Neville Gabie: Experiments in Black and White

About

The work takes as its central ethos a response to the world around us through a series of material based artist performances exploring notions of labour, endurance and the physical landscape. The title itself is drawn from the idea of absolutes, a scientific response to an emotional landscape.

The artists says:

'Whilst artist in Residence with the Cabot Institute, Bristol University, I spent some time with staff in the department of mathematics. One professor I spoke to talked about his ongoing research to ‘measure and define infinity.’ That whole conceit struck me as being as close to the elusive nature of art itself as anything else. Watching him work was also a revelation. He worked on three large blackboards with chalk and a duster, writing and rubbing out a whole series of equations, moving from one to the other with such speed and intensity, that the whole experience required great physical exertion. He was engaged in what is perhaps the frontline of pure maths, but working with one of the most ancient of natural materials, chalk and in doing so, particles, many millennia old, were being broken to dust as they fell to the floor. When he had finished I was curious to know why he worked in what seemed like a basic way with chalk and a board. Why not a computer? His answer itself made such sense in relation to my own practice. What he talked about was the relationship between the hand taking a physical action and the speed and way in which the brain, his brain, could process his thoughts. The understanding and the processing of thought through action, is exactly the point at which our work intersects.'

The exhibition will include drawing, photography, film and a live performance work. An accompanying essay by Tessa Jackson will be available as part of the exhibition.

Neville Gabie has established a national and international reputation for his work rooted in a site-specific response to place and community. He has worked in a range of contexts from the remoteness of an Antarctic Research station, Halley [2008/09] to a two-year residency in the Olympic Park as artist in residence during construction [2010/12]. Other residencies and site-specific projects include; Tate Liverpool, [2000] Vitamin Creativespace, Guangzhou, China; [2004] International Art Space, Kellerberrin, Australia, [2007] BeHave, Luxembourg, [2016] WOMAD Music Festival, [2014] Cabot Institute, Bristol University,[2013]  Achiltibutie, Scotland [2013/4] and Modern Art Projects, South Africa where he has an ongoing relationship [since 2010]. He is currently working on a major commission in collaboration with Alan Ward for Parkers Piece, Cambridge [cambridgerules1848] and with FutureCities in Wandsworth London on the site of the former Young’s Brewery. He has also just completed a project Breaking Ground, developed in conjunction with the National Football Museum, Manchester [2013/16] The publication has been shortlisted for the William Hill, Sports Book of the year 2017.

Less well known is Neville’s more private practice, which incorporates film, performance and drawing. Experiments in Black and White ­- Neville’s third exhibition at Danielle Arnaud - explores this aspect of his work. His recent solo exhibition at the Pier Arts centre, Stromness, Scotland in 2016 was the first occasion where some of these works were shown. In late 2016 he also did a performance work at the Museum of Art, Craiova, Romania in an exhibition including a range of artists, taught, or otherwise influenced by Paul Neagu [Nexus 2016/17].

His work is included in the Tate Collection, Arts Council Collections, Olympic Museum, Switzerland, collections in the UK and South Africa. www.nevillegabie.com

Tessa Jackson OBE is an independent curator, writer and cultural advisor. She has been Director of Arnolfini (1991 – 1999), Director of the Scottish Arts Council (1999 – 2001), Founding Director of Artes Mundi (2002 – 2010) and CEO of Iniva, the Institute of International Visual Arts (2009 – 2015). Recent projects include working with the Mongolian Pavilion - Venice, Heong Gallery - Cambridge, Tyburn Gallery - London, National Portrait Gallery in partnership with the National Trust, Scotland + Venice and the Royal West of England Academy - Bristol.

Experiments in Black and White forms a precursor to a larger exhibition project planned for 2019/20 being devised by Neville Gabie and Tessa Jackson.