OMT Gallery Residency PRESS RELEASE
For the past few weeks I have been in residence at OMT Gallery where I have been researching and working towards a solo show in the space opening 30th August. Attached are some images from my time so far in the area.
PRESS RELEASE Andy Wicks – Artist in Residence Occupy My Time Gallery
9th July – 29th August 2013
Exhibition
30th August -‐ 28th September
Throughout July and August Andy Wicks will be in residence at Occupy My Time Gallery, part of Enclave a new collective of project spaces on Resolution Way, Deptford.
Known for his painting practice which looks to the post industrial riverside of the Thames, Wicks arrives in Deptford with a hunger to submerge himself in its rich and varied past and strong community.
Moving away from a purely studio based practice, Wicks sees this as an opportunity to work in a site responsive manner, uniting an area of interest with his place of making. This union questions certain working habits developed over the years, offering a chance to investigate his new surroundings and how to respond to a self imposed change in circumstance.
Wicks’ investigation is often triggered by the written word, wide readings on subjects are then followed by a desire to experience first hand. In the case of his paintings of mooring structures the linear nature of the Thames set a challenge and physical duration to the project.
Arriving in Deptford with just a sofa, selection of books and a want to absorb all he could on the area. Wicks spent time getting to know his new neighbourhood on foot, tracing his movements and recording his discoveries as he moved through it. He describes himself as an urban walker, learning about a place by walking and repetition, absorbing the sites, smells and characters that inhabit it.
He has taken on the role of the collector; a collector of knowledge, detritus, images and data. By combining these discoveries and a heavily researched study of Deptford’s history we gain an insight into Wicks’ investigation and a hint to the work which will result from his time in residence.
Leanne Bell Gonczarow and Ian Gonczarow – Moscow There and Back
Leanne Bell Gonczarow and Ian Gonczarow have spent the last 5 week in residence at OMT Gallery, part of Enclave in Deptford. Having just returned from living and working for the past 3 years in Moscow they have been using their time in the gallery to reflect on their experiences within a tough political and economic environment. The resulting work is now installed in the gallery until Friday 31st August.
Tuesday – Thursday 10 – 6pm and until 8.30pm Friday as part of South London Art Map’s Last Fridays.
Enclave UNIT 9
Resolution Way
Deptford
London
SE8 4NT
I have agreed to follow on from Ian and Leanne as 2013 Artist in Residence next summer. I plan on taking advantage of Enclave’s proximity to Deptford Creek and the Greenwich Peninsula to further investigate this raw and ever changing part of the Thames bankside. I’m looking forward to having a base from which to explore this area in more depth by foot and sail/rowing craft (TBC) to produce a body of work which will result in a solo show at the end of my time in the gallery.
Thames Riverside Walks
My current working practice comes from collecting images from the man made landscape, these forms have been set along the bank of the Thames and while I’m fascinated by their shapes and construction I also have a close affinity with the river itself. As a form of research I have been going on long walks along stretches of the river to take photos but also to learn more about the lay of the city and its flux. The architecture, history and potential for redevelopment is clear to see wherever your standing. Much to the west of Vauxhall has already been turned into new river side apartments, Butler’s Wharf and the central stretch of the southbank has kept its old facade but seen Starbucks and the chains take over at street level. While areas on the approach to Deptford Creek are showing signs of decay but the developers are not far away. Whatever is happening around the river bank, the one constant is the river itself, it continues to have an air of tranquility and open space, the perfect place to explore and clear your head.
I’ve started to document my walks on Googlemaps –
leave a comment