It Takes a Village

Reflecting on the ideas of congregation and the power of public assembly, It Takes a Village will feature works by artists including Romily Alice (UK), Derek Alexis Coard (USA), Tessa Lynch (UK), Lakwena Maciver (UK), Hardeep Pandhal (UK) and Paul Yore (AUS).

This group show will bring together a rich and broad range of practices including neon works, textile, video, drawing and installation. Set across the three gallery spaces, the exhibition will also include a series of soap box discussions, talks, screenings and performances that will take place throughout the duration of the exhibition.

Artist Romily Alice, explores modern society’s relationship with looking, being looked at, pleasure and the body through her neon work, while Lakwena Maciver responds to the exhibition’s themes by creating a new installation work in the form of a stage.  This piece, which will show Maciver’s distinct colour palette and commitment to vibrant motifs, will act as a backdrop to the programme of performance and debate.

Tessa Lynch will look at motherhood and her practice as a contemporary artist. The artist will hold a print workshop at Hull School of Art & Design with a group of local artist-mothers, the outcomes of which will be displayed in the exhibition.

It Takes a Village will include over 30 drawings from American artist Derrick Alexis Coard, who died earlier this year. Many of the works are part of a series of portraits of bearded black men and Coard said of his work that it is “… a form of testimonial where black men can be seen in a more positive and righteous light.”

Paul Yore and Hardeep Pandhal, the final artists in this show, use personal experiences to deal with complex issues around representation and iconography.  Yore will present several technicolour collages and tapestries, while Pandhal’s work will range from video to textile.

This will be the gallery’s first exhibition curated by recently appointed Senior Curator, John Heffernan.