An exhibition of new work by eight contemporary artists united by the idea that every artwork contains the trace of the absent author. Planned before the pandemic hit the theme has gained extra resonance due to lockdown and will celebrate the return of art, artists and audiences to galleries this summer.
“Absent Authors is a powerful exploration of eight artist’s experiences in the face of the pandemic, with the works covering an exciting range of mediums – from painting and sculpture through to performance and virtual reality. We’re really pleased to support this summer’s exhibition thanks to National Lottery funding and to help create more vital opportunities for audiences to safely return to our gallery spaces.”
Sabine Unamun, Director, London, Arts Council England
“With some upfront stepping away and acts of disappearance Absent Authors suggests an emotive relationship between artwork and maker.“
Brian Griffiths, artist and curator
#AbsentAuthorsAPT
Exhibition curated by Robert Fitzmaurice
This exhibition has been funded by Arts Council England.
Absent Authors
8 July - 1 August 2021
12pm to 5 pm, Thur to Sun
Madi Acharya-Baskerville, Güler Ates, Kit Yan Chong, KV Duong, Robert Fitzmaurice, Alison Goodyear, Kirsty Harris, Kelly Sweeney
Wednesday 28 July 2:30pm - 4:30pm
FREE Art Workshop for age 7-11 with Artist & Qualified Teacher Kelly Sweeney
To book your place please click here
Scroll down for exhibition details
Participating Artists
Madi Acharya-Baskerville works with found objects and materials to articulate societal issues free of textual constraints. She is a Member of the Royal Society of Sculptors. https://www.madiacharya-baskerville.org
Güler Ates works with video, photography, printmaking and performance to explore the experience of cultural displacement. https://gulerates.co.uk
Kit Yan Chong is interested in social, cultural and historical contexts; her work explores the interplay between binary oppositions through the additive and reductive process. http://www.kityanchong.co.uk
KV Duong is a London based painter and action artist who combines themes of war, migration and the Asian diaspora with his experiences as a gay Asian male.
https://www.kvduong.com
Robert Fitzmaurice works in a variety of media to interrogate figurative conventions across cultures. This is his curatorial debut.
https://fitzmaurice.works
Alison Goodyear is an artist, researcher and educator. Goodyear uses film, virtual reality, augmented reality sculptural installations, sound and experimental paintings to explore the idea of painting as place, working within an expanded understanding of the painting tradition. https://www.alisongoodyear.co.uk
Kirsty Harris explores nuclear explosions as cultural, historical and iconic symbols. Referencing the scale, beauty and abhorrent nature of the atom bomb she delves into the periphery of the subject, the myths, characters and surrounding evidence. She is also co-founder of Come Quick Disaster, a platform for art. https://www.kirstyharris.com
Kelly Sweeney is a London-based multidisciplinary artist, her practice encompasses painting, sculpture, film and more recently performance.
https://www.kellysweeney.co.uk