Jerwood Visual Arts backs young artists

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Jerwood Encounters: 3-Phase

13 May – 21 June 2015, Jerwood Space, London

Kelly Best/ Georgie Grace
‘Jerwood Encounters: 3-Phase’is a new artist development collaboration between two artist-led organizations Eastside Projects (Birmingham) and g39 (Cardiff), and Jerwood Charitable Foundation, through its London-based gallery programme, Jerwood Visual Arts. ‘3-Phase’ offers two early-career artists the opportunity to make new work to be exhibited through five exhibitions across the collaborating galleries. Across the year-long programme, each artist has access to curatorial and practical support from the partners.

Kelly Best and Georgie Grace were selected for their ambitious and rigorous ideas which were felt to reflect their commitment to developing an outstanding art practice. The first phase consisted of two solo exhibitions which took place at Eastside Projects, Birmingham in January and March 2015. The next phase opens at Jerwood Space, London in May where the artists will present a joint exhibition as part of the Jerwood Visual Arts programme.

Kelly Best’spractice is rooted in drawing, through which she unpicks the relationship between form, perspective, colour and void. At Jerwood Space, Kelly will reconfigure her ambitious new work Velum,a large scale wall structure onto which the artist has realized a ten-metre long pencil drawing. The curator tells us that the bespoke, curved, sculptural surface covered by the artist’s repeated gesture of a pale vertical line over a black background demonstrates a powerful perspectival effect. Its huge scale alters the space of the gallery and surrounds the viewer, while its enticing hand-drawn surface encourages closer observation. First presented at Eastside Projects, Velum is Kelly’s first stand-alone structural creation; having previously worked directly onto walls and floors, this project has enabled her to expand on her interest in manipulating spatial relationships. Her Jerwood Space exhibit will include a selection of new drawings that give an insight into her thought process behind the installation.

Georgie Grace’s practice occupies a space somewhere between still and moving image. Her interest in the intangible quality of digital reading and the shifting surfaces of the screen are questioned through her silent film works comprising found imagery and text. At Jerwood Space, Georgie will present a new edit of her film the machine is almost pure magic. The film seamlessly knits together grainy, monochrome stills though a text narration – a contemporary voice that speaks of aspiration, desire and utopian ideals, but also their perils. This complex constellation of curious and anxiety filled imagery draws upon ideas put forward by futurologists and technological entrepreneurs. Through 3-Phase, Georgie Grace has had the opportunity to refine the technical aspects of her video work and experiment with how her work is presented in an exhibition context. Georgie will also be displaying new lenticular prints. The prints function as physical manifestations of her film work, both still and moving, seductive yet unnerving.

Shonagh Manson, Director, Jerwood Charitable Foundation and Gavin Wade, Director, Eastside Projects, explains:

Our design of Jerwood Encounters: 3-Phase as a year-long, supported process has already enabled each artist to make their most ambitious work to date. This exhibition at Jerwood Space marks the mid-point of the project, with a third development period and solo presentations at g39 still to come for Kelly and Georgie later this year. Seeing their work develop in such an intensive way has been incredibly rewarding and they have worked hard to get the most they can from the opportunity of curatorial conversation and production support. After such impressive exhibitions at Eastside Projects, we are committed to continuing the success of the project and underpinning the artists’ ongoing personal achievements across the life of 3-Phase and beyond.

Applications for Jerwood Encounters: 3-Phase were sought through Eastside Projects’ Extra Special People associates scheme and g39’s Wales Artist Resource Programme (WARP), drawing on the artist development expertise of these two key artist-led organisations who support artists in their areas. ‘Jerwood Encounters: 3-Phase’ is an opportunity for both artists to achieve what had previously been just out of reach and to crystallize their current research. It is an opportunity for testing out ideas and bringing into reality the next stage of each artist’s development, with the valuable support of the partners throughout. Following the Jerwood Space exhibition the artists will each develop a solo show with g39, Cardiff, to be exhibited in October and November 2015.

Exhibition information

JERWOOD SPACE, LONDON

Exhibition dates: 13 May–21 June 2015
Address: Jerwood Space, 171 Union St, London SE1 0LN
Opening Times: Mon-Fri 10am–5pm, Sat/Sun 10am–3pm
Admission: Free
Nearest tube: Southwark, London Bridge or Borough         

Exhibitionevents are free but must be booked in advance, for further information please      visit www.jerwoodvisualarts.orgor contact: [email protected]  

G39, CARDIFF

Exhibition dates: 2–31 Oct 2015 (Kelly Best), 13 Nov–12 Dec 2015 (Georgie Grace)
Address: Oxford St, Cardiff, South Glamorgan CF24 3DT
Opening Times: Wed-Sat 11am-5pm
Admission: Free

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