Hazel Rebecca Clegg, Submerge, 2017. Courtesy of the artist.

Exhibition Launch: …into the labyrinth

Launch: Thursday 23rd November 2017, 6 – 8pm
Venue: The International 3, Salford, M3 6AF
Admission: Free, with Venetian inspired refreshments supplied by Soup Kitchen, Manchester.

Artists: Sarah Boulter, Emma Bradley, Hazel Rebecca Clegg, Rika Jones, Anita Kwiecien, Polly Palmerin.
Co-curated by: Chris Bailkoski and Manuela Zammit

…into the labyrinth, is the final exhibition that will take place at The International 3 prior to its closure at the end of 2017 and fittingly, it represents a key ethos of The International 3 since its inception, that of providing early career opportunities for emerging artists and creative practitioners.

The exhibition will showcase the work of 8 creative practitioners inspired by the 57th Venice Art Biennale and the wider setting of the city, after their experiences on a four-week residency in Venice.

Each individual investigated ideas of residency through visual diaries and explored themes of materiality and decay, voyeurism, claustrophobia, repetition and time, all of which are synonymous with mythology surrounding Venice.

In 1786, influential colour theorist and philosopher, Johann Wolfgang von Goethe resided in Venice for a short time and …into the labyrinth is a phrase taken from his own diary that repeatedly found its way in his writing. The repetition of navigating the labyrinthine city in a time when Venetians ‘live in public’ yet conversely find ‘solitude in the crowd’ mirrors these practitioners’ own experiences, documented in this exhibition. The work spans across diverse practices including photography, installation art, painting and sculpture, incorporating both direct and subtler references to Venice.

The opportunity to travel to Venice came as a result of being awarded a steward-research fellowship by the British Council in partnership with their respective institutions, Manchester Metropolitan University and University of Salford. During the residency, the artists and curators divided time between invigilating Phyllida Barlow’s folly at the British Pavilion in the Giardini and carrying out individual research projects, using their experience to inform their practices.  The fellowships programme was designed to render the exhibition at the British Pavilion a space where discussion and exchange of ideas can actively take place and lead to further collaborative projects and professional development in the artistic and cultural fields.

Exhibition Event:

Digestif : Saturday 25 November, 1 – 4pm, The International 3
1pm: Artists and curators talk about their work, the fellowship experience and the exhibition.
2-4pm: Exhibition walk-through led by artists and curators, followed by a panel discussion with guest speakers.


This exhibition is supported by the British Council, Manchester Metropolitan University, Manchester School of Art, University of Salford, University of Salford Art Collection and The International 3.