Art in the East / A Panel Discussion / Thursday 11th April
Last month saw Kettle’s Yard host a debate concerning the issue of the support for artists in Cambridge and the Eastern Region. On the panel sat Kettle’s Yard Director, Andrew Nairne, Amy Botfield, Arts Council England, Donna Lynas, Director of Wysing Arts Centre , Ian Giles , London based artist participating in OUTPOST ‘s exhibition and OUTPOST committee members James Epps and Isabel Gyling.
With the Kettle’s Yard house packed with audience members from around the region, the event was also streamed live via the Kettle’s Yard website and This is Tomorrow .
Questions concerned whether enough is being done to support artists so they can make exciting, innovative art in Cambridge and the Eastern Region. What was already happening and what more could be done. We heard from each of the panelists and then opened the discussion up to the floor for a lively debate. With the argument that there is always more that can be done to support artists in our region, the discussion also highlighted the great work that has been making headway in many areas. Making more readily available the information about the support and opportunities that is out there for artists was just one of the aims and outcomes. You can watch the discussion below.
Keep the discussion going, send us your opinions in the comment section below or via twitter .
The event was followed by , a performance by artist, Ian Giles . Audience members were invited to take part in the meditation where they were invited to paint each other’s faces with a small amount of clay in pairs. When all of the wet clay has been applied, each pair could watch each other’s faces dry with the drying process leading the meditation. For this performance meditation is understood as a focused period of calm and reflection. Patterns formed on the participant’s faces as the clay dried, mirroring the aging process and evoking thoughts about time, mortality and change.
