LAST WEEK WE HOSTED THE ARTIST TALK AND PRIVATE VIEWING FOR OUR FIRST LOST STATIONS EXHIBITION. THE INSTALLATION TITLED “IN DEFENCE OF INDUSTRY” BY PHOTOGRAPHER FELICITY HAMMOND WAS OPENED LAST THURSDAY 11TH MAY WITH A PACKED OUT EVENT.
Felicity was the first guest artist we invited to develop a unique solo exhibition for our Lost Stations programme. We invited her to visit the area back in January to take some inspiration from our industrial town and the wider surroundings, travelling through the Furness landscape; interpreting its diverse character through her own visual practice. Her work extends through photography, sculpture and into installation – challenging the viewer to look closely at the affinity between a surface image and the three dimensional.
In Defence of Industry © Felicity Hammond, Photo provided by the artist
Attendees were first invited to take a refreshment before moving through to the installation space, in the raw building shell of 102 Abbey Rd. to take in the full impact of the work. In Defence of Industry is a large-scale installation; featuring a lightbox and photomontage of 200+ images with a pool of water reflecting the only source of light back, further illuminating a huge ground-level space. The impact of the piece within the space was not lost on our guests, who had plenty to say on the matter.
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Freshly-briefed staff and volunteers were on hand to woo the crowd with teasing snippets of information about the production of the piece. Our guests and invitees were encouraged to view the piece from different vantage points around the room; to consider new perspectives and reflections.
Felicity is an award-winning artist and has been nominated for the high-profile Magnum and Photo London Awards, as well as receiving the Single Image Award at the British Journal of Photography in 2016. Her work has been exhibited widely nationally and internationally. This year, in addition to this exhibition in Barrow-in-Furness, her work is being exhibited in Rotterdam, New York, London and Berlin. You can see more of Felicity’s work here.
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Afterwards our attendees were welcomed back into the Signal Events space here at 104 Abbey Rd. to hear the processes and insights into Felicity’s creative method during her artist talk. Throughout the event, Felicity spoke tenderly and in detail about the elements that inspire her practice. She invites her audiences to contemplate what is revealed as well as hidden from us; to come to our own understanding of this ‘lost station’ through how our own local heritage influences the landscape around us.
THE OPENING was a resounding success and even gained a review in The British Journal of Photography: you can read the article here. In the lead up to this exhibition, further attention on this exciting emerging artist was retweeted by Aesthetica Magazine, Photoworks UK and exclusive London gallery Carroll / Fletcher! Visitors have come especially from Newcastle, Manchester and throughout Cumbria to see one of the UK’s most exciting upcoming artists exhibit a brand new piece, specific to Barrow-in-Furness ENTIRELY FOR FREE!
So don’t miss your chance to see this provocative and fascinating installation right on your doorstep and discover Signal Film and Media today!
Exhibition Open Fri 12th – Fri 26th May (Tues – Sat) from 10am until 6pm at Cooke’s Studios, 104 Abbey Rd, Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria LA14 5QR
Delivered by Signal Film and Media from our base at Cooke’s Studios on Abbey Road, the Lost Stations programme will feature public talks and masterclasses, with a long list of respected and innovative world-class artists such as Rachel Maclean, Mishka Henner, Henry Iddon and Marshmallow Laser Feast. In addition, commissioned artists including Felicity Hammond, will unveil new work inspired by Barrow-in-Furness. There will also be further hands on activities open to people of all ages and levels, and for schools and community groups including coding sessions, digital photography workshops, film screenings and exhibitions.
In Defence of Industry © Felicity Hammond, Photo provided by the artist
Kindly funded by Arts Council England.
All Other Event Photography by Andrew Richardson.
