Friday 3 December 2010

CITY

I know we are all up to our ears with Christmas preparations, but I urge you to take an hour off and go to the RWA in Bristol and visit the exhibition 'City' in the New Gallery, www.rwa.org.uk.
The show is hosted by the Association for Contemporary Jewellery and is a selected contemporary exhibition of work made in response to the urban environment.

I have to say that it is a gem of an exhibition with beautifully made and thought provoking work.
A number of pieces are enameled, often stretching the medium to it's limits. The drawn elements in this brooch by Fionna Hesketh make for a textural finish to the enamel and I like the inclusion of the red thread.
There are enamelled panels by Sarah Braun, photographs do not do them justice. Delicate stenciled enamel describing the intricate metal work of Bristol Temple Meads Station.
Stacey Bentley is showing these delicate and vulnerable looking pieces which stem directly from
her sketch book work. I find it very inspiring to see the workings out of a project.

The exhibition is all about the Bristol urban environment and the work shown by Jessica Turrell maps her personal history in Bristol. This process using symbols to represent stages in her life connected to the places has produced a sensitive and simple necklace. Kirsty Summerling has made this experimental piece describing the effects of time and decay and exploring the unpredictability of the enamel surface.

In contrast this colourful enamel by Kathleen Reeves represents Bristol's nautical past. Ship shape and Bristol fashion. The message spelt out in international signal flags. Both witty and skillful, it is hard to make smooth, even enamel pieces and control the unpredictability.

Sally Medlicott made 100 small copper foil boxes, enamelled each individually and placed them to give the idea of a birds eye view of the built environment.

Each box is a small work of art, abstract compositions showing what enamel can do.
These are just a few of the exhibits, there are several more I like, but I only have so much time to devote to blogging, I could go on and on and on!! The show also contains more than enamelling, you are just witnessing my current obsession. It is not a big exhibition, but it is worth a visit.
























3 comments:

Patricia G said...

Looks really interesting. Great topic. I wish I had time to explore for myself, and I haven't even started on Christmas! Thank you for sharing.

LAC EMP 2020 said...

You showed me that sketchbook photo as a teaser didn't you? Now I have to brave the M4 ice rink and get up to the RWA and catch this as well as the autumn exhibition.I adore those boxes by Sally Medlicott. I'm a pushover for black and white together at the best of times.... but these are a 'must see' Lesley xx

Sara Bowen said...

I have a real yearning to go and see the show but sadly it won't be possible, so thank you for showing all those lovely photos. I loved the little bit of enamelling I did with Jess's mother at UWE and have a secret desire to have a small enamelling kiln of my own - not sure if I can find one to run on solar electricity though! Lovely stuff. Hope the snow doesn't affect you too much, Sara x