Curious Cautionary Tales

The Observer Building is certainly marking itself out as an interesting venue for art, theatre and comedy. The exhibition space is not an easy one to work with but artists are beginning to appreciate its size, drawbacks and positives. Lauris Morgan-Griffiths was pleasantly surprised how well Jo Redpath and Liz Finch have inhabited the space.

Note the title: Cautionary Tales. You walk in and see a large naked man with a swarm of bees exploding out of his stomach, a procession of Goya-esque crab-headed figures disappearing into a cupboard, larvae-like figures grouped together,simple but revealing paintings of  characters, animals, brick-headed figures, a  dream catcher in a cage; a bed full of dolls.

The two artists’ work dovetail well together. They share a studio, and similar concerns – expressed in their own individual ways and forms. Redpath and Finch explore their imaginary worlds in paint, sculpture and film. Excavating dreams, the subconscious and worldly concerns can certainly unearth oddities. The show has an Alice in Wonderland atmosphere: curious and curiouser. Hellishly fantastic and fantastically hellish.

Redpath expresses her ideas big and bold. As you enter the room there is a swarm of bees, made out of knitted wire, exploding from a large nude man’s  stomach – self expression, creativity, life force, chaos, freedom …? Because he is so tall I stand looking up at him and realise I have copied his stance.  Maggot-like figures bunch together in Waiting Room – immigration, dependence reverting to child-like needy, state. Figures dance chaotically and mesmerisingly in Panic.

ʻMy work is a place where I can constantly store my observations of people and places, concerns, frustrations and all of my findings. I can sort of mould them all together and put them on an imaginary stageʼ.

Redparth’s many concerns inform her work about the state of the world and also, as  she spends much of her time in Galicia, she has immersed herself in its rural culture, religion, customs, and landscape: there are reliques in boxes, a reality of a doll family household; tiny Mummy-like shrouded figures; embryonic figures lurk together in a Waiting Room; dancing figures in Chaos. There is a definite humanity to her work – with a strong, dark underbelly.

Much of her work comes from recycled materials, found objects from charity shops, the left claws of crabs double as heads. The bees swarm out of a real Spanish beehive, made of wood (weather and woodpecker damage) brought back from Spain and incorporated into the sculpture.

Liz Finch’s paintings are smaller, contained and internal. She was not so much reticent about her work as, I think, it is so instinctive, deeply rooted in the subconscious that she finds it difficult to articulate.

The work is beautifully observed and painted. There is an ambiguity to it which gives the images a frisson and strength that remains with you. She explains”Artistically, I am both Insider and Outsider. My work illustrates what I perceive as I pass from one side to the other. It is this atmospheric tension I am interested in more than aesthetics or accuracy ……… I both question and court the concept of random.”

There are patterns and revisiting topics and concerns, reflections on childhood perception and a preoccupation with the ordinary. The work feels like a map of her life. Bricks reflect her northern roots, weddings, religious crosses take the form of human heads which exorcise her aversion to both rituals; birds feature; there are figures made out of soap packets, tracing a domestic history from the square form to the smaller rectangle.

Then there is a crèche of dolls. Abandoned, odd, yet seem to celebrate life in all its forms, damaged, different voices, youth, age. A Dreamcatcher Cage with a nightmarish bird squatting in it.

There was a film but the day before I was there, some school boys had been fascinated by a nude, and returned again and again and brought their friends – the summer of 2016 is one they won’t forget, going to an exhibition like no other and seeing a naked female.

The exhibition provokes questions, triggers curiosity, imagination, stories and memories. Be warned. And go and see it.

Exhibition runs until 14th August 2016 Tuesday to Sunday 11am – 5pm at The Observer Building, Cambridge Rd, Hastings, East Sussex TN34 1DT www.observerbuildinghastings.co.uk  joredpathartist.wordpress.com

 

 

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