Eight Cumbrian artists have collaborated to create an exhibition and programme at Florence Arts.
BEAST reflects on the duality of how we love and appreciate nature but at the same time are continually destroying it.
Thanks to Arts Council England, the artists have been offered a commission to work with Sue Mackay, director of Florence Arts, to work collaboratively to develop their installation at the centre near Egremont.
For most of the artists, this has been the first paid commission, from 17-year-old Charlotte Crook who studies at Lakes College, Lillyhall, to Bob Dixon, just starting his career in art much later in life.
The installation is introduced with a giant sculpture of a beast head made from wire and recycled materials looming over the fence – created by Sue
Todd and Charlotte.
Visitors are invited to ‘feed the beast’ – literally – by throwing cans down its throat to promote recycling and highlight the damage our rubbish is doing to the
environment.
Some of the work on display has been co-created by artists and local residents in advance. Nanette Madan, resident artist at Florence, has worked with WI groups and schoolchildren to create a river dragon which floats through the gallery space.
Clare Parker, of Low Mill Studios in Egremont, worked with Flo’s youth network to create a series of papier mache heads for a piece called Who is the beast? which reflects our own faces back to us as conspirators in the environmental crisis.
Other artists are co-creating in-gallery – come and add a doodle beast with Rachel Metcalfe or collage beast with Natalie Burns – or delivering workshops like Ursula Troche or Bob who is encouraging people to draw for fun!
