Posts tagged: Castlefield Gallery

Last Tuesday we got together with our associates at Castlefield Gallery and the directors of both Hot Bed Press and Paradise Works to have a look at what our Graduate Scholars had been up to in their new studios. We had 2 presentations, 1 from Iqra Saied on her new space at the Castlefield New Art Spaces in Warrington, and the other from India Buxton who unfortunately couldn’t join us in person. Then visited Robin Standring, Jess Robinson, and Grecia Balassone’s studios respectively at Hot Bed Press, Islington Mill, and Paradise Works.

We also had the new Graduate Scholar liaison who will be their point of call for questions about the programme and whatever else they may wish to discuss. This is our previous Graduate Scholar whom we have exhibited twice in the past year at the New Adelphi Exhibition Gallery; Elliott Flanagan.

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Iqra Saied

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India Buxton

Although India couldn’t join us on the day, she did send in a presentation and a video of her current studio space. India is currently maximizing the use of her new flat, exploring this new area and the culture it has – she is aiming to use this new place as a new starting point to continue pushing her practice forward.

India has been developing her practice, looking into colour theory in her work, as well as delving into more research surrounding local heritage both in and out of Manchester; applying for opportunities, going on research trips, and taking commissions onboard. All of this while maintaining the themes of Greek mythology an philosophy through her work; sewing the fates and other elements of her work into each piece developed.

India’s research into philosophy (currently reading Alain De Botton’s The Consolations of Philosophy) is also informing her practice contextually as well as physically through her work. Moving to a new place, the local area has changed, it is different than home. No longer a student at university, India is using this to explore this transition in life and location.

India is also currently a part of 2 exhibitions – one of which is the 20:20 print exchange run by Hot Bed Press; so keep a lookout if you’ve taken part as you may receive one! And the other being The Omnipotence of Dream featuring students from the University of Salford, Leeds Art University, Angela Tait, Jeffrey Knopf, David Hancock, and many others. This show is open until the end of February 2025, pop by if you can.

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Robin Standring

Robin has been experimenting with a variety of different mediums – screenprint, textiles and stitching, spray paint, paint pens, photography, digital work, and a lot more. Using his studio at Hot Bed Press to the fullest, Robin’s studio is full of print work, inspiration, and plenty of visual intrigue for us to look at.

Robin then talked us through his process from ideas to creation, along with the context behind it – bouncing ideas and possible research avenues between us all. Whether it be an exploration of self in the every day hustle and bustle of life – or through loves for football that has been a constant through his upbringing and continues to play a vital role now. Telling us of LGBTQIA+ teams for official clubs that people can join to feel safer and to get into the sport; providing support and a healthy environment for all.

We spoke a lot about mental health and ways of working on Tuesday, with all of the scholars present – whether it be support and help with direction within their practices, or methods and processes to help get the ball rolling. We all struggle with knowing what to do next, having too many ideas and not knowing where to start – having a blank page in front of you and unsure which thought to put to page. Our curator Lindsay, Elliott, Gass and Helen from Castlefield, Sean from Hot Bed Press, and Jess from Paradise Works all provided their insight and support to our Scholars; offering a hand when needed. Talking about their own practices, relating moments they have had, and how they overcame them – knowing each story is invaluable to a new graduate, who can then form their own way of working strong going forward.

We’re expecting plenty of work on the walls next time we visit Robin, and we can’t wait to see what direction his work takes!

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Jess Robinson

Jess has never had a proper studio space before, and was full of ideas when first moving in. Wanting to move away from traditional photography and its aesthetics, Jess has already begun experimenting with what photographs are, why we are drawn to certain images, and how an image can be developed after being captured.

Brimming with ideas, Jess told us about all of her current work on the go – bouncing between digital photography, analogue photography, cyanotypes, mixed media with paint, collage, and methods of display. Jess showed us a new line of work that she has been working on with paint over images, creating pockets of photographs within a heavily textured surface – making the viewer delve closer to the work to discover the image within.

We again spoke to Jess, with others weighing in on focus within an art practice, how to move forward when we have so many ideas, or narrowing down from so many images – best practice for experimenting and creating work whilst struggling with going through the motions. Jess’ experiments combining different mediums together is a testament to the drive that she has – saying that rather than overthinking and waiting for all the blocks to be in place, she has begun to just create when an idea strikes; using the materials available and just cracking on. It doesn’t have to be perfect, as nothing is, but we can still find beauty in unexpected places. Jess has also chosen to do more creative writing, as a way to connect herself and contextualize concepts and stories behind her work – we all agreed that this creative writing might be the key to deciphering more about her and her practice moving forward.

We again wish Jess the best and look forward to seeing what wonderful things emerge during her time on the Graduate Scholarship Programme.

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Grecia Balassone

Grecia was also unfortunately not available, but on the day provided us with a 25 minute video in which they told us what they had been up to, opportunities that they had, and explaining the different processes and background to their current work. Grecia also provided us some chocolate as a gift upon entering their studio – we all sincerely thank you for this Grecia.

Whilst looking at Grecia’s work in their studio, we all listened to what they had to say about it – the thoughts, the feelings, and the stories from earlier in their life about security, exploring the self, and the struggles that they are going through. Grecia’s video was heartfelt, informative, and extremely brave – no cuts, no edits, just a raw explanation of passion and drive. What has gone well, what has gone not so well, current research themes, current experiments that whilst Grecia was talking about we could see in the studio and further inspect; it was honestly a really great way of doing it whilst not being there in person. It was almost like an Easter egg hunt as they brought up an artwork only for Jess from Paradise Works to find it and for us all to then admire it.

We spoke about possible avenues of research for Grecia, including perhaps travelling to some older mills that haven’t been converted yet, or to contact some organisations (like Super Slow Way, or insitu) that work a lot with preserving the memory and culture that these industries made.

As with all of our scholars, we very much look forward to how Grecia continues to expand their practice and delves more into these traditional ways of working; bringing them to the forefront.

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This day was a great way to get to know what our newest scholars have been up to , with their practices, their lives, what’s going well, and what they might need support with. Our associates from the other organisations providing input and new ways of viewing things was extremely useful for the scholars, and we hope that they all got as much out of it as we did.

We’d like to thank Iqra, India, Robin, Jess, and Grecia for allowing us into their studios, and talking to us about everything and anything. We know great things will come from each of them over this next year, and we wish them the best in all they do.

Many thanks to those who attended to discuss and feedback to our scholars: Lindsay Taylor and Sam Parker (UoS Art Collection), Matthew (Gass) Pendergast and Helen Wewiora (Castlefield Gallery), Elliott Flanagan (Artist), Jessica Bennett (Paradise Works), and Sean Rorke (Hot Bed Press).

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Want to know more about our Artists in Residence at Energy House 2.0? In this special edition of Talking Salford Podcast, both Mishka Henner and Emily Speed talk about their practices, projects, careers, and the work they are doing in collaboration with Energy House 2.0!

Available on your preferred Podcasting platform, or on YouTube at the link below!

Talking Salford S2E11 – Energy House 2.0’s Artist in Residence Special – Mishka Henner & Emily Speed

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The Energy House 2.0 Artist Residencies are hosted in partnership with Open Eye Gallery, Liverpool and Castlefield Gallery, Manchester.

Woods works across collage, zine- making, sculpture, textile and quilting. They were part of the first cohort of Graduate Scholars in 2014. They exhibited with the Collection at The Manchester Contemporary in 2018, at ‘More T’North‘ at the Harris Museum & Art Gallery, Preston, in 2020, and at A Modest Show, Manchester in 2022.

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‘Condescending Order’ is a series of zines produced on a monthly basis in 2015, reflecting current political themes. Usually produced in an A5 booklet format, each zine has a variety of formats including poetry, collage and illustration.

Woods’ work critiques capitalism, inequality and societal structures with the intent to inform and empower. She explores these concepts through a variety of mediums with a focus on experimentation and humour. Woods intends to make work which confronts institutions of power and politics, while remaining inclusive and accessible. A decade on, the zines’ themes of ‘broken britain’, political debate, electoral tensions and mistrust of government still hold particular resonance.

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Turner is a photographic artist exploring narratives of symbiosis between the landscape and the individual. ‘A Seat in the Shade’ is part of a larger body of work produced during the Venice Biennale 2019, where the artist undertook a stewarding fellowship co-ordinated by the British Council.

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The series, which includes a self- published photobook, is a meditation of the claustrophobia of Venice; this work encapsulating a search for a moment of solitude in the city. The print was handmade by the artist in the colour darkroom in an edition of 2.

Turners’ wider practice investigates interactions with landscape as a way to navigate social and cultural themes and issues, through both personal and existential experiences. He has exhibited at the Open Eye Gallery Hub in Leigh Spinners Mill, London Metropolitan School of Art, The Brunswick Leeds, and Paradise Works in Salford. His writing has been published online and in print, including with Redeye: The photography Network. He is currently Photographic Technical Demonstrator at the University of Salford.

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Rawlinson is an abstract painter primarily working in oils. His work explores the natural world, with a particular focus on lichen – a symbiotic natural organism. He takes interest in their ‘often-unnoticed and underappreciated significance within our ecology, highlighting the extent of our vital relationship with everything that makes up life on earth’.

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Using abstraction, gestural mark-making and a range of painterly techniques to ‘give life to’ his paintings, he builds up rich and textural images on large scale canvases. The works seek to manipulate the act and experience of looking; and provide spaces of contemplation and reflection. They form a basis for wider philosophical enquiries, drawing on existentialism and phenomenology, around ‘what it means to be alive’, and what our individual and collective place in the world might be.

Rawlinson has exhibited across the UK, including Chetham’s School of Music, Manchester, Brick Lane Gallery, London and The Alchemy Experiment Glasgow. Recently he was awarded a travel scholarship by The Aidan Threlfall Trust to the Scottish Highlands.

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Lizzie King uses analogue and digital printmaking and photography to explore the ‘narratives of our human-centred universe’. This work was one of two pieces commissioned for Rediscovering Salford in 2020, a city-wide project inviting artists to respond to green spaces in the city.

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King focussed on Peel Park and the importance of free and open ‘parks for the people’. Demand for public green spaces traces its roots to the Victorian era, and the park is widely recognised as one of the first ever public parks – and the first to be paid for by public subscription. This importance was heightened during the Covid-19 pandemic: while the artist was shielding it was one of the few safe places to visit.

The park bench became an important symbol of rest, relaxation and reflection: ‘The bench asks nothing of the sitter but ‘to be’’. In this work King reverses the roles – the bench itself becomes the ‘sitter’ of a ‘portrait’. Using an elaborate process of photography, engraving, enlarging and digitally combining 42 original images into one composition, the making of the work itself also became a meditative and reflective process.

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Jameson is a queer multidisciplinary artist who works across physical and digital mediums to depict ‘unworldly narratives of the queer form… with fantastical narratives or comic depictions’. They see their work as a form of gender performance, and draw inspiration from across sci-fi, fantasy, technology, fashion and queer culture. Previous projects include direction, production design and costume for local film projects, music videos, and commercial campaigns.

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Foraged from scrap,
Yet forged into treasure,
Here floats Arcadia.
A harmonious sanctuary.
Where water seeps,
rock weathers,
And minerals scatter,
Sprouting life.
Retold in this virtual realm of broken binaries and unbridled fantasy,
We prosper in imperfect harmony.
Here… We are one.

Jack Jameson’s work presents a model utopia, inspired by mythology and folklore. In this world nature prevails, and the ‘forest nymph, water siren and rock troll dwell in in harmony – free to be’. The work combines craft, costume, 3D scanning, printing and rendering, photography, and animation.

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Glazzard is from West Yorkshire and based across the UK. Clients have included Calvin Klein, Adidas and Sony Music, and work has been featured in British Vogue, British GQ, British Journal of Photography, Elephant Magazine, The New Yorker, Dazed, and i-D.

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Glazzard is a photographer and creative director working across personal, commercial and editorial fields. Their series LGBT+ Letters serves to counter the ‘complete lack of queer visibility’ the artist was met with upon coming- out while at secondary school; and aims to challenge the ‘stale stereotypes’ that still hamper the LGBTQIA+ community.

Through intimate snapshots accompanied by personal, hand-written accounts of the subjects’ own experiences of queerness and representation, a body of work is formed which celebrates the many different definitions of what ‘queer’ can be. ‘LGBT+ Letters is an attempt at providing, through portraits and texts, queer aesthetics for people who find themselves without meaningful representation in the world’.

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Joe Fowler is a sound artist with a focus on the marriage of data, sound and visuals for the purpose of digital data conservation. His work includes code manipulation, microsound, sonification, and the deliberate corruption of common software. His work has been exhibited in hi-fi contexts such as TEDx and Jodrell Bank, and lo-fi context such as DIY shows at Islington Mill.

Outside of his work as a sound artist, he has provided composition and sound design to numerous media products, such as the 2023 Royal Television Society North West Best Animation ‘Wild Rides’. Fowler is now a lecturer in Creative Audio at the University of Salford.

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‘Call to Industry’ is a ‘tongue-in-cheek exploration of Manchester’s fetishisation of industrial spaces and history, via a parody cult initiation video for an organisation which worships industry’.

The artist examines the frequent repurpose and reuse of former industrial spaces in the city, which often disregard the dark history of the buildings – including the exploitation and abuse of the working class. He considers the inequalities underlying the Industrial Revolution, which allowed those with enough money and power to continue to exploit those without such privileges. Today, property developers create expensive luxury apartments on the same sites, continuing to lock the working class out of the ability to ‘enjoy the greatest city on earth. Join the cult, worship the ruling class, worship industry…’

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Elliott Flanagan is a poet, writer and artist. He was born in Burnley, a post-industrial town in the North of England. His work explores class, subcultures, and personal and social histories. A period spent playing football, working in sales and holiday repping contrasted with a ‘hidden pursuit’ of art via film, music, television, fashion, and rare gallery visits. His work is an exploration of the sometimes jarring intersection between these co-existing lives, and an ongoing dissection of contemporary masculinity.

He works regionally and internationally using poetry, installation, performance, sound, text, filmmaking, and collaborative practices. He was published by Burnley Words Festival in 2023 with Pendle Press; commissioned by Venture Arts in 2023 with artist Barry Finan, and exhibited new work at The Whitaker, Rossendale in 2022.

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‘A piece of something bigger’ explores contemporary masculinity through the prism of package holiday culture. Flanagan looks at the ideas entrenched in the male gender stereotype that saturated his youth – misunderstood and under pressure to ‘conform and perform’. The artist studies a tension from his own experience between one’s own consciousness and social expectations.

‘The traditional form of masculinity and its lack of complexity is subverted, as the viewer is party to glimpses of real honesty in the chaos. The film discusses the camaraderie that exists in relationships between men and the value of the communal experience therein.’

With music by William Brown and Ashley Snook.

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