Secrets of Soil – NCAS award-winner Henry Driver at the Sainsbury Centre

Secrets of Soil – ncas award-winner Henry Driver at the Sainsbury Centre

By Carl Rowe, ncas trustee and artist

 

Let us establish something from the outset, I don’t play video games. That said, I do remember playing Asteroids and Space Invaders back in the 1970s, both games defined by restrictions of movement and the anxiety-inducing onslaught of salvos. I expected vestiges of this unease along with the awkwardness of a sixty-something when, this February, I sat down to play Henry Driver’s game Secrets of Soil at the Sainsbury Centre’s exhibition Sediment Spirit: The Activation of Art in the Anthropocene. After one minute playing (or engaging) I was transported into an enthralling world of microscopic architecture and microbial communities. No anxiety, just a sense of wonder. The inspiration for this game came from the work that Henry’s family have done to make their farming methods carbon negative. When you enter his interactive journey, you are made aware of the complexity of soil and the symbiosis of the organisms that inhabit it. He does this through vivid and enthralling imagery. It is a game, but more so it is an artistic reimagining of the cosmic world beneath our feet and a cautionary reminder of the damage that we are doing to the balance of nature.

Henry Driver graduated with distinction from Norwich University of the Arts with an M.A. Fine Art in 2016. He also studied for his B.A. (Honours) at Norwich University of the Arts, receiving first-class honours. His progress as an artist is marked by notable achievements, and he has accumulated an international reputation for research and creativity within the field of climate change and impact. His inclusion in Sediment Spirit: The Activation of Art in the Anthropocene aligns his practice with internationally recognised artists, all pursuing facets of a geo-political critique. Perhaps it was obvious that Henry would be successful as a professional practising artist whilst he was still studying at undergraduate level. His focus, ambition and creative capability came across powerfully in his degree show work, which won him the Norfolk Contemporary Art Society Award for a graduating student in 2015. Henry reflects on this by saying,

“Receiving the Norfolk Contemporary Arts Society award provided a combination of both confidence and financial support which is so critical at the start of your career. My degree show piece was quite a development and departure on previous work with a focus on filmed imagery instead of abstraction.”

On a practical level, Henry used the prize money to assist with a 2-month residency at Wysing Arts Centre, Cambridge in 2015, and then for a Leverhulme Scholar Residency that same summer. What was left over he invested in making new artwork. But Henry also notes that “the ability to put on your CV that you’d won an award really was incredible and helped my career progress”. He is in no doubt that receiving the Norfolk Contemporary Arts Society award galvanised his direction as an artist and validated the importance of what he was setting out to do.

ncas continues to award the annual £500 Fine Art Prize to a student graduating from BA (Honours) Fine Art at Norwich University of the Arts, as well as the recently introduced ncas £500 New Makers Prize. In addition, ncas also offers support to Norfolk-based artists and groups through its Small Grants programme. The encouragement that all of this gives to graduates can’t be underestimated and is an endowment for our future artists. 

Discover more about the artist Henry Driver http://www.henrydriverartist.com/

Sediment Spirit: The Activation of Art in the Anthropocene is showing at Sainsbury Centre until 14th April 2024. https://www.sainsburycentre.ac.uk/whats-on/sediment-spirit/

Will Teather: Seeing the World Differently

Event date: 7 March 2024

 

Will Teather in his studio

 
 

“Art should offer us extraordinary spectacles; art should be alchemy; art should make us see the world differently; art should open conversations.”

Will Teather, Manifesto (excerpt)

Artist, magician, showman, musician. It’s hard to define an artist such as Will Teather, whose intriguing manifesto is a must-read for anyone interested in the creative process.

In a hugely entertaining, whistle stop tour of his career to date, Teather described his early days of art taught at Reepham School to the somewhat unstructured but formative years at Central St Martins and Chelsea College of Art & Design, after which he fully embraced his fascination for magical realism or “ontological ambiguity”, where it is not immediately obvious what is real or unreal.

Teather’s inspiration is firmly anchored in Norfolk’s tradition of carnival, performance and artistic illusion, and its ability to joyfully subvert authority. He combines this with traditional historical subjects and painting techniques, often using motifs from historical sources.

Perspective is key and used as a narrative tool. He says “A lot of my work deals with the carnival-esque and a sense of the uncanny. It’s about creating extraordinary visual spectacles through painting”. The resulting body of work is solely figurative - “I don’t do landscapes” - where Teather uses models often from a performance art background, with whom he builds the pictoral narrative. Here, Paula Rego and Lucien Freud have been sources of inspiration.

“I’ve always enjoyed visual games with artworks, plays upon form, repetition and pattern that are very hard to write about. But they are easy to enjoy”.

Will Teather in his studio


Teather has recently opened a studio in the heart of Tombland which is open to the public each Saturday in March and by appointment after that.

For further information visit www.willteather.com

ncas are grateful to The Norwich School for kindly hosting this event as part of ncas’ talks programme at their excellent Blake Studio.

 
 

Bridget Bailey: Art in the Making

Event date: 31 January 2024
Review by Danusia Wurm

 

Bridget Bailey. Image courtesy of bridgetbailey.co.uk

 

‘‘I’d love to be thought of as a sort of textile Darwin, exploring nature and recording and translating what I learn into materials and making”

Bridget Bailey

“Wow” is a very small word to sum up the enthusiastic reaction to Bridget Bailey’s talk, organised jointly by ncas and the Norwich School, to a full house at the Blake Studio.

Brought up in North Yorkshire with an inherent passion for the natural landscape, Bridget’s career has evolved from textiles, through millinery, and into artworks over the 40 years she has been “making”. 

Her fragile artworks and sculptures combine intense observation and intricate making, with the down-to-earth approach to life and death of an allotment gardener.

From the fragile rolled edge of a tiny pea pod to the sleek plumpness of the humble worm, Bridget creates work of breathtaking delicacy and beauty.

ncas are grateful to The Norwich School for kindly hosting this event as part of ncas’ talks programme at their excellent Blake Studio.


 

Interrupt

Interrupt art exhibition, a central element of Queerfest Norwich 2024, is to be held at the Undercroft from 9th - 24th February. ncas is pleased to have helped to support this event with one of our small grants.

Rachel Collier-Wilson worked with guest curator, Sakib Khan, to produce this show and she explained the concept behind the exhibition:

“As LGBTQIA+ people, we operate within the matrix of a cis-heteronormative society. We are often unseen. When we are noticed, we are often ‘othered’. Interrupt aims to challenge and disrupt the system and the cis-heteronormative gaze. Interrupt is to be curated to foreground varied stories of Queer experience. The exhibition aims to validate and affirm marginalised identities, potentially sparking new ideas in individual practice and supporting emerging artists. Artists may wish to share art that addresses topics of gender, sexuality, gender dysphoria, mental health, combating stigma, masculine- and feminine-presenting folk and, of course, some fun and playfulness.”

The Undercroft can be found at the top side of Norwich Market, close to Norwich City Hall and the Guildhall. Open 11-5 Tuesday - Saturday; 12-4 Sunday, 9 - 24 February.

NCAS Small Grants now open!

The second round of ncas small grants is now open to applications. Our inaugural round in autumn 2023 proved popular and, after careful selection from a number of submissions, we awarded three small grants for exhibitions to Norfolk-based artists and groups.

 The next deadline is Thursday 29 February at midnight.

Eligible projects should have a strong link to Norfolk and include exhibitions, events, support for development of a body of work, artistic professional development. The maximum amount available per award is £500.

Please read the guidance for applicants before applying.

If you would like to apply, please follow the link to the online form on 'Jotform' which you can complete online (preferred) or submit by email.

If you have any questions about the application process or would like an informal phone discussion about a project for consideration, please email us at norfolkart@googlemail.com and your query will be passed on to the relevant trustee.

Please note that applications are only accepted from ncas members or from groups where at least one person is a ncas member.

Click here to apply: SMALL GRANTS APPLICATION FORM

 The ncas Small Grants awarded in autumn 2023 were:

QueerFest was awarded £350 for ‘Interrupt’, a curated exhibition of contemporary art at the Shoe Factory Social Club, Norwich from 8 - 25 February 2024. UPDATE: This exhibition will now be held at the Undercroft, near Norwich Market.

“As LGBTQIA+ people, we operate within the matrix of heteronormative society; often being unseen, despised or ‘othered’. The intention of Interrupt is to challenge the heteronormative gaze and elicit stories of a Queer experience. It is anticipated that the artists will share work that may include themes of gender, sexuality, gender dysphoria, mental health, combating stigma, not conforming to expected gender norms and, of course, some fun and playfulness.” Rachel Collier-Wilson, QueerFest


Unconsumed II was awarded £350 for a group exhibition of around 100 artists, who have a strong connection to the East Anglia region, at the Shoe Factory Social Club, Norwich, from 27 May - 12 June 2024.

“Multi-generational, cross-disciplinary and championing inclusivity, this will be an exciting showcase of our local creative talent. The project will also be a brilliant networking opportunity for artists from across the region, from different backgrounds and career-stages. We plan to run a series of free creative workshops for the local community, which will also allow artists to gain valuable experience as art educators.” Georgia Green and Eleanor Rodwell, Unconsumed II


Grace Adam was awarded £300 for materials to produce a new body of work for a solo exhibition, at Mandell’s Gallery, Elm Hill, Norwich from 10 - 31 August 2024. Funding is for the development and production of ceramic sculptures, edition prints and collages.

“The opportunity to research, iterate and produce work to the highest standard is very important to me, and this funding will allow me to research and create work for the exhibition.” Grace Adam, artist

Visit to Brüer Tidman’s Studio Gallery and the Hippodrome Circus, Great Yarmouth

Event date: 19 December 2023
Review by Danusia Wurm

 
 
 
 

The mid December drizzly gloom disappeared on entering Brüer Tidman’s vibrant gallery, situated in an old fishing warehouse in the industrial heartland of Great Yarmouth.

Superbly curated by Brüer, ncas members were treated to an extraordinary selection of paintings, prints and sketchbooks dating back to the 80s, when Brüer turned to art full-time. His works, using a range of oils, acrylics, watercolours, pastels, wax mixed with pigments and even builders’ sand - ‘beach sand is too salty for the canvas’ -glowed with luminosity and colour. In contrast to his semi abstract work, a series of striking black and is white head portraits gazed directly from the walls.

 
 

One floor up, we were also welcomed to Mark Cator’s elegant studio which hosts regular Utter Nonsense exhibitions, music recitals and collaborative workshops.

Located across the road, Brüer’s studio sits above a precariously steep flight of steps. Brüer explained that the large, light room, full of music - the Rolling Stones - and his latest work, was originally used for mending nets as evidenced by small holes in the walls used to stretch the mending lines.

Among the artwork and sketchbooks on show were numerous works inspired by the iconic Hippodrome Circus where Brüer was artist in residence for some years. It was a wonderful curtain raiser for the Hippodrome’s Christmas Spectacular. Featuring a range of acts from around the world and the superb water spectacular, the performance also included young dancers from the local Estelle Dance School based at the Hippodrome.

 

Post performance, members were also able to visit the Back Stage Circus Museum, an astonishing collection of eclectic circus and music memorabilia curated by Hippodrome owner, Peter Jay. The wonderful retro circus-themed Cafe 1903 also proved popular with the group.

In all, it was a fascinating, memorable and engaging visit.

Our thanks go to Brüer for his time and generosity in welcoming the Group and talking about his work; the hugely helpful Hippodrome Circus Management Team and Selwyn and Janey for organising.

 
 
 

Review by ncas trustee Danusia Wurm

 

Meet our new ncas patrons - 9th February 2024 - a special event!

A date for your new 2024 diaries - 9th February! A special ncas evening hosted by Norwich Castle Museum & Art Gallery. Come and meet our illustrious patrons (who include leading artists and key players in Britain’s contemporary art world today). More details under the EVENTS tab above. Not to be missed! If you are not a member, join now (an absolute bargain!) to attend this excellent evening.

The Norfolk Autumn Festival Awards & NCAS

The Norfolk Autumn Festival Arts Award Ceremony, recognising the arts and creative talent across the region, took place on Friday 3 November 2023, at the Ocean Room in Gorleston. Invited guests included the Singh Twins and Dr Rosy Gray, Curator of Contemporary Art at Norwich Castle Museum, who were finalists for the Diversity Award for their Slaves of Fashion exhibition. ncas is enormously proud to have been closely involved with this exhibition and commissioned the permanent artwork now on display at the museum. Invited trustee Helen Eisler represented ncas at this enjoyable gala evening. The Singh Twins were pipped to the post by Queerfest, who generously gave the Twins the most effusive praise in their acceptance speech. Groundwork Gallery in Kings Lynn was runner-up to Will Corvidae Sparling for the Visual Arts Award. Our recently appointed ncas patron, Alan Water, was awarded a Peter Wilson Special Recognition Award.

NCAS Small Grants winners announced

The inaugural ncas Small Grants fund received a number of high quality applications to its first round of funding and after a lively discussion among the trustees, the following three recipients are announced:

QueerFest for Interrupt, an exhibition of contemporary art to be shown in the Shoe Factory Social Club, 8 - 25 February 2024. The intention of Interrupt is to challenge the heteronormative gaze and elicit stories of a Queer experience. Interrupt aims to validate and affirm our identities, and potentially spark new ideas in individual practice and support emerging artists. UPDATE: This exhibition will now be held in the Undercroft, near Norwich Market.

Unconsumed. Unconsumed II is a group exhibition of around 100 artists, either East Anglia-based or with a strong connection to the region, taking place from 27 May - 12 June 2024. Multi-generational, cross-disciplinary and championing inclusivity, this will be an exciting showcase of our local creative talent.

Grace Adam for the creation of a body of work for an exhibition at Mandells Gallery from 10 - 31 August 2024. This includes the development and production of ceramic sculptures, edition prints and collages. The central theme of the work is flint: its histories, geometries and forms.

Thank you to all who contacted us and we look forward to hearing from more applicants in our next round (closing date: 29 February 2024 - for more information & application form, see under ABOUT tab above). A big thank-you also to our members and all those who help us raise money to fund the visual arts in Norfolk.