Peoples Republic of South Devon

Reclaiming Beauty (art review)

May 26th, 2008

The art world has long been the champion of recycling and reuse and the issues of sustainability and the environment are on the agenda in a diverse exhibition Reclaiming Beauty, which is showing at the Devon Guild of Craftsmen. They got in touch in the form of Anna Trussler

- Reclaiming Beauty, Sustainable Craft exhibition at the Devon Guild of Craftsmen, Bovey Tracey, Devon, to Sunday 15 June
by Anna Trussler
The unseen beauty in everyday, throwaway objects is the theme of the current exhibition at the Devon Guild Gallery (Bovey Tracey). The objects and pieces displayed throw into relief the material used to make the ‘art piece’ itself. Similar to the shadows cast by Tim Noble and Sue Webster’s shadow sculptures, the recycled waste and found items used here, are undisguised in the newly-formed art work, or functional object on display.

Michelle Brand, one of the collective of exhibitors, uses recycled materials as a deliberate statement of her environmental concerns. She makes screens, lampshades and room dividers from the plastic bottoms cut from drinks bottles.

Lucy Casson is a pioneer of re-used materials. Much of her work utilises scrap metal, plastic and food tins. She creates modelled scenarios and strange cartoon-like creatures, sometimes in the act of discovering the recycled parts they are made out of. Lucy is to give a presentation on her current work at the gallery on Tuesday.

Textile artist Michael Brennand-Wood has created bright and giant circular wall-pieces, in a wonderful array of colourful, rhythmic structures mainly starting with textiles. But in these pieces, pop culture and the history of carnival resonate, as he integrates found objects and computerised machine embroidery with acrylic paint, buttons and crayons. Cleo Mussi’s ceramics use a method of fusing together disguarded ornamental parts, out of which she forms intricate, mutated figures, reincarnated into new ornamentation.

Other works feature wire sculptures by Celia Smith who uses disguarded electrical and telephone cabling to ‘draw’ lines in 3D. Hannah Lobley transforms old wet book pages back into wood-like material and lather turns it into sculptural, functional object. The work exhibited in Reclaiming Beauty us unique in terms of craft, and the Guild continues to explore challenging and innovative trends in this field.

The artists explore both the aesthetic and the uncanny by combining surprising and sometimes jarring materials and media. The gallery display itself echoes this aim by placing of some of the works on antique dressers and Victorian cabinets. Again, shadows as partial sections of old rooms and domestic spaces remind us of the how once beautiful things in history have been perceived and displayed.

(images from the top: Hannah Loveley; Michael Brennand-Wood; Cleo Mussi and Celia Smith)

• Talk by Lucy Casson. A pioneer in the use of recycled materials, Lucy will talk about her work discussing her inspirations and influences.
Tuesday 27 May 6.30pm in The Terrace, The Devon Guild of Craftsmen.
Advance booking on 01626 832223.

• Portfolio review masterclass with Michael Brennand-Wood at The Contemporary Craft Fair. Open to professional textile artists only. Join a group critique led by the award winning international artist. See the craft fair site for full details.

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Entry Filed under: Arts