Writing About Art- Holden Gallery

In our Writing About Art workshop we was asked to try to write a small quick review of the exhibition at  the Holden Gallery. This is my response:- 

The title of the exhibition- ‘Creation/Destruction’ blocks the view to the open gallery space, keeping the content hidden until you venture inside. Situated in the heart of the Manchester School of Art, the Holden Gallery is an artistic hub for students.

The distraction of people passing through, the students relaxing and chatting in the café area adjacent to the art, and the general hustle and bustle of university life can interfere with a person’s perception of the work.  Although this initial change in gallery atmosphere can interrupt the work, after sitting and absorbing the environment it seemed so obvious to hold an exhibition on ‘Creation and Destruction’ in a gallery with such strong links to the newest contemporary artists- the students, whose work is constantly related to the creation of art, and in doing so the destruction of the materials they use.

One of the main striking yet overwhelmingly simple pieces of the exhibition took the form of a plinth with burning candles of various heights, Untitled (Black Candles), and the frame of decaying flowers, Preserve (Chateau) both by Anya Gallaccio. The candles being given centre stage in the middle of the room, and the flowers in the middle of the back wall. As a student regularly visiting the space it has been interesting to see them gradual decay of these works.

(Courtesy of Holden Gallery website)

All the work seemed to carefully link to the name of the exhibition, and had clear themes throughout, showing the relationship between creation and destruction, always portraying the links between the two thinks rather than creation and destruction as two separate things. The exhibition is running from 12^th April- 23^rd May 2013 from 10am-4pm, and although may not be a usual commercial gallery to visit, it is a must see.