Dean Reddick - Urban Net B

Social Advent no.9 - at low tide

Closing in on double figures and we have another returning member of the Collect Connect team. Dean Reddick shares with us his part 2 of urban living with a poignant statement about society today.

Our investigations into finding interesting and relevant places to site our artists Social Advents became increasingly engaging. We also found that these explorations presented us with more and more diversity as our placements began to echo some of the underlying purposes for this project, which is to utilise the spaces around us, just as the dwellers of the original cardboard city had to.

Alban Low - taking a snapshot below
the OXO Gallery

Although Dean and I exhibited together in the first Fridge magnets show at Barnet College it wasn't until a very cold Fridge Magnet trip to Nottingham as part of the Lite Bite event in 2011: http://www.lightbite.blogspot.co.uk that we got to spend some quality time together. It was during this time that I learned more about Dean's considered approach to his art practice and how these qualities are so well applied to his work as a respected art therapist - cast your eyes back to Social Advent no.3 for more information about Deans experience in this field.

Dean Reddick - House Advent 2

The idea of this flat packed society creates a double edged paradox for me, leaving me thinking of a practical realism that we are living in a world of ever decreasing natural space, which leaves us looking more intensely at the more confined spaces in between. The flip side, excuse the pun, is that this could be viewed as a representation of our ability to think creatively when living within a utilitarian society. 

opening the doors on Advent no.9

We've already opened our doors to a great range of artworks already and the diversity with which each artist has interpreted the brief is really exciting. Not yet a third of the way through our releases so lots to look forward to in the Cardboard City stocking!

Back tomorrow with no.10 and artist Alban Low releasing!

SJS