UNMASKED | UNIVERSITY OF CUMBRIA DEGREE SHOW 2021

(people) ‘make their own histories but not in the conditions of their choosing’ (Marx)

Celebrating the work of students graduating from the University of Cumbria Institute of Arts BA (Hons) Fine Art Programme, this multidisciplinary exhibition offers a timely overview of modern Britain.

Manifest in a wildly diverse range of the grotesque, the bogus, the absurd and the fetishistic, these multi-faceted objects offer new perspectives, not simply on the art of today, but on the reified condition of late-capitalist society. As such, this critically conscious exhibition challenges the received orthodoxy of ruling class ways of seeing, knowing and telling.

Martin Fowler PhD
Programme Leader

Samantha Farr

The Snake of Society (TSOS) serves as a visual manifestation of the opposition towards the morbid symptoms of free market capitalism.
The installation contains 14 suspended oil drums, bound together by chains and coiled in a serpentine arrangement. TSOS is a physical representation of British society, identifying as a perpetually self-consuming ouroboros, mirroring society's stagnant state and lack of progress.
The drums are adorned with screen-printed photographs and direct excerpts depicting significant events that have transpired in Britain from 1978 to the present day.
TSOS is influenced by the deeply rooted political activism evident in Kennard'swork, with reference to Heartfield, The Kienholz's, Kabakov and McCarthy.

Nicholas (Paul) Forsyth

Edward Gofton

Gofton’s interactive instillation, ‘Being’, is a physical representation of the piece of fiction of the same name. That draws inspiration from the artistic styles of Mondrian, Klimt and Grey.

The instillation, resembling a dilapidated chapel, delves into the realms of spirituality and religious purpose in society. By incorporating styles and influences from the authors Gurney and Koseman, ‘Being’ challenges the relationship one has with faith and the nature of beliefsystems, and how they shape an individual's perception of the world. All within the context of a post apocalyptic world.

Utilising the critical and constructive reviews from piers and public alike. Gofton continues to develop and build the world of ‘Being’. Being mindful of his own mental health and personal struggles, ‘Being’ becomes a cathartic escape from the turbulence of modern society.

Jessica Kelly-Dettlaff
Website

'The past is the one thing we are not prisoners of.' (Berger)

Kelly's paintings explore the lived history of her/a post-war working class Liverpool family. Drawing specifically on the lived experience of her grandfather, at one time a soldier, a taxi driver and small business owner, Kelly’s neo-surrealist paintings offer a striking reimagining of time, memory and loss.

Spanning the period of time between the post-war consensus and its gradual dismantling by the Thatcher government and inspired by post-war figurative painters such as De Chirico, Magritte and Morley, Kelly’s sensitive and off-beat images provide an evocative representation of life in a time of war, social upheaval and the ultimate breaking down of the individual’s sense of self and place.

Samantha Murphy
Website
Instagram

'A Force of Nature'
This work looks at the continuing bias of the many blots on the landscape facilitating exponential human growth, vs the decreasing areas of bucolic unadulterated landscape. It also seeks to address the issue of the highly consumerist society and throwaway culture we live in, via the repurposing of the iconic Amazon delivery envelopes used. The dynamic mark-making and layering reflect the alchemy of nature’s powerful force fighting back against the destruction of nature.

Paul Warburton
Website

Paul Warburton Paul Warburton is a multi-disciplinary artist who mainly works in oils and watercolour. He uses vibrant, often intense colours to capture the atmosphere. He loves the impressionists, especially Monet and Degas, as well as post impressionists like Van Gogh and Matisse as well as David Hockney and contemporary impressionist artists. He sees his own work as being influenced by these artists that he admires, but wants to take his art forward by integrating contemporary art techniques and themes. Recently, he has become interested in immersive methods in art as a means of adding a new layer of engagement to his work by using projection techniques to project his work on to walls. His work is mainly seasonally inspired, but he likes figurative subjects as well. He loves to experiment. In the words of Matisse: “Creativity takes courage.” (Henri Matisse)

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