Six artists explored the concept of nostalgia through drawing, sculpture, performance, film and photography.

 

Carole Luby delved into the bittersweet nature of nostalgia through a process of longing and searching in combined reality and fantasy.

 

Sophie Michael revisits familiar spaces and objects through film, creating colourful portholes, cutting into time.  

 

Kate Stobbart returns romantic imagery of the countryside back to the land from which it was inspired.  

 

Claire Rowlands reflects on the preservation of artefacts and imagery both personal and communal.

 

Steven Walker investigates the abstract concept of time, layering moments, confusing the past, present and future.

 

Andrew Wilson retreated into a meditative state to filter his recollections through drawing.  

 

This is not simply another nostalgia convention.  There are no vintage cars, no vinyl records and no comic books.  This exhibition looks deeper, beyond the stuff and things of nostalgia, and into the mechanics and the consequences of a concept that can destabilise ideas of time and reality.

The programme’s development has been tracked on a project blog with contributions from all those involved.  Please visit the site for the most up to date info: www.exploringnostalgia.wordpress.com

 

On Saturday 6th June 2009 Allenheads village encountered a light sprinkling of temporary artworks included drawing, sculpture, live performance, film and photography made by six artists exploring the concept of nostalgia.  

 

The work has been created utilising selected locations including the Old School House, the Blacksmiths Shop, secluded huts, surrounding fell tops and the pub.   

 

This is not simply another nostalgia convention.  There will be no vintage cars, no vinyl records and no comic books.  This exhibition looks deeper, beyond the stuff and things of nostalgia, and into the mechanics and the consequences of a concept that was initially identified in 1688 as a disease.

 

Working individually the artists responded to Allenheads and made works exploring aspects of nostalgia that are of interest to them.

 

Carole Luby delves into the bittersweet nature of nostalgia and expresses a process of longing and searching in reality and fantasy.

 

Sophie Michael revisits familiar spaces and objects through film, creating colourful portholes, cutting into time.  

 

Claire Rowlands reflects on the preservation of artefacts and imagery both personal and communal

.  

Kate Stobbart returns romantic imagery of the countryside back to the land from which it was inspired.  

Steven Walker investigates the abstract concept of time, layering moments, confusing the past, present and future.

 

Andrew Wilson retreats into a meditative state to filter his recollections through drawing.

 

This event is the culmination of a project conceived by Hannah Marsden in February 2009 with support from Allenheads Contemporary Arts.  While working in residence at ACA last year Hannah became increasingly interested in the traces of history and tradition evident in the village community and the relationship of these aspects to the present day.  The project is a creative enquiry into an ambiguous concept that can destabilise ideas of time and reality.

 

In February Claire Rowlands and Andrew Wilson were selected to work in residence at ACA to develop their practice and contribute to the project.  In May further artists were invited to join a creative workshop weekend to experience the locality, meet residents, test out ideas and discuss the potential for making art in this context.  The programme has evolved over the months to include a vintage cinema evening and book launch, a drawing workshop led by Andrew Wilson, an Open Studio with Claire Rowlands, an underground trip with Alan Smith, film clubs, retro nights and ongoing discussion and writing between the artists, residents and visitors.

 

The programme’s development has been tracked on a project blog with contributions from all those involved.  Please visit the site for the most up to date info: www.exploringnostalgia.wordpress.com

 

Supported by the National Lottery through Awards for All.

 

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