P Ress Release Earth | Atmosphere Ceramics By Halima

p ress release earth | atmosphere ceramics by halima cassell textiles by seiko kinoshita touchstones rochdale is pleased to pres

P ress Release
Earth | Atmosphere
Ceramics by Halima Cassell
Textiles by Seiko Kinoshita
Touchstones Rochdale is pleased to present major new work in Earth |
Atmosphere, ceramics by Halima Cassell, textiles by Seiko Kinoshita as
part of the shape of things. This is an ambitious national initiative
which contends that contemporary craft has a distinctive contribution
to make to our understanding of cultural identity and heritage in
Britain’s diverse and intercultural society. The shape of things has
been awarded Arts Council funding to support nine selected artists to
create significant bodies of new work that address the inspirations
and experiences of cultural tradition.
Touchstones Rochdale is a partner venue in the shape of things and
showed solo exhibitions by the artists Tanvi Kant and Taslim Martin in
summer 2010. Earth | Atmosphere is a touring exhibition by Bilston
Craft Gallery and Touchstones Rochdale is very pleased to be bringing
Bilston’s exhibition for the shape of things to Rochdale following on
from its own successful exhibitions last year.
Director of TSOT, David Kay says:
"TSOT provides opportunities for artists working with craft media to
develop their talents and work closely with curators to produce new
work for exhibition and installation in galleries and museums that can
both inform and engage audiences. By enabling artists to explore the
context of identity through their work and the processes of its
making, TSOT seeks to stimulate debate about the contribution artists
make to a society that is culturally diverse and aims to encourage a
practice, audience and market for contemporary crafts representative
of the society we live in today."
Halima Cassell is regarded as one of Britain’s leading young
ceramicists. She was born in Pakistan, brought up in Manchester, and
now lives and works in Blackburn. Cassell carves into rich earthy-hued
clays to create monumental and dynamic sculptural forms. The
distillation of strength and elegant lines in Cassell’s work reflects
her fascination with architecture and geometric principles of pattern,
especially the complex decorative vocabularies developed in Islamic
countries such as historic North Africa. In response to the shape of
things Halima Cassell has developed a ceramic installation that
explores themes of origin and variation. She has made a series of
works, each in a clay sourced from a different part of the world;
these clays vary in colour from almost white through earthy tones to
very dark. Together the works present a visual and emotive celebration
of diversity and the connection we often feel to the soil of our home
country. Cassell believes that regardless of where we are born, we
come from the soil and go back to it, hence the resonance of clay.
Seiko Kinoshita draws on classical Japanese dyeing and weaving
techniques adapted to her contemporary sense of shape and colour to
create large-scale textile installations that transform spaces. She
was born and brought up in Japan, studied at Osaka, and worked in the
Japanese textile industry before coming to the UK to take an MA in
textile design. Kinoshita’s yarns are often paper-based and she dyes
them herself to develop the vibrant but subtle colour spectrum of her
work. Her use of this medium is informed by its traditional use in the
paper sliding doors of Japanese homes and the way it allows light,
sound, and wind to pass through it. In response to the shape of things
Seiko Kinoshita has developed two installations that engage with the
British fascination with the weather. Now based in Yorkshire Artspace,
Sheffield, Kinoshita has found her sense of ‘Japaneseness’
crystallised by the contrast between the daily perspectives of British
people and her own upbringing. She is intrigued by the hold of weather
over the moods and actions of the British and visitors to the
exhibition will experience sunshine and rain in a new way.
The exhibition will include films of both artists working in their
studios and talking about their practice. The shape of things has also
supported fresh writing about contemporary craft: two emerging
journalists and critics in the field, Ellie Herring and Teleri
Lloyd-Jones, were commissioned to write essays on the artists for the
illustrated exhibition catalogue which is for sale alongside the
exhibition.
Touchstones Rochdale is managed by the Link4Life Cultural Trust and is
located on The Esplanade, Rochdale, OL16 1AQ. We are open Tuesday to
Saturday 10am – 5pm. Admission is free. For further information call
01706 924492 or visit www.link4life.org/touchstones
ENDS
** Photo Opportunity **
The exhibition private view will be attended by both artists – Friday
8 July 6-8pm. Refreshments will be served.
Notes for Editors
Images
Images of the work are attached. Copyright: Chris Smart.
Further images can be provided upon request.
http://www.theshapeofthings.org.uk/?id=82
Background Information
- The shape of things provides bursaries to artists to make new
craftwork. It explores the distinctive contribution artists make to
influence or reflect national identity, the intercultural nature of
British society and its connection with global cultures through a
series of exhibitions, installations and events from 2010 to 2012. The
shape of things is a not for profit company limited by guarantee and
registered in England, No 6534926. Craftspace is the managing agency.
David Kay is the Director and a formal steering group comprises
specialists and stakeholders able to advice on development and
implementation. The shape of things programme receives funding from
the National Lottery through Arts Council England. More information
can be found at www.theshapeofthings.org.uk
- More information about Halima Cassell can be seen at
www.halimacassell.com
- More information about Seiko Kinoshita can be seen at
www.seikokinoshita.com
Media contacts
For further information and images please contact:
*
Mary Rahman, Press and PR Consultant
Email: [email protected] Tel: 0207 7491136
*
Yvonne Hardman, Art Gallery Officer, Touchstones Rochdale
Email: [email protected] Tel: 01706 924945
*
Mashuda Begum, Communications Officer, Touchstones Rochdale
Email: [email protected] Tel: 01706 924942
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