Not Safe For Work

About

Cupola's forthcoming exhibition NSFW exhibits artworks that, in some instances, have already caused trouble for the artists or have been censored by social media platforms or are simply topics about which employers and others might object. There are also more light hearted responses to the subject, but which most definitely would not be safe for, or at, work!

Amongst the eleven artists selected to take part in this exhibition, several deal with identity and sexuality using photographs, drawing, printmaking and sculpture.   One artist has created artwork around mapping mental health, another is exhibiting a small deeply personal installation piece around politics, war and family.  Another artist has made work around computer 'glitches' and another has delivered us dance steps guidance and instructions which would definitely be unsafe at work!

“What holds all these diverse works together is their connection with the deeply personal and often private aspects of ourselves. I find it fascinating that these very human feelings and experiences are too often censored and hidden away due to a perceived negative impact they may have on others or on a working environment. We spend on average 1/3 of our lives at work and the idea that the impact of our working life is now being extended into prying on and into our social activity is deeply worrying. Often it is only through sharing honest and personal thoughts, feelings and experience that deep connections can be formed. At a time when online personalities can be constructed and managed,  fragmented and compartmentalised, how much of our 'real' selves is safe for work?”  

Karen Sherwood, director.

Exhibition Dates: 31 August – 12 October
Preview: Friday 30 August, 7:30pm onwards. Hospitality provided.
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FREE Talks: 2pm Saturday 12 October.
Booking preferred: Book via eventbrite or via karen@cupolagallery.com or call 0114 2852665 to reserve as space is limited.
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Talk 1: 2 - 2:45pm
Savage Collaboration – Sour-Puss: The Opera: Diogo Duarte & Jessica Mitchell in conversation. This artistic duo have been collaborating since 2016 on the visual story ‘Sour-Puss: The Opera’. Comprised of photographs by Duarte and drawings by Mitchell, the series tells the sometimes fictional, sometimes emotionally biographical story of a woman grappling with her own sexuality and sense of self. It was born out of the unlikely friendship between the two collaborators - 32-year-old photographer Duarte and 53-year-old psychotherapist Mitchell.

Talk 2: 3 – 3:45pm
Çağatay Tuna Özkan - 40’lar, şunlar, bunlar; birilerine selamlar..(“40, those, these..greetings to whomever”) - a talk about his very personal installation referencing war, politics and family.

Artists taking part include:

Amanda Cox, Barry Cottrell, Çağatay Tuna Özkan, Cos Ahmet

Diogo Duarte & Jessica Mitchell, Jeremy Morgan, Klaus pinter, Liberty Antonia Sadler, Fierce Fine Artist, Lucy Wright, Philip Lee