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Bronzers was a group exhibition of six artists from across the UK and France, whose work explores hidden histories, and the layers of meaning and reference that accumulate in the spaces we inhabit and occupy.
TitleBronzers
Artists Ailish Treanor, Alia Hamaoui, Bobby Dowler, Evelyn Cromwell, Horace Lindezey, Steven Gee Dates24.03.2023 – 28.04.2023Location SlugtownLink Click here
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The idea for the exhibition was conceived whilst dealing with the aftermath of Storm Arwen. The 2021 storm caused havoc in the North East of England, causing much damage and destruction. In Shieldfield, it blew the fascia signage off of 44 Wretham Place - what was then a disused unit bearing pharmacy signage, and which is now Slugtown.
The signage was stored in the yard at the back of the gallery, and revealed the multiple iterations, histories, and business names that this small unit had been through. The pharmacy signage blew off to reveal Ultra Tan, which in turn came down to reveal Diva hairdressers.
The title, Bronzers, comes from the name of one of the tanning salons that used to operate from 44 Wretham Place before its current use as an art gallery.
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Each artist in Bronzers deals with multiple layers of meaning and reference in their respective practices in varying ways. Some are deeply personal, as in the case of Horace Lindezey’s ceramics; others such as Alia Hamaoui layer historical and geopolitical references into sculptural assemblages; whilst Bobby Dowler works with histories completely unknown to him – repurposing found, cast-off and second-hand canvases into his own painterly compositions.
A brilliant commissioned exhibition text was written by Roxanna Watson, that documented Slugtown’s own history and artistic agency. It can be read on Slugtown’s website here.