Step into revealing world of emerging artists at show in gallery

BEYOND One Step is back at the Derby Museum and Art Gallery for the ninth time, showcasing the work of emerging regional artists.

Andrea Hadley-Johnson, the curator, said: "It's a privilege to work closely with emerging artists and to collaborate at this early stage in their career.

"Having a professionally curated exhibition under their belts will allow them to approach other galleries confidently and apply the professional skills gained throughout the process."

Beyond One Step tackles many themes displayed in a variety of ways such as photography, sculpture and social media. The work largely occupies two galleries on the top floor.

Some pieces, like that of Lauren O'Grady's Smoke Screen, feature elsewhere in the museum.

Lauren, 29, a graduate of Nottingham Trent University, says she was: "Inspired by a range of remembered imagery, in particular fragments of landscape like the smoke towers of Nottingham. The ideas behind the work are inspired by speculative fiction, the familiar and unfamiliar, model making, cinematography and history."

The inspiration for each artist is as diverse as their talents.

De Montfort University graduate Paul Folding, 63, says his Call To Mind piece: "Is made up of a series of abstract panels inspired by fond memories of hill walking in Devon and is a response to my feelings and emotions."

Vasiliki Fragkou says her Flowing Feelings sculptures: “espouse Heraclitus who said: ‘All things flow and nothing stands still’”

Elisavet Andreaou, 24, a Fine Art PhD student at De Montfort University says: “Having grown up in a country as traumatised as Cyprus, I began considering the nature of values at a very young age.

“The work interprets the meaning of equilibrium in terms of tradition; how the tradition and culture of my country contributes to the creation of a well-balanced operating system.

“The customs, beliefs, religion, as well as, the arts, moral values and various intellectual manifestations provide the notion of belonging, as well as, the awareness of the national identity of the individual. Thus, tradition operates an institution of equilibrium for the individual and society.”

Bruce Asbestos’s ‘Social Media Takeaway’ occupies a whole room in order to make his weekly videos based upon suggestions by visitors to the gallery and to his Facebook and Twitter accounts. Mr Asbestos, 31, an MA graduate of Nottingham Trent University, said his “unusual” work is inspired by: “what’s possible with the technology we have at the moment and what art we can produce by collaborating with it.”

The artists are delighted with this opportunity at the venue.

Weixi Lin, 24, is a graduate of photography from Nottingham Trent University. She says: "I am very happy to show my inner world with all the audience and I will keep going and move on."

Stephen Elvidge: “it was a privilege to be selected amongst such an exciting and diverse group of emerging artists”

Elisavet Andreaou says: “being a foreign artist makes it even harder to get the chance to exhibit work in the UK, as well as, other significant European and International cultural art centres. I will always be grateful to the Derby Museum and the exhibition leaders for their precious help.”

Carol Harries-Wood, 51, is studying for a fine arts degree at the University of Derby. She says: "My hope is that people will visit the Museum and Art Gallery on a regular basis to see the changes that may happen during the three months that the exhibition will be on."

Beyond One Step will be exhibited until August 11. For more information visit http://www.derby museums.org/museum-and-art-gallery-2/ or call the Derby Museum and Art Gallery on 01332641901.




Also published here:http://www.derbytelegraph.co.uk/Step-revealing-world-emerging-artists-gallery/story-19078093-detail/story.html