The BALTIC, BALTIC 39 and The Vane
This week, I visited The BALTIC, BALTIC 39 and The Vane. The BALTIC had two group exhibitions currently on, The Bloomberg New Contemporaries 2017 and Starless Midnight. The New Contemporaries has ran since 1949 as a touring exhibition, it has played a significant role in supporting emerging UK based artists through accessible visibility to their work. The top row of works are all pieces from the New Contemporaries exhibition from various artists representing the variety of works depicted.
Starless Midnight is influenced by and commemorates Dr Martin Luther King Jr 50 years on from him receiving an honorary degree from Newcastle University. In his acceptance speech, he spoke of three urgent problems: racism, poverty and war. These three issues are what the group of artists partaking in Starless Midnight choose to confront in personal and political ways, commentating on our society today.
My most likely favourite artist in the exhibition was Karon Davis, who contributed 'Waiting Room,' 'Nicotine' and 'Mary' of which 'Mary' is pictured above. As a whole, the pieces intend to consider coping mechanisms for pain, loss, division and global tension. 'Nicotine' represents a nurse, described as the 'stoic caretaker' whereas 'Mary' represents the spiritual realm and health.
Nicotine, Karon Davis (2016)
At the Vane, I quite liked the works of Mark Lyons for their printmaking style. However, Lyons is interested in the role of technology in art production so these images were made through a software that emulated gestural mark making without the need of any traditional print making or drawing.
