Young Return brings together a collection of unfired clays in a state of rest. The clays are at various drying stages and will be edging towards ‘greenware’ during the course of the exhibition. They sit within a schematic with drawings and metal elements reflecting the dichotomy of the Dungeness landscape - the Romney Marsh Nature Reserve with a backdrop of military and nuclear history. Forms range from representations of beach findings, symbolic ‘holding places’ and objects describing the rhythm of relation and communication during the residency.
(pdf.) On Reflection (short reflective text)
To Find, To Hold, To Share
Some of the most contemplative works of art lie in the silent power of life’s pauses. Time to rest, time with nature, time with oneself: all bode well to the spirit of creating. RCA BLK is proud to host To Find, To Hold, To Share: an exhibition that commemorates the association’s residency (2023) in partnership with Art in Romney Marsh (AiRM). Founded in 2003, AiRM’s focus is to support artists in experimenting and making site-specific work; delivering a wide range of learning programmes that engage community groups with their local heritage and history.
RCA Alumni Kimberley Cookey-Gam, Tami Soji-Akinyemi, and Yanna Marie Orcel uncover their physical and metaphorical paths of discovery and collective exploration of coastal terrains, slow and gradual living, and sisterhood. Objects birthed from clay, yarn, driftwood, fleece, motion, and memory engulf the Hockney Gallery and bring to question the final form that they inevitably become. Like us, these pieces welcome the changes in the tide, and pay homage to the artists’ experiences before, during and after their residency at The Shingle House in Romney Marsh.
Curated by/ Text by: Zarna Hart