Henry Driver / Ed Arantus - Silver Spoon exhibition

Henry Driver's fluorescent sculpture has been placed at the Corn Exchange, a building whose purpose has shifted over the years, in parallel with changes in the agricultural industries. The response has been written by Ed Arantus. 

You watched me under the microscope; I know you did

With a snake eye glance like I've never seen, you took me in

Like a petri, parcel, package, like a dream

You didn’t notice my beauty, no connection, and I

Wasn't looking for you to rescue me

I wondered just which part of me you wanted

I hope you realize I’m not all sweet, all things nice, with spice

 

You see me under glass, all made up, your fantasy

And it's the lazy way, I’m more than a money tree

Because even white snow fades

Like dirty socks, don’t throw me away

I’m not just a pretty cross section

All torn out, worn and left behind

So I won't be sad if you change your mind  

Ed Arantus

Henry Driver works at the intersection of art and technology. A commission for a permanent work for Cressing Temple Barns by Essex County Council in 2019 demonstrated his interest in organic forms and changing agricultural practices. He has exhibited widely internationally and in galleries in the UK included Tate Britain, Tate Liverpool, the Barbican and The Whitechapel Gallery. Most recently he was selected by leading curators as one of the top fifteen young artists working in the UK, for the Kleinwort Hambros Emerging Artists Prize 2019. www.henrydriverartist.com; Twitter @henrydriver_; Instagram @henrydriver_

Ed Arantus is a conceptual artist and writer. He published his first work in the Censored Zine in 2010 and has exhibited his work ever since at venues like the Contemporary Arts Research Unit in Oxford and the Museum of Futures in Surbiton. https://edarantus.blogspot.com; Instagram @edarantus

In the summer of 2020 fifteen specially commissioned artworks on the theme of Silver Spoon were placed on the streets and in the parks of Bury St Edmunds. Each artwork inspired a new written work by an author that was published on the Groving blog at http://www.groveprojects.org/blog

Silver Spoon is part of the annual Groving exhibition that takes art into public spaces. In this year of COVID it provides an exciting art experience for the everyone, a real lift to the town centre of Bury St Edmunds. To read more about the curator Barbara Dougan and Grove Projects visit http://www.groveprojects.org/

Works can be found and enjoyed, or taken home to be treasured. 

Sentinel Trees

Welcome to Sentinel Trees, an exhibition of miniature art works from 13 artists and 9 authors. 

We are excited and pleased to be part of the Urban Tree Festival 2020.https://urbantreefestival.org/

Today is the last day of the exhibition and we would like to thank all the artists and writers who contributed their time and effort to make the show possible. Thanks also to the Urban Tree Festival; we hope you have taken part in some of the exciting events that have been going on all week.

Artist: Alban Low and Jack Writer: El Rhodes

Do Not Forget Us, Those Who Have Been Lost.


Do not forget us, those who have been lost
whether in the sap, or in the blood,
taken by unthinking rage against the flesh 
and the bright liminal of a living green

All those of us who were taken before our time,
make memories for us, speak aloud our names, 

What in this unfurling causes such intent 
against the seed to leaf, or life lived now
some unsimply hate the blossom
as they also hate the bough and root

Do not forget us, those who have been lost,
plant new words afresh, and remember our names

About the Writer

E. E. Rhodes is an archaeologist and writer who lives in Cardiff, with 5000 books, a tolerant partner, and probably quite a few mice. Her work can be found in a number of anthologies, zines and journals. Connect with her on Twitter @electra_rhodes

About the Artists

Alban Low is involved in many creative projects, these include album artwork, publishing chapbooks, making films, maps, conceptual exhibitions, live performance and good old drawing. He is artist-in-residence at the School of Nursing, Faculty of Health, Social Care and Education at Kingston University and St George's University of London. Low spends his evenings in the jazz clubs of London where he captures the exhilaration of live performances in his sketchbook. On Wednesday evenings he sketches the performers on the radio show A World in London at Resonance FM. During the 2020 Lockdown he made his first radio programme, The All Vinyl A to Z of Africa.

http://albanlow.com/

Jack is an artist collaborating with Alban for Sentinel Trees.

About the Bonsai

This scruffy little bonsai is a pyracantha, commonly known as a Firethorn due to its bright red berries and the copious spikes on its branches. Pyracantha will grow to about 15 feet tall and are frequently found in gardens. Their fruits are mildly poisonous to humans but make a good winter food source for birds.

Sentinel Trees

Welcome to Sentinel Trees, an exhibition of miniature art works from 13 artists and 9 authors. 

We are excited and pleased to be part of the Urban Tree Festival 2020.https://urbantreefestival.org/

Today is the last day of the exhibition and we would like to thank all the artists and writers who contributed their time and effort to make the show possible. Thanks also to the Urban Tree Festival; we hope you have taken part in some of the exciting events that have been going on all week.

Artist: Sally Barker Writer: Kim Reddick

Golden seeds,

From a forgotten land.

Swinging from trees,

Across silver sands.

Are they rare, or precious in some way?

The merchants are restless,

The bidding is today.

Golden seeds,

The price goes up and up,

A long way from their rustling leaves,

Where the winds blow warm and true.

Sold off to the highest bidder, 

As a token or a relic,

Seen for their image,

The golden seeds,

A legacy in a capsule,

Of a long gone time, 

Or a long gone land...

But then,

Are all seeds not golden?

About the Writer

Kim is a regular walker in Epping forest.

About the Artist

Sally Barker (b 1962 Yorkshire) is a visual artist, living in Hebden Bridge, West Yorkshire. She works mainly in sculpture and installation but also works with printing, drawing, video and the occasional performance. She is a member of the Yorkshire Sculptors Group, has exhibited widely within the UK and Europe, showing equally in gallery and non-gallery, outdoor settings, from Tate Modern to the fells of the Lake District. She has undertaken many residencies and commissions, mainly in connection with the two forces that underpin her work - the landscape and feminism. Her practise is driven by a desire to expose and dismantle aspects of power and control, looking at fault and damage. There is a dark but wry humour here which rescues the work from being pious or preachy. 

http://sallybarker.org

http://instagram.com/sallyjbarker

https://facebook.com/sallyjbarker

https://twitter.com/sallyjbarker

Artists Alban and Jack

About the Artists

Alban Low is involved in many creative projects, these include album artwork, publishing chapbooks, making films, maps, conceptual exhibitions, live performance and good old drawing. He is artist-in-residence at the School of Nursing, Faculty of Health, Social Care and Education at Kingston University and St George's University of London. Low spends his evenings in the jazz clubs of London where he captures the exhilaration of live performances in his sketchbook. On Wednesday evenings he sketches the performers on the radio show A World in London at Resonance FM. During the 2020 Lockdown he made his first radio programme, The All Vinyl A to Z of Africa.

http://albanlow.com/

Jack is an artist collaborating with Alban for Sentinel Trees.

Artist: Bryan Benge

About the Artist

Bryan is a founder member of Collect Connect and a member of the London Group.

http://www.thelondongroup.com/bryan-benge/

http://www.bryanbenge.co.uk/

Artist: Ann Kopka

About the Artist

Ann Kopka is a visual artist and curator. She has exhibited in London, the UK, Denmark, Germany, Italy and the USA and her work is held in private collections in the UK, France, Spain, USA and Australia.

Ann studied Fine Art at Central St Martins College of Art and Design and The City Lit, and Museum Curating at The Tate Modern. She studied The Practices and Debates of Modern Art at the Open University and graduated with a First Class Honours Degree.

Ann is a volunteer project co-ordinator at the Heath Robinson Museum London where she is involved with organising and curating temporary exhibitions. Ann is a member of The Free Painters and Sculptors, an Independent artists’ co-operative and charity

Artist: Stella Tripp

About the Artist

I live in Exeter – pretty close to my place of birth: Taunton in Somerset. But I travelled the long way round – living and studying in Israel, Portsmouth, London, and America along the way. I have made and exhibited art in all those places, as well as holding many exhibitions here in the south west. 

I work in a variety of media including painting, drawing, mixed-media constructions and ceramics. Since 2015 I have also been exploring collaborative performative practice, as a founding member of Preston Street Union (PSU) –  an Exeter-based affiliation of artists who generate new work and learning through social, collaborative processes.