Artcore October Newsletter

Artcore October Newsletter

'Here' is where we stand now. 25 years and one global pandemic later 'Here' is the beginning of a new normal. Artcore celebrates a great milestone this year and on September 25th 2020, after 6 months of being closed, we were able to open our doors once again to the public and celebrate this occasion with a very fitting exhibition. COVID-19 has affected us all, especially the arts and cultural sector and although there are ever-changing rules, we find ourselves slowing finding ways to move on and find a new balance. Instead of the weather, our small talk consists of discussing where we got our mask from and different types of sanitizer. The key aspect that has really begun to linger is whilst we are constantly being told to socially distance, we can not stress how much that means physically and not mentally or emotionally. It gives us great pleasure to be able to welcome people back and give you the opportunity to experience art together once again, share your thoughts and feel inspired.

That does not mean we have not learnt many things from the last 6 months, one of them being how essential the virtual platform can be in being able to engage and access our audience and participants. Our efforts continue in keeping our community-based projects online so that we can make and create together in a safe way, undisturbed by the current climate.

This coming month we do also have some exciting onsite activity. Our two artists in residence, Kelly O'Brien and Thomas Wynne begin their residency, Present Tense, Future Perfect? The theme of this residency also coincides with our next upcoming exhibition for the year in November, 'On The Move With Felix Nussbaum', While both the residency and the exhibition explore different periods of time and history it is interesting to see how reflective Nussbaum, a historically relevant German painter is, with his sometimes allegorical surreal objectivity, offers a deeper insight to the intellectual and psychological chasm we still find ourselves in today. A chasm that interestingly both artists are exploring in some form or the other. But within this chasm, whether it be an expression of people, connecting them or bringing them together, we here at Artcore look forward with hope and a bright 25 years ahead of us.

Rise and Fall is a series of Autumn based Art sessions in response to the seasonal changes and rhythms in the natural world. Also a time to reflect on the changes within ourselves. As we head into autumn we're reflecting on the Rise & Fall this October! We will be focusing on the change to autumn and reflective art activities.

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Over lockdown, we utilised our digital platform like never before.

We are proud that we were able to deliver so many activities during lockdown that had been confined to a physical and geographical space and because of this, we exhibited works of international artists through online exhibitions, arranged online talks and join in on panel discussions.
 
The online world is an ever-growing platform that we intend to use more of in the future! Till then, check out some of our online exhibitions from the last 6 months.
 

Exhibition Launch: The Sharing of Uncertainty - John Newling

Last Friday we opened our doors for the first time in 6 months, all in keeping with COVID-19 Saftey Guidelines, for the launch of John Newling's Sharing Of Uncertainty. It was most exciting to see everyone attend, enjoy the show and meet the artist. One wouldn't say it was back to normal but it almost seemed that way and we thank you all for coming to support us.

'The Sharing of Uncertainty' explores John Newling’s relationship with Nature. Born in Birmingham in 1952, Newling has an acclaimed reputation, creating work in the UK and internationally. Now based in Nottingham, John is a pioneer of public art with a social purpose. His proposition is that our idea of the natural world as a limitless resource for us to use as we wish needs to be replaced with a fuller understanding of human beings as a part of Nature, not separate from it but intimately entwined with it.

On the launch, John spoke passionately about his constant ongoing and ever-developing relationship with nature. His work focuses on this conversation and the many languages through which he is able to continue it be it Nymans Font, a self-made downloadable language. Working with a designer and typographer, the leaves were pressed, photographed and then turned into a unique alphabet, forming the basis of a downloadable font, shown here in a grid of marble slabs, which can be used to decipher the printed letter on the wall nearby.

Or be it the visual language of his Library of Ecological Conservations – Leaves and Me (2017-2019),  a series of thirty-six letters composed over the course of three years. The geology of the relationship – between the artist, the leaves, collected from Newling’s garden, the garden and studio – is evident and each work responds to the season and moment in which it is formed.

John, through his practice, has spoken, traversed and conversed with Nature and what struck us the most was his plea that we finally listen to what she has to say back.

The show runs till the 30th of October, Monday to Saturday from 12pm to 4pm, so do come down and have a look if you couldn't make it for the launch!


Present Tense, Future Perfect?

Our first in real life residency launches this week with our Artists In Residence, Kelly O'Brien and Thomas Wynne starting to work on site. This residency's theme, 'Present Tense, Future Perfect?' is more relevant than ever with the current socio-political climate. While the theme urged artists to respond to ideas of time, history and the subjective nature and retelling of both, the two artists are exploring very interesting avenues of this theme.

Kelly O'Brien is a contemporary visual artist primarily using documentary photography. Her artistic practice draws on both personal and historical narratives, exploring the intersecting relationship to the distortion and fragmentation of truth and memory. The central concerns within O'Brien's practice are themes such as working-class narratives, identity politics, memory, family, and the re-imagined landscape. During the residency, she will work on a continuation of her project ongoing project "Are You There". This work is a photographic and multimedia investigation of memory and truth.

While Thomas Wynne, working in film and analogue photography makes an interesting parallel to the  Coronavirus outbreak being recognised in December 2019 and the pandemic journey leading up to the beginning of the residency in September being equal to the time it would take for modern-day astronauts to journey to Mars (9 months). So what is this alien planet that we have found ourselves arriving at? With this residency, he would like to use this concept as a metaphoric seed for the work he hopes to produce.

We are excited to see what they come up with on this residency! To keep up with their work you can follow their progress on their blogs by clicking the link below.

 

 

On the move with Felix Nussbaum:

Artcore Gallery is proud to presents On The Move with Felix Nussbaum, a retrospective that will feature 20 unique reproductions of his work between 1920 to 1944. Nussbaum was a German-Jewish Surrealist painter whose work documents his experiences and tragic fate. The show explores his contributions towards 20th Century European Art. This exhibition brings together two cultural hubs, The Felix Nussbaum Museum, Osnabrück and Artcore Gallery in Derby, UK shining a new artistic light on the philosophy of twin cities.

Join us for the launch on the 26th of November 2020, with tickets launching very soon on Eventbrite.


Hatchery Artists Awarded ACE Grant!

We are happy to inform you that The Hatchery, an artist-led independent collective have successfully received Arts Council Funding to fund another round of self-directed residency and an exhibition with us later next year! We are excited to be supporting them to grow and explore together.

The Hatchery began as a self-directed residency that aimed to capitalise on the pandemic circumstances and experiment with new creative approaches using the time to think deeply and differently about my creative practices. It is now a group of artists from the UK, Italy and Canada who have linked together for mutual support, creative input and discussion. We believe that whilst we may be in a novel confined existence, there is no reason to be limited in our art outlook. Hatchery is about thinking and making, creativity in whatever form, be it art, music, writing or anything else.

The Hatchery Artists are a multidisciplinary group of artists based in primarily in the UK but also in Italy and Canada. Their first exhibition series, She’d 1 and She’d 2, named to reflect their ability to carve a quiet space and time out of their domestic situations to continue making work. The artists in the first round of self-directed residency included  Dr. Chris A. Wright (UK), Dee Shiels (UK), Dr. Helen Lees (Italy), Helen Stephenson (UK), Jackie Berridge (UK), Linda Duvall (Canada) and Mary Hayes (UK).

With this new round of residency and shows, they are looking to explore something they haven't done before, push the barriers of their practice and also find more harmonious spaces for a variety of arts including visual art but also music and performance.

The Hatchery Exhibition will showcase at Artcore Gallery in April 2021.

You can view the Hatchery artists work at: https://hatchery.artcoregallery.org.uk


Rise and Fall:

As we approach this time of year we are reflecting on the Rise and Fall of Autumn this October.  How cycles of change are a natural part of life and how we choose to approach life through the seasons.

Poem:
Autumn Time

The wind is playing Autumn games,
Through the gardens and the lanes.
Picking up and swirling round,
Leaves of orange, red and brown.

Gustling through each swaying tree,
tossing apples till they're free.
Shaking conkers till they drop
and open wide with prickly pop.

The wind is dancing full of fun,
Laughing in the Autumn sun.
It tumbles acorns, fir cones, leaves,
To make a carpet under trees.

© to Brenda Williams


In Our Thoughts:

There has been a great response to our 'In Our Thoughts' project with lots of people responding to our volunteer call out.  Welcome packs have been collected from individuals who are experiencing bereavement since the beginning of Covid19 and the felt heart, craft project inside the packs have given individuals a time to reflect on their loved one during the creative process.

"The more reflective you are, the more effective you are."
- Pete Hall & Alisa Simoral

Volunteer Form

https://forms.gle/y9yNKgnPr2k3JhZg8

Referral Form - Do you know an individual/family who has been bereaved over the COVID lockdown and would benefit from being part of the project and receiving the art materials pack? (Please get consent before sharing their details with us)
https://forms.gle/r5doAHrRPUHKYx7q7

Sign Up Form - For bereaved individuals/families

https://forms.gle/4Fhb22u6QhTDJtBq7
 

You are warmly invited to our presentation at Sahahra, who work in the heart of the community from the Lodge in the Arboretum Derby. Sahahra have been helping local, elderly people for over 20 years.
 
If you would like to remember the loss of your relative or friend by creating a small, personal memorial that other members of the public can see then this relaxed meeting will give you the opportunity to find out more.

ESOL:

Learning English creatively is an interactive and engaging approach to ESOL.  It is an opportunity to experience English for Speakers of Other Languages. So people can enhance their English language through speaking, writing, listening, speaking and reading during creative arts and crafts sessions.

Wednesday 7th, 14th, 21st & 28th October
10.30am - 12.30pm
at 3 Charnwood Street, Derby DE1 2GT


SIGN UP
https://forms.gle/impsJE6CpMrMyW6Q7

 

 

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