008.
http://www.harrismuseum.org.uk
Then swiftly on to the Nguzo Saba Centre for Plaited Fog
'pFarty' this One Night Only exhibition /Happening. Plaited
fog are a group of practicing artists who work in a variety
of disciplines, and who are all based in Preston or graduates.
There was about 15 Artist’s a large selection where
MA graduates of Uclan fine art programme, I was invited
to come up with a new piece 'Numeric Hopscotch' in which
I collaboration with Geeta Rao, this was an inactive installation
where member of the public played hopscotch on floor to
the music of the band.
Angela Presnail has an interest in how the found image evolves
when translated into reductive line drawing regard her choice
of materials of a Cardboard box inspired by photographer
Nick Waplington living room (1990) book. Gaenor Deacon embroidery
Book which drafts a figure she users hand knitting, cross
stitch (see photo). Rebecca Chesney small detailed bee’s
drawing where illustrated her strong technical abilities,
artist James Robert Diable gave poetry rendition other artists
Elaine Speight, Colin Binns etc http://www.plaitedfog.org.uk
GLIMPSE: INTERIM EXHIBITION OF WORK FROM MA FINE ART Monday
4th – Friday 8th February 2008
Victoria Building, PR1 Gallery UNIVERSITY OF CENTRAL LANCASHIRE,
PRESTON
This was predominately a painting show with the exception
of Stuart Carter photography prints of Formby beach, capturing
the aescetic forms of nature. Stephen Siwiak and Colin Davis
whose work is featured on Permanent display for future generations
as part of the Transvoyeur 'Legacy' at the Liverpool Royal
University hospital. Siwiak art has explored portraiture
through linear form to convey the objectivity of the subject,
rather than the subjectivity of the sitter. 'I have become
interested in drawing heads, not as portraits representing
personality or character, but as object rather than subject.
I consider form and texture, juxtaposing darkness and light.
Hard and soft. Movement and stillness. Deconstruction and
reconstruction. Life, death and eternity, masculinity, identity
and displacement' Stephen Siwiak other artist featured Caire
Bateson, Isobel Davy, Mike Hesketh, James Hallsworth &
Christy Evans.
I felt as though the work was traditional and well executed
it felt somewhat as though it would not look out of place
in the 1988, this show was Curatorial assisted by Pete Clarke
a Liverpool based artist and is the Senior Lecturer in Fine
Art and MA Course Leader at University of Central Lancashire
and one of the principle members of the Eight Days a Week
Arts Collective, an international exchange programme between
Liverpool (UK) and Cologne (Germany).
www.peteclarke.org.uk
www.eightdaysaweek.org.uk
www.uclan.ac.uk/centrecontemporaryart
