Artists across Somerset will be responding to the theme of ‘Sanctuary’ for this year’s Somerset Art Weeks, with exhibitions, events and group shows returning after last year’s postponed Festival event.
More than 300 artists will be hosting exhibitions and events in over 100 venues, including loft spaces, tithe barns, stables, museums, Churches, farms, libraries, as well as an abbey and a prison!
Members of Somerset Art Works, commissioned artists and bursary winning artists will be showcasing new work, giving local people and visitors to the county the opportunity to discover high quality shows and exhibitions in unique and inspiring locations across the county.
Artists have interpreted the theme of Sanctuary in many different ways, such as with paintings of the natural world, mindful mark making and a poetic sanctuary. Poet Katrina Naomi and eco-writer Sara Hudston responded to the natural heritage of Alfoxton Park with its links to Wordsworth and Coleridge as the birthplace of English Romanticism.
Somerset Art Works recently declared a Climate Emergency, and reflecting this, the event has a focus on sustainability. Many of the artists have been inspired by our relationship to the natural world. Others have responded to shared experiences of the pandemic, often highlighting positive changes or allowing visitors to contemplate.
Siân Cann finds sanctuary walking in the woodlands with her Polaroid camera, absorbing quiet moments in nature and observing the poetry of light between the leaves. The woodlands became more important to her when she began to lose her sight during lockdown, and her documentation of this natural space became her reassurance.
The name Muchelney means 'great island'. In times of flood, the Church there provided sanctuary. To reflect this, Jane Mowat has created an installation of embroidery that floods, from the font and down the Church nave, sewn with images of native plants.
Wells Art Contemporary Bursary winner Leah Hislop will install a sculpture constructed from handmade, individually folded Origami Building blocks at Kingweston Church near Keinton Mandeville. Triangular folds within the work tie in with the symbol of the number three and The Holy Trinity, along with the concept of guidance and protection.
Six artists have taken over C-Wing at Shepton Mallet Prison to create immersive and interactive artworks using a variety of artforms and techniques, including creative computer coding, an installation exploring light and colour, painting and mark making as a practice of mindfulness, exploring conversations on postcolonial ideas of the Black British experience in the UK, and participatory installations considering themes of wellbeing.
In celebration of the Queen's Green Canopy tree planting initiative, The Arborealists present a new exhibition in the Music Hall at Fyne Court. The exhibition has a theme of regeneration to help promote tree planting – a vital strand of the environmental crisis recovery strategy.
As well as themes around nature, environment and locality, artists have interpreted the social, spiritual and sustainable elements in this year’s programme.
Dissolution to Evolution is a programme that explores support systems, social experiments and religious beliefs. Curated by SAW guest curator Josephine Lanyon in response to the history of Glastonbury Abbey; the exhibition in Abbey House includes RAFTS (2022), a film by Rory Pilgrim, and drawings and costumes by Olivia Plender shown alongside archaeological material. There will also be roving performances, Broadside Ballads, devised by Sally O’Reilly with Somerset Artists which will take place in the grounds and gardens.
Jacky Oliver has created a large-scale kinetic sculpture for Somerset Rural Life Museum’s 14th-century Abbey Barn and will be running workshops to accompany the exhibition. The sculpture draws inspiration from research into the different ways horses have been central to Somerset’s rural heritage.
ACE Arts presents Absurd Sewn Selfies by Jenni Dutton, a collection of mixed media explorations into identity, ageing, disguise and power. The work is made using traditional female materials and processes and offers the universal search for relevance in a world that can undervalue older members of society.
A full event programme includes talks, walks and workshops focussing on making art, wellbeing and a return to nature. Each weekend will be Family Friendly, with arts activities for families of all shapes and sizes, encouraging everyone to join in, along with events as part national initiative The Big Draw.
somersetartworks.org.uk
