Out With The Old

I live and work in the south west of England, not so far from the coastal resort where I grew up. My work is grounded in a metaphysical sense of place and the psychogeography of place memory, and this geographic area is rich in both the personal and broader collective associations that inform my current work:- tourism, seaside holiday memories, childhood experiences, chocolate box prettiness; versus some of the less appealing realities of living year-round in a coastal tourist town - unemployment, drugs, homelessness, lack of affordable housing and prospects…. There is a visual ambivalence in my work that reflects this tension and counterpoints the romanticisation of geography.

Part of a series of work from the "Spotlight" Project.

 

"Spotlight" is a year-long residency and exhibition project celebrating the reopening of South Devon’s largest regional theatre, the Princess Theatre, Torquay, after over 500 days of enforced closure during lockdown, created by interdisciplinary artist, Mellony Taper.

 

Supported by Arts Council England, Spotlight is one of four artist-led projects, focusing on the life and survival of regional theatres following the immense impact of COVID on the arts. Each theatre is a regional, “local” UK theatre in the Ambassador Theatre Group, which also operates theatres across the globe, from Broadway to the West End.

 

The commission was an opportunity to delve into the theatre’s history, engage with its communities and staff and extract the stories contained within its walls, as well as also explore Torquay’s heritage. From its coastal history and the bay’s shift from fishing to fashionable seaside resort, to Torquay’s unique natural environment and climate; from Bay to Stage. 

 

The artworks would become a lasting contribution to each theatre and place, creating new relationships and community connections, with the mission of the project to embed artist’s work and creativity into the reopening programme and have a new conversation with audiences  post-covid.

 

Archival Gloss Photographic Print Mounted on Aluminium 

40x30cm

Unframed

Open Edition