The two year, multi-partner ENTWINED:Rural.Land.Lives.Art. programme will culminate this September with an exhibition at VARC’s home at Highgreen, rural Northumberland NE48 1RP. In this exciting, multidisciplinary show curated by Cynthia Morrison-Bell, you will find work of the ENTWINED artists installed in the barns and outbuildings around the estate.
The exhibition opens on Saturday 4th September and will run until Sun 12th September. All welcome!
Opening Party Sat 4th Sept , 12 – 5pm
Open discussion at 4pm chaired by Susan Trangmar
Featuring Andrew Burton, Robbie Coleman & Jo Hodges, Sam Douglas, Shane Finan, Catriona Gallagher, Bridget Kennedy, Emily Ketteringham, Kate Liston plus films about the artists’ work by WeLove Media
Show continues Sun 5th, Sat 11th, Sun 12th 11 – 3pm.
Open Mon 6th to Fri 10th 11-3pm by appointment only, email helen@varc.org.uk with minimum 48 hours notice.
On Sat 4th and Sun 5th Coleman & Hodges interactive work Field Station: Here will require you to have a smart phone
The exhibition will also feature former VARC Artist in Residence Lucy May Schofield who will have work installed at The Shooting Hut. Bacarra Smart will also be showing a selection of paintings from her time living and working in the area.
*Keep an eye on this page for further updates and announcements!*
Access: The work is installed in various outbuildings at VARC’s home of Highgreen, therefore expect uneven ground with a slope and small steps in parts
Minibus travel from Newcastle available on Sat 4th Sept, bookable via eventbrite here. (bookings will close Thurs 2nd Sept)
Later in the year the work will be exhibited at Vane Gallery and will coincide with the launch of a major publication, edited by Mike Collier, that celebrates the end of the ENTWINED programme and VARC’s 21st Anniversary.
The programme was comprised of six mixed-length artist residencies based in a number of venues in the community of Tarset and North Tyne (Kielderhead Wildwood Project, Unison Colour, Tarset Village Hall and The Heritage Centre at Bellingham) as well at VARC, Highgreen. Two associated artists also spent time at VARC.
Through the artists’ practice, different aspects of what makes a ‘place’ has been explored and the interconnectedness of rural land and rural lives revealed. Artists have immersed themselves in the landscape and community in various ways such as planting trees at Kielderhead Wildwood Project, weaving in the landscape and listening to the local choir, all within ‘lockdown’ rules. The resulting artwork includes painting, moving image, print, drawing, digital art and performance.
Inspiring conversations about the artists’ work and ideas on topics such as ‘wildness’, ownership and the invisible/visible networks that connect plants and people have been recorded and will form part of an online conference ‘ENTWINED Online Assemblage’, released later in the year.
