Ex Post Gallery, Prague; ‘She Spoke’
I’ve always wanted to visit Prague; its reputation as a compact, cultural, friendly and vibrant city appealed to me a great deal. It so happened that I was destined to visit as an artist rather than a mere tourist; how exciting! The culmination of the Becoming Artist programme that I have taken part in under the tutelage of Jessica Serran for the past year or so was a group show with my fellow artists Chantelle Goldthwaite, Deborah Taylor, Isabelle Rizo, , Sheila Metcalf Tobin and Yasmin Lambie Simpson.
In fact it was more than just a show; it was a chance to develop further as a group and as artists, to explore not only the city but the way we present ourselves as artists to the world. We experienced this together though photoshoots, personal style consultations, ceremonies and rituals, food, tears and laughter.
‘Photographs Not Taken;1,2,3,4 Acrylic on Canvas 100cm x 100cm
The event itself was a huge success. The opening night saw huge numbers coming through the door to experience an interactive opportunity to view the art through connecting with each artist, not to mention amazing food, music and bespoke cocktails!
The event challenged me hugely. The work I produced for the event pushed me way out of my comfort zone. It didn’t feel safe, or comfortable, and at times I didn’t even really like it… which seems strange to say now, but I think was an important part of the process. I’ve never wanted to make ‘pretty’ art; and this certainly wasn’t! I may say more about this in a future blog post, once I’ve got my head around it all! For now it’s back to having my feet back on the ground, absorbing what I’ve learnt, and focussing on what’s next.
