A new exhibition at the Hepworth Wakefield
Opening on 11 February and running until 10 June 2012 will be the first in a regular series of spring exhibitions that explore common concerns and themes in the work of some of the most innovative contemporary artists.
Heather and Ivan Morison, Ben Rivers, David Thorpe use film, sculpture, installation and performance to pose questions regarding our relationship to nature and what happens when man-made and natural worlds collide. The exhibition explores utopian beliefs and an impending sense of apocalypse.
Simon Wallis, Director of The Hepworth Wakefield said: “We are delighted to be working with these four contemporary artists, whose work has a fascinating resonance and dialogue with our collection in investigating the past and present. I look forward to the installation of our first spring exhibition and seeing the rich variety of mediums and ideas within the gallery spaces that transform our offer so radically with each new contemporary exhibition.”
Heather and Ivan Morison will bring together a new body of work incorporating a range of structures and objects that allude to science-fiction, autobiography and fairy-tales. The Morison’s will also present Anna, a puppet show that explores a constructed mythology surrounding these objects, connected by a dystopian narrative that looks at humanity’s uncertain future. This new exhibition will complement their outdoor commission for the gallery, The Black Cloud, 2011.
Ben Rivers will be showing his recent award-winning film Slow Action. Fresh from the Vienna International Film Festival, this post-apocalyptic science-fiction film comprises a series of four 16mm works filmed on location at three island sites across the globe: Lanzarote, Gunkanjima and Tuvalu, as well as Somerset in England. Presenting a series of constructed realities, the film exists somewhere between documentary, ethnographic study and fiction, with soundtrack narratives by American novelist and critic Mark von Schlegell.
David Thorpe’s installation comprises watercolours and meticulously crafted sculptural works, presented for the first time in Europe. Thorpe’s sculptures explore his interest in rehabilitating ancient craftsmanship and labour-intensive artisanal techniques. Drawing on the Arts and Crafts Movement and work of William Morris and John Ruskin, Thorpe explores new forms of utopianism, where past and present intersect.
The Hepworth Wakefield is one of largest contemporary art spaces outside London. Since opening its doors to the public on 21 May, the gallery has already welcomed over 320,000 visitors, doubling its initial first year target. Equipped with state-of-the-art learning spaces and an auditorium, The Hepworth Wakefield offers an expansive programme of learning projects for all ages. This includes regular talks, lectures, performances and screenings, along with a welcoming café bar and a shop located on the ground floor.
For more on The Hepworth Wakefield, including the winter events and activities programme visit www.hepworthwakefield.org or call 01924 247360.
