INTERFACE
Visual art exhibitions and events with a platform for critical writing
REVIEW
Contemporary Baskets
Manchester Craft and Design Centre, Manchester
26 April - 31 August
Reviewed by: Jennifer Vickers
Nestled amongst the encroaching developments of Manchester's Northern Quarter is the Craft and Design Centre – a haven of peace and stability in an area of the city undergoing rapid regeneration. For over twenty years it has championed the applied arts, showcasing local talent and providing affordable retail and studio space for independent makers in the heart of the city.
The centre is currently in the process of reviewing its organisational structure and as part of this initiative they have developed a programme of exhibitions – curated by studio tenants – that feature a range of visiting makers in four or five shows each year.
'Contemporary Baskets' attempts to challenge traditional perceptions of the craft by presenting the work of four leading experimental makers, primarily concerned with the manipulation of colour, texture, line and form. The show steers away from established preconceptions of baskets as portable containers, and offers a rare opportunity to compare different and progressive approaches to the creation of ornamental artworks. In most cases the works are sensitive to the materials they incorporate, referencing landscape through muted palettes and natural forms. Emphasis is largely placed upon three-dimensionality and surface, with Lise Bech and Pip Weaser exploiting a variety of patterns, materials and forms to subvert conventional methodology. The nest-like structures of Laura Ellen Bacon are highly sculptural, juxtaposing soft and sumptuous centres with spiky, stern exteriors, whilst the work of Anna King explores the concept of 'vessel' for containing, concealing, protecting and enclosing, to arouse feelings of curiosity and intrigue.
The exhibition successfully illustrates the diversity of current basket-making practices, emphasising sustainable solutions to the demands of contemporary aesthetics.
Writer detail:
JENNIFER VICKERS
is an artist and freelance writer.
Venue detail:
Manchester Craft and Design Centre
17 Oak Street, Northern Quarter, Manchester M4 5JD
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