The Absurd
Venue: Newark Works ● BA2 3DZ ● click for map
Private View ● Fri 22 May ● 6pm ‘til late
Exhibition open 23 May to 6 June ● 11am - 6pm
The Absurd is a mixed-media exhibition proposed for Fringe Arts Bath. It explores how artists respond to a world that often feels uncertain or resistant to clear meaning. Photography sits at the centre of the exhibition, supported by moving image, sound, installation, performance and collage.
The exhibition draws lightly on existential ideas without seeking to illustrate philosophy directly. It is interested in moments of doubt, contradiction and unease, and in how artists continue to observe, record and create within them. Works may reflect everyday routines, social systems, politics or technology, or more personal experiences of repetition, failure, persistence or quiet resistance.
Rather than offering explanations or conclusions, the exhibition focuses on the act of continuing. In the spirit of 'tending one’s garden', it values making, noticing and working regardless of certainty.
Exhibiting Artists:
Anastasia Shik, Benedict Brain, Cassidy Ferry, Celie Nigoumi, Colin Pantall, Damon Charles, Daniel Bowhay, Daniel Longo, Diana Henry, Giovanna Iorio, Kirstin Kunhardt, Marta Matveychenkova, Martin Roberts, Natalia Titova, Richard Crooks, Shelley Corcoran, Steven Chandler, Yuli (Yu-Hsin Lee).
Co-curated by Diana Henry and Benedict Brain
Curator Benedict Brain
Benedict Brain is a UK-based photographer and writer. His practice spans personal projects, editorial commissions and education. He writes regularly about photography and teaches through workshops, lectures and enrichment programmes in the UK and internationally.
He is the author of internationally published books such as You Will Be Able to Take Great Photos By the End of this Book and A Camera Bag Companion, and writes the monthly column The Art of Seeing. Benedict is regularly invited to judge photography competitions and, in 2020, founded Potato Photographer of the Year. He is represented in the UK by Sandra Higgins Art.
insta @benedict_brain
benedictbrain.com
facebook.com/benedictbrainphotography
linkedin.com/in/benbrain
Curator Diana Henry
Diana Henry is a UK-based artist|photographer and producer of commercial and arts based projects. She is also a mentor in the arts and creative industries.
After studying fine art textiles and designing props for commercials, Diana moved into television production in the 1980s. Many years producing events, immersive installations, exhibitions and content for large-scale theatrical environments followed.
With this came an interest in the relationship between space and human experience leading to a mid-career masters specialising in site-specific installation. By distilling the elements of her professional work Diana explored the inherent qualities of light and how it could change spaces in a non-destructive way. This research informed her professional practice for several years.
Diana has now returned to her creative practice and light, human experience and the notion of distillation remain at its core.
insta @lightsheds_diana_henry
lightsheds.com
linkedin.com/in/diana-henry