Reflections

About

The artists reflect on their memories in comparison to the reality of now, to look upon their pasts with the knowledge of the future in mind. With an attempt to hold on to what has been lost, a melancholic, warped form of nostalgia remains. The narrative-focused artists bring a familiar yet corrupted echo to life, that comes from reflecting on past memories or projecting these emotions onto vaguely sentimental

objects and forms, where a viewer may recognise elements from a distance, creating a feeling of knowing that becomes uncanny or disrupted on a closer inspection. Sometimes clinging to visuals and ideology from childhood and cinema, the artwork juxtaposes this imagery from what the artists try to ignore, the truth of growing up; the rising costs, the worsening climate, the lowering living standards.​

The venues large lateral walls showcase work of Tom Mead, whose ‘glitched’ artwork explores the relationship between traditional painting and modern technology. The sense of movement creates scenes that are cinematic and personal, permeated with themes of identity and existentialism. Elements from the painted artwork are brought to life in sculptures, translating Mead’s distinctive style into three dimensions for the first time. Two of the gothic arches of the gallery display the paintings and ceramic work of Jungwon Jay Hur , pieces that work together to further her narrative of melancholy, longing and intimacy. Taking inspiration from Korean and Western folk music, as well as 50s-90s European cinema, Jay’s work features female figures that may not be self-portraits, but through the process of painting allow a path for self-reflection. Margarita Frančeska Ieva Loze has also translated motifs from her hand drawn animated work into sculptures, with two monochromatic creatures displayed, evoking more perceived narrative that becomes universal with its ambiguity. Written in response to the site, Rachel Lonsdale creates absurdist narratives where language and gesture precedes over image. Rachel questions the environments she encounters, creating a subversion of space through performance and text.

Adela Blanco, Rachel Lonsdale & Tom Mead.