Jarsdell Solutions LTD | Samuel Barry | Siân Hutchings | Anthony Morgan | Joseph Shaw
Preview: Friday 15 March, 6 – 9pm
Exhibition Open: 15 March – 26 April 2019 (Wed – Fri, 12 – 6pm)
The NewBridge Project : Gateshead
Workforce is a group exhibition curated by Lucas Ferguson-Sharp featuring new work by Jarsdell Solutions LTD, Samuel Barry, Siân Hutchings, Anthony Morgan and Joseph Shaw.
The exhibition is the first part in a series of events that engage with contemporary labour issues. Workforce reacts to the changing landscape of labour, current trends away from equality and diversity in the workplace, as well as the impacts of employment on our identity and personal self-worth. Latent within the exhibition is each artist’s own relationship to work, their personal experiences as employees and how their practice fits within larger conversation about obstacles facing today’s workers.
Artists Samuel Barry and Siân Hutchings and duo Jarsdell Solutions LTD have been commissioned to create artworks in response to current labour issues ranging from artificial intelligence/automation; work structures: Gig economy, independent work, fissured work; the stagnation of income, equality and diversity; and changes in workplace structures. These artworks will be presented alongside a publication of texts on contemporary philosophies of labour edited by Anthony Morgan and a research space built in collaboration between Joseph Shaw and the curator.
As the first part in a series, the research space will explore what questions are being raised in the exhibition by the institution, curator, artists and viewers about current labour trends by providing the public with the tools to creatively contribute and respond to the dialogue of the exhibition. These questions will be further examined in subsequent iterations.
The research space will play host to a series of workshops and events. For information : click here
Samuel Barry
Samuel Barry’s practice explores areas of slippage between performative actions and their subsequent documentation. Humour is used to subvert certain sets of actions whilst maintaining an appreciation of scepticism. Originating from a Photographic background, Samuel appropriates the format of documentation to question areas of representation exploring the discursive space between a subject, and object, and how is it mediated. Working through performative actions, Samuel’s work comes from an area of covertness, taking inspiration from observations of the everyday. Samuel then re-orientates these observations into a series of actions or gestures.
Siân Hutchings
Siân Hutchings’ practice is primarily performative, with an appreciation of how verbs function in a sentence. She seeks to uncover the life inherent in materials, imbuing them with new sensory qualities. In her performances she often acts as an aural architect, releasing the aural qualities imbedded in what were once visually soaked materials. She uses materials such as gesso and paper as new forms of instrumentation in an attempt to disrupt the presumptions of what these materials may offer. Through her work, Siân aims to highlight the importance of sonic understanding, acoustic ecologies and how we can navigate experience through a multitude of senses beyond an ocular-centric lens.
Jarsdell Solutions LTD
Jarsdell Solutions Ltd was established in Glasgow in 2016 to deliver tailor-made solutions with and for partners in a variety of contexts. Jarsdell Solutions Ltd seeks to engage clients in consultation processes, identifying the needs of the context before devising appropriate solutions. Previously delivered solutions have included catering services, lighting provision, typeface design, dog walking, exhibition making and film production.
Jarsdell Solutions Ltd is happy to consider all contracts, and welcomes email enquiries from prospective clients. Get in touch at info@jarsdellsolutionsltd.co.uk.
Anthony Morgan
Anthony Morgan is editor at Bigg Books, a small community organization based in Newcastle upon Tyne. Having written and edited a couple of books on philosophy, he now runs the popular biannual ‘On Philosophy’ lecture series at the Lit and Phil, and edits The Philosopher, the UK’s longest-running public philosophy journal. Philosophically speaking, he is inclined towards scepticism, although it may simply be apathy. For Workforce he has assembled writings from some leading theorists of work, including Josh Cohen (Goldmith’s), Brian O’Connor (University College, Dublin), Katie Kadue (University of Chicago), and Nicholas H. Smith (Macquarie University), in an attempt to explore certain cores themes related both to the modern conception of work and our sense of identity in relation to it.
Joseph Shaw
Joseph Shaw is an artist based in Newcastle upon Tyne. His immersive installations tackle the forced obsolescence of technology post-2000, bring to light issues of trustworthiness and distrust of objects and individuals, and question notions of causation and effect (or actions and their reactions) with a permeating dark humour. Shaw’s work has been shown in exhibitions both in the UK and internationally and he is one founding members of the Roundabout collective based in Munich, Germany. More recently he has been working in collaboration with Tilt, who are a skills-sharing network of artists and makers who aim to provide opportunities for individuals working within the creative community. Tilt also independently design, fabricate and install for artists and galleries, and provide commercial and domestic joinery services and educational workshops for local graduates.
Workforce has been curated by NewBridge Programme Committee member Lucas Ferguson-Sharpe. The Programme Committee is a hands-on, curatorial learning and development opportunity, enabling members to produce an exhibition or commission alongside The NewBridge Project, and gain valuable experience through a programme of professional development and peer-to-peer learning. The Committee represents many voices, enabling new narratives, methodologies and approaches to emerge across our programme, diversifying the curatorial voice.
