Exhibitions and Events
On this page you will find all of the exhibitions and events I've visited over the course of the MA. If you scroll down the page you will be able to see the different exhibitions and personal refections on different shows. I have archived unit 2 and unit 1 towards this bottom of the page.
Unit 3 Exhibitions and Events
This exhibition brought together a selection of queer artists and was showcased in Ugly Duck Gallery. The space reminded me of Barge house. With crumbling walls and water dripping down. It had been a real journey getting to this space, rushing off after work, walking to the tube managing to get a seat. However, I was so exhausted I then missed my stop, had to get off and lime bike to the space. Cycling around and around the block as google maps sent me on a wild goose chase, before arriving at Ugly Duck Gallery.
This exhibition brought together an interesting combination of digital, painting and sculpture. The context of the space in combination with the digital and film works made the exhibition have a dystopian feel.
BIG WOMEN
BIG WOMEN
After a sweaty fast pace walk to the gallery. I see a woman sitting outside smoking, wearing patched jeans and a sexually explicit jumper. It was Sara Lucas.
Moving into the gallery space, you are greeted by one of her leggy cultures. This sculpture is sat slumped in a chair with tummy roles and an air of nonchalance—a stark contrast to Lucas's earlier works which were more sexually provocative sculptures.
The exhibition is made up of a group of female artists: Renata Adela, Fiona Banner, Kate Boxer, Yoko Brown, Angela Bulloch, Phillippa Clayden, Vanessa Fristedt, Maggi Hambling, Pam Hogg, Rachel Howard, Merilyn Humphries, Patricia Jordan, Princess Julia, Abigail Lane, Tory Lawrence, Millie Laws, Polly Morgan, Clare Palmier, Georgina Starr, Gillian Wearing, Sue Webster and Lucas herself.
Some of the artists included are well know, and some are lesser known. They are all female and 'middle-aged'. This show craves space for women over a certain age.
'Making older women's bodies physically prominent and visible is important throughout 'Big Women' – as Lucas, who is 60, says, 'the older woman is often overlooked, irrelevant, without currency'.' 3)
After the exhibition, Lucas was kind enough to give us her time. We all sat on the grass in the backfield of the gallery space. While cigarette after cigarette where lit by the arty students sat in a big circle around Lucas. She sat in the middle, speaking thoughtfully and quietly. She advises us to form collectives and put on a group show in rubbish spaces. Lucas explained how we were safer in numbers.
https://www.visitcolchester.com/whats-on/big-women-curated-by-sarah-lucas-p1855001 https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2023/feb/13/big-women-review-sarah-lucas-firstsite-colchester
3) https://www.wallpaper.com/art/sarah-lucas-big-women-firstsite-colchester
Yayoi Kusama
