In the winter of 2018 I heard
news of an event in Derby that potentially would be of interest to me. A friend
via Facebook sent me the details and the title of the event certainly got my
attention. Making a preliminary enquiry to confirm the date I soon found myself
with an invitation to attend the latest free exhibition at ARTCORE.
ARTCORE is a visual arts
charity that with a group of professional artists, works within the local
communities having extensive links nationally and internationally. They
perceive themselves as a cultural hub serving diverse needs and equally diverse
communities.
The ARTCORE gallery is housed
in a concrete municipal building on the edge of the city centre, situated in
one of the less attractive streets in Derby. I used to work near this area and
it is not a street that I would normally frequent after dark. So it was
something of a surprise to find a culturally positive initiative based here,
rather than the more pretentious parts of the city.
The Rituals and Rites
exhibition aimed to explore how supernatural powers; their folklore and
mythologies, influence and define what we can call 'Human Nature' in an
increasingly globalised culture. The key categories or aspects of the diverse
worlds of anthropology, witchcraft and shamanism were the basis of this
initiative and more than two dozen artists addressed this subject.
Spread across two small
galleries, the smaller room also served as a standing dining area, the
exhibition had a certain intimate atmosphere. A larger area may have been more
appropriate but such a need, would have to be balanced against the potential
that some exhibits would have become lost.
As I entered the main gallery,
I noted in particular the animal masks displayed upon the walls. They were well
made, eye catching and so superbly suggestive of animistic rituals that I returned
to them several times. Three mounted heads, a woman, a man and a rather gory skull,
stood out in a distinctive and memorable manner.
The remaining exhibits were
of an equally high standard and of the same remarkable variety. On display were
reimagined tarot cards, poppets and depictions of the Hellenic Pantheon. The
robes of the shamanka, with an assortment of related items were placed almost
unobtrusively in a corner. Yet placed close enough to the wonderfully
sculptured head of a woman already mentioned; so reminiscent of the Baba Yaga,
that the potential links with Slavic mythology were unmistakable.
Two live performances took
place that evening. The first required a masked singer to perform an evocative
African song in front of a projected film. The second recital which took place
in the smaller room, was an acoustic guitar
performance by a local musician.
Since I was fortunate to
attend on the opening night, I was able to appreciate the level of support
shown to this event. I was delighted to observe that the numbers attending were
high, even though at times the exhibition was rather congested.
Amongst those supporting ARTCORE
and the exhibition was the Right Worshipful, the Mayor of the City of Derby
Councillor Mike Carr and Mrs Carr the Madame Mayoress. A charming couple whose presence
added weight to a cultural gem that lies hidden in this city.
The Rituals and Rites
Exhibition ran from Thursday the 13th of December 2018 to Thursday the 17th of
January 2019 and the featured the work of the following artists; Abbie Sunter,
Antoniett Sacco, Beth Bam, Conor Hurford, Christos Gkenoudis, Elizabeth Blades,
Emma Brassington, Farida Makki, Frank Abbott, Ivilina Kouneva, Jenny Bramley,
Jon Mayers, Joseph Goddard, Julie Clive, Karen Logan, Olivia Punnett, Tsogt
Otgonbayar, Paul Dodgson, Ruth Calland, Sara Jayne Harris, Sarah Thomas, Sarah
Victoria Spence, Szilvia Ponyiczki, Tal Regev, Tim Shore and Uriya Jurik.
ARTCORE ON FACEBOOK
ARTCORE WEDSITE
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