BRAVE NEW WORLDS: UTOPIAS & DYSTOPIAS
Riverside Gallery, Richmond
Until 5th November 2011
Utopias and dystopias are the themes of the current Brave New Worlds exhibition at the Riverside Gallery in Richmond. Encompassing a wide range of media such as painting, drawing, photomontage, fused and painted glass, digital art and sculpture; Brave New Worlds brings together a collection of 25 works by local and national artists selected via open submission from over 500 individual works.
For centuries, artists and writers such as Hieronymus Bosch, Sir Thomas More and Aldous Huxley have explored ideas of utopianism and its dark antithesis. As we move forward, widespread technological advancement, industrial expansion, and increased consumerism continue to affect our daily lives and change our environments both in positive and destructive ways. Utopias are often upheld as idyllic retreats from the dystopian realities we face domestically and globally.
This exhibition offers varied perspectives on the theme of Utopias and Dystopias: the unchartered territories of dreams and reverie, imagined Orwellian societies and otherworldly, alien realms. Alongside the imaginary and spiritual, inspiration has been drawn from everyday life - the news, popular culture, films, and novels. Reactions to war and violence, the destruction of natural environments, the power of politics, media, and propaganda, and the adverse effects of materialism also feature as important themes in many of the works.
Participating artists include:
Lulu Allison, Maxine Attard, Gareth Barnett, Tom Bonson, Samuel Capps, Sarah Cowley, Jo Ellis, Christopher Eyles, Raquel Felgueiras, George David Fryer, Gareth Gardener, Catherine Hargreaves, Kevin Kelly, Martine Kerrison, Neil Metzner, Tutte Newall, Patrick O’ Donnell, Charles Pearson, Nick Pollen, Paul Richards, Robert Ridley, Neil Rogers, Freeda Sangra and Alex Storer.
Brave New Worlds continues the successful run of open exhibitions organised by Orleans House Gallery in Twickenham. Each year, this open exhibition opportunity helps over 200 national and international artists to showcase their work in group exhibitions across three galleries: the Orleans and Stables Galleries in Twickenham and the Riverside Gallery in Richmond. Recent open exhibitions include the acclaimed Making It/ Faking It: Copies, Homages, pastiches and Picturing Science.
Curator of Exhibitions and Collections Mark De Novellis states: “This potent theme has captured the imagination of artists for centuries. Where formerly, western artists would depict visions of Arcadian Edens and cataclysmic scenes of Judgment Day, contemporary artists have translated these concepts to reflect the here and now, while revealing our hopes and fears of possible worlds and potential futures.”
Admission is free.
Address:
Riverside Gallery Old Town Hall
Whittaker Avenue,
Richmond TW9 1TP
Tel: 020 8831 6000
Email: artsinfo@richmond.gov.uk
Website: www.richmond.gov.uk/arts
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Opening Times:
Monday: 10.00-6.00pm
Tuesday: 10.00-5.00pm
Wednesday: 10.00-6.00pm
Thursday: 10.00-5.00pm
Friday: 10.00-5.00pm
Saturday: 10.00-1.30pm
Sunday: CLOSED
Image Credits
1. Image Credits: 9. Seeker by Neil Rogers
2. Episodes of Hermitic Virtue - Memory Theatre by Kevin Kelly
