28 October - 18 December 2010, greenroom, Manchester
From the award winning to the untrained, Blank Media Collective are pioneering the best creative talents from across the Pennines. Ambience of Play showcases three contemporary practitioners who are helping to keep the art scene in the North-West fresh and exciting. What makes these artists innovative is their playful approach to art practice as they set their own challenges to create their work.
The year 2010 continues to be a creative hotbed for original talent and this is definitely the case in reference to Liz West, Katie Louise Dixon and David Morris. From supermarkets to abandoned theme parks, these artists are constantly investigating social and urban practices, whilst retaining elements of fun and intrigue. Ambience of Play is an exhibition highlighting the mundanity that we see and often ignore.
Award winner Liz West, who has recently received the prestigious People’s Choice at Northern Futures 2010, will be presenting her new work. In her short career she has already been shortlisted for the London Photography Award as part of the London Fringe Festival, and has been selected to Expectation New York as part of the Celeste Art Prize. West’s work is inspired by her obsessive fascination into the sensory affects of colour and takes various formats such as bright installations, guerrilla performances and vivid photography. The investigation into colour is the only constant in her practice, in which she has created her own rule-based game to dictate the work she makes.
Katie Louise Dixon searches for remote environments creating haunting photographs of deserted, dilapidated theme parks and isolated bunkers. One of the main influences of her work is the concept of ‘Psychogeography’, a theory about the emotional reactions that people have in regards their surrounding spaces.
“My work is an attempt to transport the viewer to a particular location …provoking thought regarding the effect our surroundings are capable of having on our feelings, behaviour and emotions.” Katie Louise Dixon
Dixon’s practice has impressed the musician / artist Bill Drummond who says “If I wanted a photograph taken of how my mind responds to the landscape around me I would ask Katie Louise Dixon to take the photo.”
It is surprising that South Manchester based photographer David Morris has had no formal training in the arts, but it is obvious to see he has natural aptitude. Morris’ work has been described as ‘moody urban landscapes’ in which he acts as explorer or urban geographer of the world, mapping out the environments around him.
“Three themes have emerged in my work…urban decay, the impermanent nature of reality (the Buddhist concept of anicca) and trying to show things which would normally be considered ‘ugly’ in an aesthetically pleasing and interesting way…” David Morris
FURTHER INFORMATION
Ambience of Play opens at greenroom, Manchester with a Public Preview and chance to meet the artists on Wednesday 27 October (6-9pm). The exhibition continues until Saturday 18 December. For further information about Ambience of Play please email exhibitions@blankmediacollective.org
All works are available for purchase via BlankMarket online shop.
greenroom | 54-56 Whitworth St West | Manchester | M1 5WW | www.greenroomarts.org
Opening Times:
Thursday 28 October - Saturday 18 December 2010
Opening times:
Box Office | Monday – Friday: 10:00 – 18:00
Bar | Wednesday – Friday: 17:00 – Late & Saturday: 18:00 – Late
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