“EXPOSURE” 17-20 November 2022, Shepherd’s Bush Market, London.
Eleven multidisciplinary artists immersed themselves in the dramatic wilderness, weather, culture and complex history of Pouch Cove, Newfoundland during the month of March 2022. Each artist explored individual psychological, social and physical reactions to being away and, in diverse ways, being exposed. Evocative and raw, this show invites viewers to experience the extreme conditions and states of mind the artists unearthed during this residency.
Aside from fully immersing myself into these wild surroundings through day and night time walks, I trained for a month beforehand in order to experience the cold sea water. Meanwhile, my Pouch Cove studio became my sanctuary, giving me the precious gift of ‘time’. The outcome was a combination of oil studies, drawings, sketches and my first audiovisual soundpiece.
Both in this studio and back at home, I found myself drawn to the migrants stories who came from Britain in the 18th century to settle in this unknown place. Exploring the concept of ‘flight’, I asked the question of how these travellers survived the extreme conditions as they voyaged across the unforgiving sea? Was it the daily rising sun or the human capacity for ‘hope’ that aided them? Similar journeys by refugees and displaced populations continue today across the world.
Through these works I hope to give the viewer a glimpse of my immersive response to the residency. The audio soundpiece is called “We’re Finally Free” and echoes the words uttered by Pouch Cove resident, Brendon Hayward as he described the moment his forefathers arrived in Newfoundland after a perilous journey across the seas from Devon in 1785 to escape British rule. Through collaborating with musician Billy Mowbray and sound producer Diego Barrza, the piece incorporates video footage, text and choreographed movement.
I co-curated this exhibition alongside Robert Charles and Julie Derbyshire.
