Exhibition: Between the Earth and the Sky

New Adelphi Exhibition Gallery
Tues 28th January – Friday 25th July
Open weekdays, 10am-4pm, excluding bank holidays
Visitor & accessibility information here

Between the earth and the sky: Contemporary printmaking, photography and video work reflecting on nature’s transitional and transformative moments

Between the Earth and the Sky showcases works by celebrated contemporary artists Darren Almond, Jessica El Mal, Mishka Henner, Bridget Riley, and Liang Yue, including new acquisitions from Christiane Baumgartner presented by the Contemporary Art Society 2023/24. The exhibition invites visitors to consider themes of natural rhythms and transitional moments – from the final rays of sunset, the first droplets of rain after a drought, the ebb and flow of coastal tides.

The exhibition also draws from the University’s printmaking collection, with works by Charles Bartlett, Betty Connal, Peter Green, Philip Greenwood, Derek Wilkinson, some on display for the first time in many years. In addition, work by two technical demonstrators from the School of Arts, Media and Creative Technology is showcased. Alex Nelu and Josh Turner both explore local and rural landscapes through photography, considering themes of history and memory.

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More exhibition information:

Step into the in-between spaces of nature in Between the Earth and the Sky, a stunning exhibition of contemporary printmaking, photography, and video. Featuring works by Christiane Baumgartner, Darren Almond, Jessica El Mal, and Liang Yue, the exhibition explores fleeting moments of transformation in the natural world—from fading sunsets to the first touch of rainfall after a drought.

“This exhibition invites visitors to pause and reflect on the often-overlooked moments that connect us to the natural world,” says Stephanie Fletcher, Assistant Curator at the University of Salford Art Collection. “Through the work of Christiane Baumgartner, Darren Almond, Jessica El Mal, and Liang Yue and others, we explore the beauty of these transitions and their emotional resonance and universal significance.”

Explore Featured Artists and Themes

• Christiane Baumgartner, acclaimed for her beautiful and intricate woodcuts, explores the last moments of light as the sun sinks beneath the horizon.
• Darren Almond creates ethereal long-exposure photographs under full moonlight, capturing haunting, dreamlike landscapes.
• Jessica El Mal’s cyanotype work takes inspiration from the first drops of rainfall after a prolonged drought—a meditative intersection of climate, memory, and sensory connection.
• Liang Yue’s photography examines reflections and the quiet rhythm of coastal tides as seen through a personal and emotional lens.

Between the Earth and the Sky offers visitors an experience of contemplation, creativity, and environmental connection, encouraging audiences to pause, observe, and explore the spaces where natural transitions occur.

Click on the below thumbnails to find out more about the artists and their work (updated weekly):

Photographs on this page courtesy of Sam Parker, UoS Art Collection Team Assistant