Simon Bayliss
Lindsey Bull
Martyn Cross
Gordon Dalton
Lara Davies
Tom Down
Tamara Dubnyckyj
Robbie Fife
Rebecca Gould
Jacqui Hallum
Marielle Hehir
Aly Helyer
Linda Hemmersbach
Lindsey Bull
Martyn Cross
Gordon Dalton
Lara Davies
Tom Down
Tamara Dubnyckyj
Robbie Fife
Rebecca Gould
Jacqui Hallum
Marielle Hehir
Aly Helyer
Linda Hemmersbach
“Night gives us the space for things to happen in. Once we pass through twilight into darkness, edges blur; we lose the sense of things. We start to question what is in front of us; we become aware of darkness' ability to multiply risk. The fear of getting caught. Within the depths of darkness we are continually in doubt. Our vision becomes searching, figures and forms appear and disappear in the shadows. Artists often utilise this area of confusion to draw out forms and ideas, like finding a figure within an abstract painting”
Mission Gallery is pleased to present LLE, an artist-led curatorial project with a focus on contemporary painting. From a base in Wales they aim to showcase their artists via projects, international art fairs and exhibitions.
Lack of light has been a constant feature in the creation of artwork, from the earliest cave paintings through to the works of Rembrandt, and later Walter Sickert. Within this show LLE bring together contemporary works that reach into the darkness, questioning how the lack of light affects the work and what this means to the viewer.
Nightswimming has been programmed in association with the BEEP Painting Biennial, which profiles vibrant contemporary painting and takes place at venues across Swansea throughout the summer. Talks, workshops and other related activities will be programmed for its duration to complement the exhibition.
Mission Gallery is pleased to present LLE, an artist-led curatorial project with a focus on contemporary painting. From a base in Wales they aim to showcase their artists via projects, international art fairs and exhibitions.
Lack of light has been a constant feature in the creation of artwork, from the earliest cave paintings through to the works of Rembrandt, and later Walter Sickert. Within this show LLE bring together contemporary works that reach into the darkness, questioning how the lack of light affects the work and what this means to the viewer.
Nightswimming has been programmed in association with the BEEP Painting Biennial, which profiles vibrant contemporary painting and takes place at venues across Swansea throughout the summer. Talks, workshops and other related activities will be programmed for its duration to complement the exhibition.
Curator’s notes
‘Nightswimming’ During a research trip to Berlin, I picked up a book called ‘Nightswimming: Discotheques from the 1960s to the Present’, 2015, by Chiara Carpenter, Giovanna Silva and Wayne Daly. This history of dance clubs, looking at them anthropologically and as an architectural phenomenon, made me reconsider how people at clubs activate a space. I was interested in the way individuals spark connections and create dialogues, both hostile and through friendship. Individuals’ proximity within the club, the swell of mass, the singular actor as a part of a whole – these dynamics intrigued me and I wanted to recreate these interactions through artists’ work. I wanted the paintings to act similarly, to pass by each other, affect perceptions and preconceived ideas of painting. I wanted some works to be close to each other, while some works cut through the crowd looking for acquaintances. This show, like a club, inhabits the night, where questions can be asked without the light of day, where decisions can be questionable. Nightswimming - entering the dark water – uncertain, slightly afraid but open and with others close.
‘Nightswimming’ During a research trip to Berlin, I picked up a book called ‘Nightswimming: Discotheques from the 1960s to the Present’, 2015, by Chiara Carpenter, Giovanna Silva and Wayne Daly. This history of dance clubs, looking at them anthropologically and as an architectural phenomenon, made me reconsider how people at clubs activate a space. I was interested in the way individuals spark connections and create dialogues, both hostile and through friendship. Individuals’ proximity within the club, the swell of mass, the singular actor as a part of a whole – these dynamics intrigued me and I wanted to recreate these interactions through artists’ work. I wanted the paintings to act similarly, to pass by each other, affect perceptions and preconceived ideas of painting. I wanted some works to be close to each other, while some works cut through the crowd looking for acquaintances. This show, like a club, inhabits the night, where questions can be asked without the light of day, where decisions can be questionable. Nightswimming - entering the dark water – uncertain, slightly afraid but open and with others close.
