Place and Process

Like work grabbed at the end of a day printing ~ the exhibition is an open space to converse

I did one of those rare things for me and left the house and went to a gallery show at Blackpool School of Art.

The work a was a joint show between Brendan Shaw and Iain H. Williams, both of whom I look upto massively and I met both of them during my AA2A residency here in 2022-2023 at the Blackpool School of Art. Along with Norma Foulds who was supporting the show it makes up the major influence of my time at the college, three people pushing their work forwards, inspired me and mentally dragged me back on task as I felt like I was failing in the first half of the

On entering we were given this pack of work with informatuion about the show, a poster and three postcards, one each with individual work and then one with their work combined. A better example would be this instagram post

Brendan’s work here is on the far wall from his body of work “Life in a Northern Town“. Brendan is the technician in charge of the print room with near limitless knowledge of the process, his work focusses around northern buildings that he photographs, full of life and people, his architectural photography is altered and printed, giving an illustrative feel to the work.

His piece of the tower ballroom feels like it is straight from an old fantasy novel of swords and sorcery from the 20s or 30s, like something else with spring forth. Photographs are taken as he moves through northern english towns, the ever changing nature of them having to evolve to keep up wuith the morden world yet iconic and so important, to our herritage.

Iain H. William‘s work here is made of of marking marks inspired by the urban landscape. Iain spends his time working in events management going off into the cities he travels to and works in to photographing marks, from tape to graffiti. I love the playful marks, meeting him made me consider how I make marks and see the world, rather than blindly selecting things, working with purpose.

Bot tied to a set process, ever evolving, changing, growing, abstract work that draws you in. Layers of marks and screen prints that were never set in stone where photographic positives are altered to change how they look before being printed and additional layers built up.

There was a talk, inspiring and as I write this I am running through my notes trying to glean things that I can use today to push through what I need to do.

Between them there is such a wealth, of knowledge and materials and work. The plan is to keep working together keep having conversations. They wanted the show to look like the print room at the end of a day of printing, work laid out, and talking through it, having a conversation on only about the work, but the places and the things people see as they go through life and don’t neccessarily think about

Wuestions were raised how are towns and cities going to change? How as artists can we be involved. Iain posited that the next generation of this work should be in the city in the urban environment, trying to bring conversations with people and they places they are, not just confined to gallery walls. Especially in Preston his home town where things even recently continue to be boarded up and abandoned. Not running away but running head on the problem.

For Brendan this is the first major display of his workin such a large display, filling a gallery betwen the two with a high quality of work is impressive.

In a room full of artists when they talked about imposter syndrome there was a rumble of agreement, I feel it myself I felt such an imposter just being there seeing the work. Even more so that I have been working on some work last year that was different to my own and very much inspired by my work I did with Brendan, and Iain.

I feel inspired to finish some of my mark making work after seeing this so err I should go work on that

The exhibition is only a short run and finishes 27th February but it well worth a visit.