Exhibitions
As Old as the Hills
Community project rooted in environment and heritage, culminating in an immersive contemporary art exhibition/events for Somerset Art Weeks Festival
Community art project rooted in heritage and environment, culminating in an immersive contemporary art exhibition plus events in the iconic Zig Zag building, Glastonbury for Somerset Art Weeks Festival (21 September - 6 October).
As Old as the Hills, curated by artists Fiona Campbell and Jan Ollis, looks at the ancient layered history of Mendip and the Somerset Levels – interdependent landscapes which have shaped and been shaped by humans for millennia. This unique mix of land and water provides fertile soil for artists. The project features ten artists working in a range of disciplines, from large-scale sculptural installations, textiles and assemblage, to photography and performance. Some are local to Somerset, others from across the country. They have come together to celebrate this ancient place, its biodiversity, the value of art and environment, while offering new narratives responding to challenges of our time and the future. Artworks respond to climate change, focusing on local floods and water pollution.
As Old as the Hills provokes thought about global and local issues. It investigates deep time, ecology, life’s precariousness/persistence, transformation, adaptation, and legend of the landscape. It looks back to look forward, taking a positive approach to explore solutions. The exhibition takes place on the top floor of a vast disused space, an iconic example of Bauhaus architecture, which once housed the Morlands leather factory.
‘I’m interested in placing art in unusual spaces that bring their own atmosphere. The Zig Zag is unique; light floods in through long banks of windows which span both lengths of the building. We’re grateful to those who have supported us, including The Arts Society, Gane Trust, Shepton Mallet Town Council, Somerset Art Works, and private donors’. (Co-curator Fiona Campbell)
A range of workshops led by the artists throughout the summer have engaged the community in
collaborative making, using materials gathered in the surroundings. These will be displayed as part of the exhibition. Upcoming workshops include a Canal Walk & Workshop.
Further information: instagram: @as.old.as.the.hills
Artists:
Madi Acharya Baskerville
Nikki Allford
Fiona Campbell
Duncan Cameron
David Kefford
Di Milstein
Penelope O’Gara
Catriona Robertson
Jan Ollis
Richard Tomlinson
As Old as the Hills, curated by artists Fiona Campbell and Jan Ollis, looks at the ancient layered history of Mendip and the Somerset Levels – interdependent landscapes which have shaped and been shaped by humans for millennia. This unique mix of land and water provides fertile soil for artists. The project features ten artists working in a range of disciplines, from large-scale sculptural installations, textiles and assemblage, to photography and performance. Some are local to Somerset, others from across the country. They have come together to celebrate this ancient place, its biodiversity, the value of art and environment, while offering new narratives responding to challenges of our time and the future. Artworks respond to climate change, focusing on local floods and water pollution.
As Old as the Hills provokes thought about global and local issues. It investigates deep time, ecology, life’s precariousness/persistence, transformation, adaptation, and legend of the landscape. It looks back to look forward, taking a positive approach to explore solutions. The exhibition takes place on the top floor of a vast disused space, an iconic example of Bauhaus architecture, which once housed the Morlands leather factory.
‘I’m interested in placing art in unusual spaces that bring their own atmosphere. The Zig Zag is unique; light floods in through long banks of windows which span both lengths of the building. We’re grateful to those who have supported us, including The Arts Society, Gane Trust, Shepton Mallet Town Council, Somerset Art Works, and private donors’. (Co-curator Fiona Campbell)
A range of workshops led by the artists throughout the summer have engaged the community in
collaborative making, using materials gathered in the surroundings. These will be displayed as part of the exhibition. Upcoming workshops include a Canal Walk & Workshop.
Further information: instagram: @as.old.as.the.hills
Artists:
Madi Acharya Baskerville
Nikki Allford
Fiona Campbell
Duncan Cameron
David Kefford
Di Milstein
Penelope O’Gara
Catriona Robertson
Jan Ollis
Richard Tomlinson
