Review: 'Juneau Projects - I Am The Warrior' at John Hansard Gallery Central

Photo: Courtesy of John Hansard Gallery

‘Juneau Projects: I Am The Warrior’ celebrates not just art, but the drive to create it. It focuses on the creativity that exerts itself in countless ways, with countless outcomes and continues to transform day by day. By embracing this, ‘I Am The Warrior’ reflects our desire not only to view, but to create art, to produce it, in any way possible. The way the exhibition changes over time re-evaluates the gallery environment itself. Work is not fixed, but is placed temporarily, on show and then not, or repositioned as new works are thrown into the mix. A force, itching to find something new, drives the project to grow and develop.

There is an air of graffiti art to the curation of the show. Vivid colours are splashed over the walls along with huge blocks of pink and yellow, while the artists’ names are chalked onto the wall. There is a sense of spontaneity, things are in motion, go back tomorrow and there will be more work, more scribbled names, forming an erratic, sensational display of creativity.

For me, the standout work was by Ning-Ning Li. Her line reminded me very much of Warhol’s early illustration work, with the simplicity and pastel palette emphasised by the bold surroundings of the gallery. Literally anything goes here, from written and framed poetry, to model painting, an animal made of empty milk bottles, bracelets and an impressive sculpture by Chris Cudlip, titled ‘Drum Fish’.

Photo: Courtesy of John Hansard Gallery

The show captures the impulsiveness and temporality of street art, but its biggest success comes from its democratic approach to the selection and display of people’s work. The project celebrates art that is made for the sheer joy of making it. It is also important to note that this is the Central gallery’s final exhibition (its main building remains open), so it is clear to see why an exhibition of this style was chosen, as it reflects the galleries own spontaneity in terms of its location and short tenancy.

‘I Am The Warrior’ sends out the Central gallery in a flourish of colour, but the story is far from over. Despite major cuts to budgets across the country, Southampton’s Cultural Quarter looks to grow exponentially. In 2015, work will be completed on the new arts complex, which will play host to the new John Hansard Gallery, as well as new performance spaces and a selection of other related ventures.

Photo: Culture Southampton. Artists impression of the new arts complex

For now, head over to the ‘Juneau Project’ exhibition, then go back after a few days and see what has changed, as new work is being added almost every day. Submissions are open and are still being taken, so if you have anything you would like to show, be it photography, sculpture or hobby craft, be sure to send it over to the gallery (follow the link to the Hansard website for more information).

'Juneau Projects: I Am the Warrior' runs until April 27th at the John Hansard Gallery Central, visit their website for more information on how to submit your work. A new exhibition, 'Performance/Audience/Film' opens at the main John Hansard Gallery on March 26th. 

Joe Rose

Co-Editor

Welcome to Lost & Found!

WELCOME one and all to the new and exciting LOST & FOUND!

Let me shake you warmly by the hand and offer an introduction to our little blog, its aims and why we decided to create it.

The idea for Lost & Found came about at the start of 2013. Having moved to Southampton in December, I was struck by the excitement amongst the artists and writers in the community. I wanted to work creatively with other like-minded individuals after my band separated, so I took tentative steps into The Art House and The Cellar in order to meet other poets and to join events.

Photo: Nisha Haq - Southampton Docks at sunset. 

I was in awe of the talent on display and went home to share what I had seen with my partner and friends. We knew instantly that we wanted to shine a light on what was going on within our city. As the idea continued to roll along, we picked up new members who each brought their own interests to the team - photography, fashion, design, film – you name it! What we had created was no longer just a magazine to feature poets and writers - Lost & Found had become a fully-fledged portal to the artistic world within the city.

Today is the beginning of Lost & Found. It is the start of a project which we are hoping to continue long into the future. It will be your guide, for new and existing members of the community, suggesting where you can find the best art and culture that Southampton has to offer.

It is an exciting time to be an artist in Southampton: our Cultural Quarter is under construction and consequently the poetry scene is thriving; new and exciting artists and photographers are cropping up in the city’s exhibition spaces while independent retailers and galleries are still going strong. We’ve never had it so good.

We love the idea of walking into Waterstones or the Southampton City Art Gallery and seeing your friend on the front cover of our magazine. After all, it’s the people of these streets, in the bars and cafes, who are creating the work that inspires us. Lost & Found wants to acknowledge the ‘everyman’ artist out there - the person who has to work a job from 7am until 7pm, attend an evening course, or look after a child, and still have the time to get their pen to paper, brush to canvas.

The magazine and blog are here for you. Its fundamental purpose is to give people like you, from within the arts community, a larger platform to display their work. Have you created something you’re really proud of? Want to show it off? Send us your work to: lostandfoundsouthampton@gmail.com! We are excited to see what more Southamptoners have to offer, so every submission is carefully considered and you might even feature in our blog and in the Lost & Found magazine!

We look forward to hearing from you!

Matthew Holliday

Editor

Credit goes to Laura Shepherdson for being the queen of proof reading & editing.