W-CA presents...

Worcester Open 2013

Open for Entry

The Worcester Open 2013 is now Open for Entry and will feature the
W-CA Contemporary Art Prize of £500

More details and access to the entry system can be found on the Worcester Open 2013 website:

www.worcesteropen.co.uk

W-CA presents...

New Sculpture

Worcester Contemporary Art are proud to present new sculpture by artist members, Andy Laffan, Charlie Hurcombe and Trevor Clarke.

The exhibition will take place at W-CA HQ in Malvern - Top of Cowleigh Rd, Malvern, WR14 1QD.

Open - Tuesdays to Saturdays 11am - 5pm Opening night: Thursday 28th March until May 1st.

Contemporary art exhibition:
Saturdays and Sundays 18th - 19th & 25th - 26th June and 2nd - 3rd & 9th - 10th July 2011 10am to 5pm.

Opening / private view:
Saturday 18th June 2011 2.00pm to 5.00pm

Venue: Portland House, Church Street, Malvern, Worcestershire. Contact: Email: info@w-ca.net

Portland House in Malvern is the unusual setting for One Thing Leads to Another which brings together the work of nine contemporary artists working with diverse materials and approaches. Focusing primarily on sculpture and installation the artists taking part have been selected with the idiosyncratic internal architecture and current state of decor of Portland House in mind. The use of a non-art venue for an exhibition was initially the motivating factor behind One Thing Leads to Another and Portland House is ideally suited.

Each artist seemingly has their own individual, separate and distinctive practice yet within the context of this exhibition relationships and connections may seem to make themselves known. This in part is where the exhibition takes its title from - One Thing Leads to Another. However the title also references how one might experience the exhibition, navigating ones way throughout the building and engaging with the artworks. It also suggests how the exhibition came about and the developing relationship between W-CA and Malvern Hills District Council.

It is hoped the exhibition will engage not only those with an interest in contemporary art but also those who might be unfamiliar or uncertain.

Malcolm Salisbury, Economic Development Officer at Malvern Hills District Council said, “After the success of the MECA project in 2009, we are pleased to be able to support the Worcestershire Contemporary Artists to put on this exhibition. We hope it will attract many visitors to Malvern, supporting the local traders and adding to the range of attractions in the town.”

09/04/2011 - 04/06/2011
Re Considered
W-CA presents a film by Nathaniel Pitt and Various Artist.
Worcester City Museum and Gallery
Preview:
Friday 8th April 2011
7pm

W-CA presents...

UNIFICATION
An Exhibition of Contemporary Art influence by science.

Jean Baynham
Guy Bigland
Chris Hodson
Various Artist

22nd May to 12th June 2011
Ground Floor, 18 Beechwood Shopping Centre,
123 High Street , Cheltenham, GL50 1DQ.

09/10/2010 - 28/10/2010
Science of Patterns #2
Jean Baynham @ Annex 21 (Worcester Arts Workshop)
Preview:
Saturday 9th October 2010
11AM – 1PM

Jean Baynham creates sculptural objects born from everyday materials. She uses the physical characteristics of the materials and her background in textiles to determine the final object. The concepts behind her work reference nature, patterns and mathematical theory. Her aim is to visualize, in a creative and poetic way, ideas formed from investigations into these subjects.

The process of making is a vital part of her practice. Frequently the materials she uses can direct and influence the end product and the work becomes enriched by unexpected discoveries.

This exhibition is a continuation of her first solo exhibition ‘Science of Patterns’ (2007) where she examined topics such as Fibonacci numbers, self-organising patterns and spirals. Some of the materials used included plastic binders, plant labels, hair bobbles, galvanized wire and cake boards.

Her new work is a product of an AA2A participation and is a search into understanding the world around us through investigations into maths and science.

" I enjoy the fact that even though my inspiration is nature and the organic, the materials I use are man made, industrial and mass-produced, a conscious effort on my part to celebrate the inventiveness of both man and nature. My research and readings encompass scientists and mathematicians such as, Jim Al-Khalili, Sian Ede, Martin Kemp, Simon Singh and Ian Stewart. Art and artists which have directed my work include, Cultex, a textile exhibition of Japanese and Norwegian artists, Minimal Art, Arte Povera, Richard Serra, Tara Donavan and Richard Deacon.

Above all I want to create objects in their own right, independent forms that have a presence in the space they occupy, asking questions of the viewer and to encourage further investigation. "

11/09/2010 - 2/10/2010
Doodles from Nature
Artist Di Cope @ ANNEX21
Preview and performance:
Sunday 12/09/2010 4:30pm - 8pm.
With performance and video work by Lauren Bentley and Pippa Bayston
Exhibition: 11/09/2010 - 2/10/2010 Thursday - Saturday, 2 - 6pm and selected Cafe Bliss opening times.

12/08/2010 - 4/09/2010
ALL IS NOT LOST?
Preview Evening 13th August 7:30 PM
Annex 21 (Worcester Arts Workshop)

Four artists selected from the recent Worcester Open Exhibition of Contemporary Art bring an eclectic mix of artwork to the centre of Worcester.

Liz West
Hannah Ainsworth
Guy Bigland
Steve Varndell

Curated by Andy Laffan

08/07/2010 - 1/08/2010
Human, All too Human (Sets in the City)
Preview Evening 23th July 7:30 PM at Annex 21 (Worcester Arts Workshop)
Various Artist + Nathaniel Pitt

During June 2010, artists Paul Johnson and Nathaniel Pitt created an Urban wildlife hide using the subterfuge of a workman’s tent. From the cover of street work they invited the public to spy out across Chamberlain Square, Birmingham in search of an owl, a stray cat, a badger or a fox, all going about their business, routine and lives.
This re-mix of the event and re-orientation at Annex21 will be a documentation of the event with new audio, visual and time based works including some live performances.
The title and sub title refer to the ideas surrounding post-humanism and the popular philosophy associated with thinkers like Friedrich Nietzsche and Gilles Deleuze.

Credits: Abi Hill, Harry Koisser, Lucy Rendle and Jack Hadley.
Thanks to Vaq Hussain and Ravi Masih for the special guest appearance from Hercules the Lion courtesy of Aston Villa.

19/06/2010 - Saturday 10:30 - 12:30
WORCESTER OPEN 2010 EVENT
Worcester City Gallery

Symposium 3.
Selection and Interpretation.

Join us on a short walking tour of two venues discussing the selection process involved in the Worcester Open and other open type exhibitions. speakers include:

Prof Antonia Payne

Currently Head of the Institute of Humanities & Creative Arts at the University of Worcester. From 2005-2008, she was Dean of Research at Dartington College of Arts in Devon. As Director of Birmingham's Ikon Gallery throughout the 1980s she was responsible for programming one of the UK's premier contemporary art spaces. In the '90s, she worked as an independent curator, writer and researcher alongside her work, over six years, as a founder-contributor to The Laboratory research project at the Ruskin School of Drawing & Fine Art, University of Oxford, where she developed research projects with artists. From 2001-2005, she was Associate Dean (Research & Academic Development) in the School of Art & Design at the University of Wolverhampton. From 2007-2009 she chaired the Arts & Humanities Research Council's Peer Review Panel 2: Visual Arts & Media. Her inaugural professorial lecture 'Vital Signs: Art Being Knowing' was given at Worcester in November.

Anne de Charmant

Anne is the director of Meadow Arts. From its base in the rural West Midlands county of Shropshire, Meadow Arts produces temporary outdoor exhibitions and commissions new works throughout the region and beyond. Following a creative and flexible approach to commissioning and exhibiting art in the rural environment, the programme brings high quality contemporary art to areas where few other facilities exist. Meadow Arts is a charitable organisation supported on a regular basis by the Arts Council and other Trusts and Foundations. Since 2004 it has been operating on a peripatetic basis, working with a variety of host venues and locations, usually highly regarded heritage sites or historic gardens in their own right with an established visitor base. This helps create new audiences, encourages partnerships between the contemporary arts and heritage sectors and provides opportunities for vibrant education and outreach programmes.

Free and open to the public.
RSVP: info@worcesteropen.co.uk
Worcester City Art Gallery,
Forgate St,
WR1 1DT

27/06/2010 - 11am - 2pm
BOOTique
Annex 21 / Worcester Arts Workshop

Worcester Contemporary Artists (WC-A) and Worcester Arts Workshop (WAW) are planning BOOTique, an Arts event to take place at WAW, Sansome St on June 27th between 11 a.m and 2 p.m. The event is not intended solely as a selling event. It is hoped that there will also be performance/art installations as well as the more traditional sale of drawings/ paintings/cards etc All monies raised from sale of pitches/cafe will go to the WAW to enable them to host arts events in the future. For more information and to book a stall please contact Paul on: 07919 177597
info@w-ca.net