In the Window 2008

In the Window part 6 - Patricia Townsend

Wed, 26 Mar 2008 17:00:23 +0000

Two short video works which ask us to consider the roles of the viewer and the viewed. Just as windows are a way of looking in and looking out from, the intentions behind each are significantly different. In 'The Gathering', a flock of birds fly into and out of the frame. Heir intentions for gathering are unknown, and what makes them leave is also a mystery. Yet, we are drawn to the enigma of roosting birds. 'The Spectators', is similar in theme. The deer are already gathered, but one by one leave the frame. Their gaze is unassuming, but who is watching who? Which are the spectators? Patricia Townsend is a video artist based in Cumbria and London. Her short, motif-led works border on the animated picture.

In the Window part 5 - Sally Barker

Thu, 21 Feb 2008 17:30:23 +0000

Bespoke Mountain - Sally Barker Beautifully handcrafted using the finest, locally sorced, organic materials. The landscapes of the North Pennines and the Lake District are a never-ending draw for people who want to explore the wilder country. People travel from all over to look at the fells and mountains, picnic on them, walk or even run over them, paint them, write about them. In short, consume them. In this piece, the artist, Sally Barker, has taken builders rubble from around the town and created a miniature mountain. No sooner was it created that it became consumed by hoards of little figures. Much as we cherish the idea of wilderness, we still want to populate it, however briefly.

In the Window part 4 - Lee Cavaliere

Fri, 15 Feb 2008 12:06:23 +0000

Lee Cavaliere 'The Ascent to Enlightenment' The Shaolin Temple sits on the side of Song Shan mountain in Henan province, China. This film depicts a journey to the summit of the holiest of the five mountains of Taoism. The arduous climb that has been made by Buddhist monks for hundreds of years has been made slightly easier with the advent of mass tourism The muted colours in the mist, and the empty chairs coming down suggest something terminal about the journey.

In the Window part 3 - Irene Sanderson

Thu, 07 Feb 2008 15:21:23 +0000

'Cycle' is a series of 24 drawings by Irene Sanderson that illustrate the 12 animals of the Chinese astrological years.
Starting on the 7th February is the Chinese year of the Rat (or mouse) and marks the beginning of a 12 year cycle, each represented by a different animal.
Irene Sanderson studied caligraphy and Sumi-e (ink painting) under the master Mushin at the Shijo school in Japan before settling in the Eden valley, Cumbria. Her work is a delicate fusion of local, rural subject matter methodically translated with far eastern philosophy.

In the Window part 2

Mon, 04 Feb 2008 11:30:32 +0000

In 2001, Paul D Stevens was a practising Veterinary Surgeon brought into Cumbria during the Foot and Mouth outbreak - an unforgettable experience. For six months back then, he was an integral part of the local machinery: Instrumental in changing a ravaged landscape.
'Ex-Killer Tourist Revisits Scene' presents a personal reflection on that time made as part of FRED 2006. The relentless flames and images of decontamination suited character recall the stark and all too common sights of the thousands of pyres used to dispose of culled livestock in those bleak times.
Within the window narrative, the piece is putting to rest old ghosts while using the symbol of fire to mark the festival of Imbolc in the traditional European calendar (Feb. 2nd) and the end of a Chinese lunar year (Feb. 7th).

In the Window part 1

Mon, 14 Jan 2008 12:00:17 +0000

In the Window presents work by seven UK artists and is set to consider the positioning of the window, geographically, culturally and historically.

The show is a linear exhiition with one work at a time shown within the 1m square window space. Each work relates directly to the previous and sebsequent piece, creating a narrative journey.

The journey starts with 'A Dream Come True' by Rupert White. The mesmeric rotational text piece in this instance, references the start of the new year, the obligatory new year's resolutions and an optomistic start to the story.