Forward Looking
20 March – 3 May 2014
Solent Showcase, Sir James Matthews Building, Above Bar, Southampton, SO14 7NN
Forward Thinking brings together six artists from Canada, Japan and the UK who are exploring environmental, social and ethical concerns through art.
Currently there is an increasing desire to find socially and environmentally responsible ways of living and working. Forward Thinking explores some of the ways in which contemporary artists grapple with this impulse to build a more sustainable future - whether or not they think this is actually possible.
As part of the exhibition, environmental artist Tim Pugh has been commissioned to visit Southampton to transform discarded rubbish from around the city and upcycle the items in the gallery space.
Nick Gentry is a British artist from London, who is best known for his recycling of floppy disks and film negatives. Gentry’s Fragments of Time is influenced by the development of consumerism, technology and cyberculture in society.
Photographer Joan Sullivan’s focus is on renewable energy. In her piece Wind Construction she documents the installation of gigantic wind turbines in Canada with breathtaking views from their highest point.
Yuken Teruya from Japan presents Minding My Own Business. Teruya works in a variety of media referencing consumer culture and reuses materials such as toilet paper rolls, paper shopping bags and even butterfly chrysalises.
Ayumi Matsuzaka presents her method of making fertilizer from Amazonian black soil in All My Cycle. The documented process has the advantage of preventing serious infections caused by parasites and took a year and a half to record.
Joanna Wright is a Welsh artist who works with documentary film and archives. Melanie Carvalho is a London based artist who makes paintings, films and collage in an attempt to explore the theory of subconscious experience. Together, they have invited a group of artists to create a Future Postcards depicting what they each thought the future might look like.
This exhibition links with an event to be held at Southampton Solent University on 27 March called Embrace the Change which will gather innovative thinkers together to discuss solutions for a fairer, sustainable future.
Admission is free. The gallery space is open Monday – Friday 11–6pm and Saturday 11–5pm. For access, please use city centre car parks.
Ends
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT THE MEDIA OFFICE ON 023 8031 9642 or email events@solent.ac.uk
About Southampton Solent University
Southampton Solent University offers more than 23,000 students over 200 qualifications ranging from HND to PhD, in subjects such as maritime education and training, fashion and design, media and television, music, health, sport and leisure, business, IT and technology. The university was awarded the 2013 Quality Assurance kitemark for quality and standards of teaching and learning. Solent was voted one of the most creative universities in the UK in a Which? University 2013 poll of students. Southampton Solent University has been awarded ‘Gold approval’ by the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA).
About Solent Showcase
Solent Showcase's opening hours: Monday – Friday 11–6pm, Saturday 11–5pm. Admission free. For access, please use city centre car parks.
Solent Showcase Gallery is a public gallery located within Southampton Solent University and is a key factor in Southampton’s emergent Cultural Quarter: www.solent.ac.uk/showcase
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