Marie Ford

Un-Broken

Un-Broken, an exhibition by local female artists at Murmurations Gallery, explores themes that complement Tonico Lemus Auad’s exhibition at the De Le Warr Pavilion. Erica Smith, who was not overwhelmed by the show at DLWP, went along with low expectations – and was pleasantly surprised.

Louise Michele Evans

If I’m honest, I get ‘arted-out’ quite easily. The very mention of Coastal Currents makes me quake at the thought of the fat catalogue bulging with so many experiences to engage with. But I am a fan of Murmurations Gallery and I try to get along to see their programme of shows. It’s difficult to establish a new art space – especially when it’s tucked down the back of a side street in Bexhill. At the risk of sounding patronising, I’m keen to help them establish a regular footfall of visitors, it is definitely a space worth putting on your personal Art Map.

Nikki Davidson-Bowman

The Un-Broken exhibition explores themes that complement the current exhibition at the DLWP. ‘Now we are 7’ are a group of female artists, all based along the East Sussex coast from Seaford to Bexhill-on-Sea. They share a passion for making work on the complex subject of identity. Ideas such as who we are, who we could be, where we came from, what happens when we make new relationships, revisit old ones, invent new ones – and how this can impact us in terms of interactions with cultures and journeys, taking us to new places, whether voluntarily or otherwise. They explore how small changes and interactions can have a life-changing impact on the individual and the environment that we live in and how we can find ways to mend and repair and move forward.

Lyn Dale

By focusing on everyday happenings, they attempt to unravel some kind of sense, some kind of viewpoint on the highs and lows of living an ordinary life.

The group meet regularly to discuss work, share ideas and explore opportunities for exhibiting. Each artist examines their subject in different ways but they share a need to tell new stories informed by discarded materials, memory, rules and forgotten truths.  The artists work in a range of media and this exhibition includes voice, sculpture, photography, drawing, threads and painting.

Julia Mitchell

Un-Broken includes works by Lyn Dale, Nikki Davidson-Bowman, Stephanie Grainger, Julia Mitchell, Katy Oxborrow, Marie Ford and Louise Michele Evans and is curated by the artists. The concept for this exhibition was inspired by the work and themes explored by Tonico Lemus Auad, who is currently exhibiting at the DLWP. The exhibitions share common ground with a focus on materiality and the physical process of thinking whilst making, using threads and other everyday materials in new ways to make thought-provoking work.

My favourite piece was by Stephanie Grainger – a conceptual piece about the journey from Syria across Europe. A children’s plastic chair and table set in orange had a box of Jacob’s ladders on top. Baby’s footprints and endless territory clatter on infinitely.

Generally, I find it hard to engage with conceptual art – the DLWP exhibition being an example of being made to think TOO hard to understand the artist’s intention. This intimate gallery space, with the input of seven artists, did not sound on paper like an exhibition that I would enjoy, but it is both thoughtful and engaging. I recommend a trip over to Bexhill before it closes this Sunday.

The show runs until Sunday 10 April.
Murmurations Gallery, 17a Parkhurst Rd, Bexhill  TN40 1DE.
Gallery opening times: 10.30am–4.30pm Tuesday–Sunday (closed Mondays, except Bank Holiday Mondays).
Visit the Murmurations website.

For a much more appreciative article about the Tonico Lemus Auad show, see Roz Cran’s review

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