Saints and…?

12th February 2017 claireabaker

‘Our Lady of Pripyat’ Photography by Lucy Baker

At the Baltic Book Fair last year, when exhibiting with 26:86 Collective, we were offered an exhibiting opportunity which I immediately accepted, thinking it would be a ‘little’ oasis of gently placing a few pieces, in the midst of the stressful, must-be-perfect big shows in ‘proper’ galleries that we had booked. Also, things in the distance future always seem more do-able.

It crept up quickly and in retrospect was too close to the pull down of the Blah Blah exhibition and I was really busy with other projects (which I hadn’t anticipated either). After speaking to the priest a fortnight before install, I realised it was actually a big deal and I wasn’t that prepared. Luckily we have the 26:86 Collective members

Nicola Golightly …just hanging

An opening night was planned and the social media platforms informed but I should have plastered Stanley itself with more traditional printed promotional matter -#learningcurve luckily I have a friend in Stanley It is a challenge to tempt those who do not usually visit art exhibitions to come along, which is probably why some funding bodies insist on strategies to achieve this…

It was the ‘think on feet’ style of curating (again) as we weren’t sure what or how much space we had until we arrived. Another bonus is that Father Kevin is an art lover/aficionado and was very accommodating, even buying us all Italian delicatessen ciabatta sandwiches, which were amazing.

Soviet inspired banners – Niall Kitching

‘Nuclear Map of the UK’ by Nicholas Young

This venue worked so well, it’s a beautiful building with alcoves, altars and beautiful holy saint statues and our work naturally slid into places previously unimagined e.g. the confessional box… and looks incredibly beautiful especially when lit by candlelight…