#MADEINWOOD
Made in Wood was a collaborative exhibition and research event between staff and Architecture students from Nottingham Trent University and Bergen Academy of Art and Design, Norway (KHiB).
The exhibition formed out of discussions with KHiB in relation to the annual Bergen International Wood Festival.
Taking inspiration from Italo Calvino’s Invisible Cities, the students addressed how global cities seem to challenge the laws of gravity, with soaring skyscrapers that compete to reach imposing heights.
Watch the video above to see the city of wood take form in the Gallery.
The Gallery was split into three distinctive districts overlooked by a bridge; each district depicted a different interpretation of a city scape.
Built to overlook the city, the bridge provided a focal point from all areas. An atmosphere of power and superiority was portrayed, contrasting with the ghetto below.
Situated to the left of the bridge, this district represented the need for housing in built-up areas; how nationalities come together to build communities out of whatever can be found. A tight, enclosed atmosphere was created by the narrow spaces and multiple routes through the district.
As you looked to the right of the bridge this area was built to represent the historical industrial background of both Nottingham and Bergen and many cities around the world. It portrayed a ‘gritty’ atmosphere that was present before modern technology took over.
Placed at the rear of the Gallery, this district represented the growth of the modern city and how lighting from it can impact on surrounding areas. It drew particular attention to how imposing modern structures can be. The lighting creates a spiritual atmosphere and futuristic feel, acting as a beacon for all in the city.
Download a copy of the Made in Wood student brief
The wood used in this exhibition was kindly donated by John A. Stephens of Lady Bay, Nottingham.
For the duration of the Made in Wood exhibition we handed over our Instagram account to the students from Bergen and NTU, for them to create a visual diary of their experience. Check out their story on the Bonington Gallery Instagram feed.
Click here to download the exhibition handout
This exhibition brought together two artists that investigate their own subjectivity in relation to socio-political economies and corporeal boundaries. Through differing approaches each artist created a shared language through mired and inky surfaces on skin and paper. By exhibiting solo works together Kelly and Marhaug grappled to hold each other in view and create the context to embark on a collaborative project, whilst Kelly was in residency at USF Verftet, Bergen (April-June 2013).
The Seers-in Residence was a programme which engaged four researchers from Nottingham Trent University, drawn from across various departments and schools. The researchers were invited to interact with Traci Kelly’s mono print installation Feeling It For You (Perspective) to evoke their own practice and research interests.
Emma Cocker, School of Art & Design
Thursday 10 January, 10 am – 1 pm
Emma Cocker’s practice interrogates the critical potential of failure, uncertainty, boredom, hesitation, immobility and inconsistency by exploring models of practice and subjectivity that remain wilfully open or unresolved.
Joanne Lee, School of Art & Design
Thursday 17 January, 10 am – 1 pm
Joanne Lee investigates the aesthetics of everyday urban life and explores the possibilities of the essay in textual and visual forms as a creative and critical entity.
Ben Judd, School of Art & Design
Wednesday 23 January, 2 pm – 5 pm
Ben Judd interacts with and creates alternative belief systems based on observations of social groups such as witches and Morris dancers, to which he remains paradoxically both close and distant, connected and disconnected.
Dr Simon Cross, School of Arts and Humanities
Thursday 31 January 10 am – 1 pm
Simon Cross’ research engages with the representation and attending imagery of madness in the social sphere through historical and contemporary trajectories.
