The Space4

The Space4 Art gallery

RESPONSES TO CONFLICT AND LOSS

Curated by Garry Hunter

June 26th – August 30th

Controlled explosion

A new collection of work by sixteen artists; ‘Responses to Conflict and Loss’, features work from locations where 20th Century wars have taken place, including Cambodia, France and Spain, as well as more personal reflections in places such as Northern Ireland, Romania and Vietnam.

"Marine" by Clifton Stewart

Exhibits range from photographs, to video projection, to installations and the show has generated a lot of interest from other galleries throughout the country.

Participating artists include David Snoo Wilson, who has collected earth and grass seeds from European conflict sites including Ypres, Dresden and The Somme, Moira Blackwell, whose portraits of seemingly passive elderly residents belie the personal heroism demonstrated in the prime of their lives and Clifton Stewart, whose macro photographs deal with the blurring of play and conflict, raising the questions ‘what do we see?’ and ‘is it real or imaginary?’.

"Soldier Running" by Clifton Stewart

The curator of the exhibition and one of the participating artists is the London based artist Garry Hunter. Mr Hunter said: “The aim of the exhibition was catharsis rather than shock tactics, with much of the work being very personal.”

Hunter mainly works with photography, but has produced a neon piece for this show, which reflects the age at which the great-uncle he never knew died during the Normandy landings.
Hunter reflects: “Each artist has their story to tell. Mine began when I was given an unusual metal-faced watch by my father that belonged to the soldier that was my great-uncle. It was the only thing left of him, sent back to his parents after he was killed in action.”