ArtSway’s New Forest Pavilion

ArtSway’s New Forest Pavilion presenta Gayle Chong Kwan, Dave Lewis, Hew Locke, Mike Marshall, Christopher Orr and Sophy Rickett, artisti che lavorano nel Regno Unito. A tutti sono state commissionate nuove opere per ArtSway ed altre organizzazioni affiliate, tra cui l’Arts University College di Bournemouth.

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ArtSway, the innovative contemporary art gallery based in England’s New Forest, in collaboration with the Arts University College at Bournemouth, presents the fourth iteration of ArtSway’s New Forest Pavilion.
Featuring a number of new commissions, each artist explores, in different approaches, ideas relating to nationhood, ecology and landscape as seen within a modern global context.
Gayle Chong Kwan’s installation The Obsidian Isle explores ideas of collective history, the senses and memory, national identity, landscape and tourism. Chong Kwan documents an island which houses the lost and destroyed places of her native Scotland, referencing the 18th century fictionalized epic of Ossian, as well as her Mauritian heritage, an island whose landscape is being theatricalised and consumed through the global tourist industry.
Dave Lewis is a UK born artist whose Grenadian heritage provides a strong reference point in his work. Examining mass migration and identity, Lewis is extending his research to Venice; posing as a stranger, dressing in clothes similar to those of his father, and exploring ideas relating to identity and black consciousness in the 1960s as compared with today. Here Lewis presents a series of large-scale colour photographs alongside smaller black and white images.
Globalisation and ‘Britishness’ are recurring themes in the work of Hew Locke. Locke was born in Scotland, but spent his early years in newly independent Guyana - a former British colony that was attempting to find its place in the international community. His work focuses on notions of loss of power and prestige, particularly in light of the recent economic downturn. Locke’s recent commission for ArtSway - Starchitect - is an installation constructed from cut and painted plywood sheets, featuring sculptural objects which for La Biennale is condensed into one room, presented as a ‘treasury’, linking to the former colonial standing of Venice.
Mike Marshall’s elegant and poetic film and photographs are inspired by natural events and the ecology of the natural environment. His new film for Venice – A Prism Splits Light – was filmed in Cyprus, featuring migrant workers from Vietnam and how the land on which they work is utilised.
In contrast, Christopher Orr’s small jewel-like paintings embody elements of the Sublime and Surrealism, but feature a highly personal lexicon of motifs that are deliberately anachronistic in the modern, interconnected world.
Sophy Rickett’s three-channel film work To The River references a natural event - the ‘Severn Bore’, a mini tidal-wave that twice a year runs the length of the River Severn in south west England. Yet rather than simply recording the event, Rickett instead documents conversations with the people who gather to witness the Bore.
ArtSway’s New Forest Pavilion presents these artists to the professional and international visual arts community, while promoting ArtSway’s pioneering approach to legacy support, partnerships, and opportunities for artists it has previously worked with.
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Editor’s Notes
Gayle Chong Kwan’s The Obsidian Isle (2011) is a co-commission between Ricefield Chinese Arts and Cultural Centre and Street Level Photoworks with support from Creative Scotland, and will be shown in full at Street Level Photoworks, Glasgow, from 7 October – 3 December 2011. Dave Lewis’s new work for Venice is a development of Field Work (2010), which was a co-commission between ArtSway, Autograph ABP and Oriel Davies Gallery. Hew Locke’s Starchitect (2011) is a co-commission between ArtSway and the Arts University College at Bournemouth with additional support from Hales Gallery. Mike Marshall’s new work is a co-commission between ArtSway and Stour Valley Arts with additional funding from Barker-Mill Foundation. Christopher Orr was co-commissioned by ArtSway and the Arts University College at Bournemouth in 2010 with additional support from IBID Projects and Hauser & Wirth. Sophy Rickett’s To The River (2010/11) is commissioned and produced by Elena Hill in partnership with Arnolfini and ArtSway, with additional support from the Arts and Humanities Research Council, Bath School of Art and Design, Howell Wong Costello, Wonderbox and Brancolini Grimaldi Gallery.
ArtSway is a unique place in the UK’s New Forest to see, discuss, make and engage with contemporary visual art of international standard. A purpose-built and architecturally significant gallery space hosts a changing programme of exhibitions and wide-ranging creative opportunities for all. ArtSway is regularly funded by Arts Council England, Hampshire County Council and New Forest District Council. www.artsway.org.uk
ArtSway’s New Forest Pavilion is an international project funded by Arts Council England, the Arts University College at Bournemouth, with additional support from Hampshire County Council and assistance from a range of partners and co-commissioners: Elena Hill, Stour Valley Arts, Oriel Davies Gallery, Barker-Mill Foundation, Bath School of Art and Design, with sponsorship from Howard Wong Costello, Hallett Independent, Hauser & Wirth and IBID Projects. ArtSway is financially supported by Arts Council England, Hampshire County Council and New Forest District Council with additional support from trusts and foundations.
The Venice Biennale has for over a century been one of the most prestigious cultural institutions in the world. The 54th International Art Exhibition, directed by Bice Curiger, will run June 4th to November 27th, 2011, titled ILLUMInazioni – ILLUMInations,
The New Forest is a National Park on the south coast of England. It is a unique landscape of ancient woodland and heather-covered heath and is one of the last places in the England to offer a sense of wildness and tranquility. William the Conqueror set aside the Forest for hunting more than 900 years ago and centuries of grazing by deer, ponies and cattle have shaped the landscape.
www.newforestnpa.gov.uk
Arts Council England is the national development agency for the arts in England, distributing public money from Government and the National Lottery. www.artscouncil.org.uk
The Arts University College at Bournemouth is one of the most successful and most popular higher education specialists in the UK, with an excellent national and international reputation, committed to providing the highest quality, industry-relevant creative degrees. It currently offers over 20 degrees in art, design, media and performance, as well as a range of short courses, a unique postgraduate programme, and bespoke services to business. www.aucb.ac.uk
The Barker-Mill Foundation. The Barker-Mill Foundation was established in 1995 from funds provided by members of the Barker-Mill family in memory of their late father and grandfather, Peter Barker-Mill. Previously known as the Peter Barker-Mill Memorial Charity, the Foundation mainly makes donations to local charities, schools, organisations and individuals needing support primarily in south west Hampshire. Helping those in and around the areas where the Barker-Mill family has owned land for generations, namely the lower Test Valley, Nursling, Ashurst, Colbury, Hounsdown, Longdown and Marchwood, the total amount donated by the Foundation to date stands in excess of £1.75 million. For more information about the Barker-Mill Foundation, please visit www.barkermillfoundation.com
Hallett Independent Specialist Art Insurance. With a passion for and in-depth knowledge of the arts. Hallett Independent can arrange cover for all areas of the international art world, along with a wealth of advice for all your insurance needs. Private and Corporate Collections, Travelling Exhibitions, Galleries, Dealers and Artists. www.hallettindependent.com
Elena Hill is an independent film and video producer. Elena Hill offers visual artists a strategy and structure for development and delivery of ambitious film, video and audio based projects. Elena works with institutional galleries, festivals and public spaces commissioning and exhibiting moving image work.
Hampshire County Council. Hampshire is full of hidden delights - just waiting to be discovered. With its beautiful countryside, fascinating cities, picturesque villages and spectacular coastline, Hampshire is truly special. With its thriving cultural events, outstanding museums, military heritage and historic gardens, there is always something to do. Be Inspired! www.hants.gov.uk/culture-all
Howell Wong Costello is a branding and strategic design agency whose clients currently include BT, National Grid and Lexis Nexis. Howell Wong Costello provide the capability, creativity and integrated thinking that delivers intuitive, innovative, cost-effective and exceptional design work produced by a dynamic team, combining experience from the very best in the industry. Howell Wong Costello brings together a powerhouse of performance and expertise within one award-winning design studio. www.howellwongcostello.co.uk
Stour Valley Arts is a nationally and internationally recognised specialist in art and landscape, innovatively commissioning artists and engaging diverse audiences, while supporting research, training and collaboration. www.stourvalleyarts.org.uk
Autograph ABP is a charity that works internationally to educate the public in photography, with a particular emphasis on issues of cultural identity and human rights. We achieve this through formal and informal education programmes, exhibitions, publishing and the creation of an archive of culturally diverse photography that is accessible to the public for research. www.autograph-abp.co.uk
Founded in 1989, Street Level supports the creative development of a diverse range of people at all levels, bringing equality of access to quality production and engagement. This includes established artists alongside emerging talent . Recognised for its integrated practice, the organisation promotes the work of artists through exhibitions, commissions, residencies, and publications; an education programme; and community collaborations. www.streetlevelphotoworks.org
ArtSway would like to thank other co-commissioning bodies, Autograph ABP, the representing galleries; Brancolini Gramaldi, Hauser & Wirth and IBID Projects for their support in presenting ArtSway’s New Forest Pavilion.
Press Accreditation and Images
Please note that official Press Accreditation for 54th International Art Exhibition - la Biennale di Venezia is only available through la Biennale di Venezia. Please visit www.labiennale.org/en/press/art/accreditation for details. A zip file named ‘Press Pack’ is available in the Public folder named for downloading from the web address: https://public.me.com/artswaymarketing. NB: When unzipped the folder includes images and image credits; please ensure the appropriate credit is used at all times
Contact
For press images, interviews, and further information, please contact Jack Lewis on:
+44 (0)1590 682260 (ext.6) or email: [email protected]