Bringing together three artists who share interests or work in similar mediums, in a trio of concurrent solo exhibitions.
Lowry is excited to present the first of a new series titled Local / National / International, that brings together three artists who share interests or work in similar mediums, in a trio of concurrent solo exhibitions. Local / National / International champions ambitious work being made in the North of England, as well as bringing exciting artists to Salford for the first time, revealing the similarities and overlaps in their practices.
For this iteration, Aliyah Hussain, Paloma Proudfoot, and Renee So all use ceramics as a vehicle for imaginative storytelling, constructing contemporary narratives through objects, tableaus and immersive environments. Feminist ideas recur throughout, with the artists challenging gender norms and representation in engaging, seductive and sometimes humorous ways.
Aliyah Hussain: She was waiting for her roots
Aliyah Hussain works across ceramics, sound and collage, drawing on themes found in feminist science fiction and speculative storytelling. For She was waiting for her roots, the artist has taken inspiration from Anne Richter’s 1967 science fiction short story The Sleep of Plants. Hussain will create an immersive exhibition with creeping ceramic vines, fronds, roots and curious receptacles testing and penetrating the boundaries of the gallery all to an ambient soundtrack will fill and reverberate throughout the space.
Paloma Proudfoot: Lay Figure
Paloma Proudfoot applies her knowledge of clothes patternmaking to inform new and unique ways of constructing her complex ceramic friezes and sculpture. For Lay Figure, Proudfoot draws on research into the history of medicine and the treatment of female patients, particularly at the Salpêtrière Hospital in 19th century Paris. The exhibition centres on the role of the lay figure, or mannequin, in conceptualising the ‘hysterical body’ in medicine. Proudfoot will present an expansive ceramic and mixed media relief alongside wearable sculptures.
Renee So: The Essence
Renee So engages with traditional craft forms such as ceramics, tiled wall works, stained glass and hand-woven textiles, weaving historic influences through a contemporary feminist lens to create playful and timeless sculptures. In The Essence, So presents a series of oversized perfume bottles, drawing on the design cues that modern perfume bottles take from their predecessors. So’s work specifically references the Yves Saint Lauren perfume Opium, with the artist creating figures that reflect the controversial advertising campaigns, which have predominantly featured exoticised white female models.
Listings
LOCAL / NATIONAL / INTERNATIONAL: Aliyah Hussain, Paloma Proudfoot, Renee So
Dates: 23 Nov 2024 - 16 Feb 2025
Venue: Lowry, Pier 8, The Quays, Salford, M50 3AZ
Gallery Opening Times: Tue-Fri 11am-5pm | Sat-Sun 10am-5pm.
FREE Admission
Further Information: LOCAL / NATIONAL / INTERNATIONAL