Exhibition
utopia:dystopia in the mind
28 May 2016 – 12 Jun 2016
FaB 2
Bath, United Kingdom
Free admission
One of Bath’s favourite venues, Walcot Chapel, is transformed by a floating meadow and a waterfall into somewhere to reflect on visions of the perfect place - and, of course, on places of darkness, disillusion, destruction.
Fringe Arts Bath Presents utopia:dystopia
utopia:dystopia is a series of exhibitions and events inspired by the 500th anniversary of the publication of Utopia, Thomas More's reflections on the concept of an ideal society.
utopia:dystopia explores what these twin concepts might mean today, through exhibits, performance and discussion. More than a hundred visual and performance artists and other creative contributors make this a rich encounter with a subject that never really leaves us alone.
At Walcot Chapel the idea is floating in the air that there is currently a shared utopian project underway across a globe - to transform humankind’s troubled relationship with the natural order. Many millions believe that, if this utopian dream is not fully realised, the dystopian consequences will be unprecedented in human history.
Among the visually impressive and thought-provoking works on display in the chapel is the celebrated Swiss artist, Ester Vonplon’s, requiem to dying glaciers. The Italian duo Fonte Poe make serious play with the sounds of cicadas and the Manchester performance artist, Ruby Tingle, does the same with the movements of birds. Sophie Erin Cooper and a team of volunteers float a flower meadow above the visitors’ heads and Doug Clark blocks their way with a waterfall.
Have you been to this event? Share your insights and give it a review below.