Orion by Damon Price
Form is a word with a wide range of meanings and is a word crucial to the creation of art.
"Form" means the shape or structure of something, a type or kind, a document for information, a standard way of doing things, or a person's physical/mental condition; it can also be a verb meaning to create or come into being, like forming a shape or an organization.
Its meaning depends heavily on context, referring to visual appearance, a type (form of flu), a document (application form), performance (good form), or creation (to form a circle).
We asked artists to respond to the word Form. From questions on the form of a sculpture, architectural forms to the formation of angels and myths, we received a panoply of 'Forms' for this exhibition.
Spanning a wide range of disciplines, the exhibition brings together a rich diversity of approaches and materials. Works include a large-scale sculptural textile wall relief, representations of the human figure, reclaimed and repurposed metal and wood, pastel and line drawing, ceramics, and both abstract and figurative mixed media painting. Photography, body adornment, and objects that combine humour whilst challenging functionality further expand the dialogue around “form.”
Karen Sherwood, Director, explains:
“A deliberately ambiguous title for an exhibition opened up an opportunity to show a diverse array of work under one theme, clearly exposing the breadth of materials and approaches taken by artists.”
The exhibition showcases work by:
Bren Head, Chris West, Claire Allam, David Elliott, Debbie Michaels, Deborah Newbould, Deborah Stanhope, Dom Blower, Emma Drohan, Eleni Koumara, Frances Ball, Geoffrey Howe, Imogen Perkin, Jane Blake, Jenny Marshall, Joanna Naylor, John Carroll, Katherine Rhodes, Kathryn Desforges, Lin Cheung, Martin Pearson, Mary Barratt, Mary Pettit, Mary Sewell, Michel Ducos, Nic Gear, Puyi Guo, Sal Jones, Sara Dobbs, Simon Dobbs, Stephen Horsted, Zully Mejía, Annie Flora James, Yona Mudibo, Freya Foster, A. Rosemary Watson, Jonathan Michaels, Cecilie Browne, John Sutcliffe, Fiona Allen, Susan Lancaster, David Lucas, and Chris Lucas.