Aiming for Heights.....
The International Gallery
02.07.07- 15.07.07
Featuring: Michael Aitken, Nicola Fitzsimmons, Amanda Ferguson, Amy Goring, Katie Halsall, Karen O'Brien, Linda Pittwood, Chris Mills, Ben Small & Simon Alabaster
Red Wires second solo show ('One' being the first) was held at The Arts Organisation's 'International Gallery' on Slater Street. 11 Red Wire artists exhibited new work in what is to date, the primary exhibition for us. A well attended Private View was followed by an aftershow night at Mello Mello, and the show continued for two weeks.
The site upon entering- a display of past flyers and zines, as the show marked our two year birthday (above) and pictures from the Private View (below)
Amy Goring's room of curiosity hinted at a film noir style, showing a possible murder mystery with comical twist in an evil marrow (above). Chris Mills' 'Edge of the Source', displayed a desolate, yet seemingly occupied cliff face- said to represent both a dystopia and utopia (below left), while Liverpool Liver-Club sketcher Ben Small displayed two works, here (below right) you can see 'The Crucifixion', a rendering in oils using one of the most complicated perspectives possible
The Front half of the Gallery was occupied by only the progression of zines and flyers and Amanda Ferguson's piece (below left)- a systematic approach to envelopes in their design and net, the display of which echos in its wooden hinged board. Karen O'Brien (below right), who didn't originally exhibit in One, here shows an unpredictable response to a familiar environment- as O'Brien's work gets increasingly abstract, the original source becomes distant, only recognisable through knowledge of past paintings
A personal favorite, Katie Halsall's piece (left) continues her look at childhood, but now with a more menacing and reflective approach. The use of colour and composition worked well both in itself and with its surrounding pieces. The large installation of 'Sent Text Messages' by Linda Pittwood continually attracted a large audience, as people craved the revealing of personal information, not usually shared with others (right)
(above) Michael Aitken's 'Wonder' is surely the most complicated design any Red Wire member has attempted, in its interlocking wooden shapes neatly fitting dividing paper-wrapped center bars. Its shape suggests sculpture, but with crosses painted on, the boundaries are blurred. (above right) Nathan Pendlebury, or 'Mr. Exhibition', as he is seemingly becoming exhibited 'Renshaw Street', a highly abstracted vision of the well-known Liverpool Street.
The only sculpture was by Nicola Fitzsimmons (below), 'Yesterday Happened' saw somebody seemingly exploded with their innards being tape reels, Fitzsimmon's again blending boudaries between art and music. (below right) Reclusive artist Simon Alabaster exhibited his first major work in 20 years, in 'The Execution of the Master Chief' - a twist on Goya's famous painting, combined with computer game- Halo
