The artistic research project's first major exhibition, a part of the British Ceramics Biennial, had its opening last Friday.
The day finally arrived! The result of the artistic activity connected to the three workshops, arranged by the artistic research project Topographies of the Obsolete, is now open to the public. The exhibition and project maps the site through various media and artistic strategies that encompass object appropriation and re-contextualisation, architectural intervention, lens-based work and performative gesture.
"Topographies of the Obsolete: Vociferous Void" is the first major exhibition of the on-going artistic research project "Topographies of the Obsolete: Exploring the Site Specific and Associated Histories of Post-Industry". Engaging 32 international artists, with multi disciplinary approaches in affiliation with 5 institutions, the exhibition investigates the remnants and post-industrial ruin of the original Spode factory site.
The directors of the British Ceramics Biennial, Barney Hareduke and Jeremy Theophilos, welcomed everyone to the exhibition and the British Ceramcis Biennial. The opening speech for "Topographies of the Obsolete: Vociferous Void" was made by Professor Nina Malterud, member of the Steering Committee of the Norwegian Artistic Research Programme. The head of cultural affairs at the Norwegian Embassy in London; Eva Moksnes Vincent, attended the opening in order to see the results of the project.
Anne Helen Mydland and Johan Sandborg's project "The Ronald Copeland Art Gallery: The Factor of Dynamic Memory Allocation" in the Director's Block at the original Spode Works site was officially opened by Councillor Ruth Rosenau, Cabinet Member for Regeneration, Planning and Transportation. The councillor cut the ribbon and received the fully refurbished room on behalf of the council and people of Stoke on Trent.
Artists state that by refurbishing the room they hope to give the spectacular room a future, not only a past. The art gallery was built for the private collection for the Copeland family and used for formal occasions. The room is now full of potential, and a new function, hopefully a public function says the artist hoping the room can be used for all sorts of public cultural activities. The Refurbishment and art project have been fully funded by the Norwegian Program for Artistic Research.
Performances on opening day:
Andrew Brown: "A Walk through S"
Richard Launder & Julia Collura: "Glancing at
Spode"
KELLY / MARHAUG: "Slipping" from Chapter three: Mandarin
Dust
Header image: Richard Launder
"ROUTEMASTER:Spode Office, Desktop: detail of
Derive"
