‘Sightlines’ as an idea began in 2009 when both David Gates and Matthew Harris, took part in the touring exhibition ‘Taking Time, Craft and the Slow Revolution’ which was co curated by Helen Carnac. Throughout the intervening years all three artists have looked at ways in which the dialogue and routes of enquiry opened up by the show could be developed further, and how the questions it posed might form the starting point for further investigation.

Each of the artists in this exhibition share a concern for the way in which ideas, images and objects evolve through a process of building and construction. A process of addition and subtraction, where the building up and paring away of layered material both reveals and conceals a rich language of contingent mark and embedded colour - a concern also for the way in which objects are held together through a utilitarian language of joints and fixings which reveal something of the history of their making.   

At the vital heart of the project is the experience of looking, seeing and making. In particular, the way in which the spaces, voids and holes prevalent in much of the three-dimensional work direct sight lines and viewpoints through the gallery space, to crop and frame new views of other works both two and three-dimensional. The resulting visual juxtapositions brought about by this looking through, will lead to a conjoining of object, material and process, whilst revealing new and unexpected arrangements and compositions.

Private View Friday 3 May, 6pm – 8pm

Linked Event: Saturday 11 May | 2pm | Free  Sightlines - In Conversation

An informal gallery talk and conversation with Helen Carnac, David Gates and Matthew Harris, chaired by Paul Harper. A chance to meet the artists and hear more about the work on display in the ‘Sightlines’ exhibition.

Artist Matthew Harris will be ‘in residence’ on the weekends of 11 & 12 May and 18 & 19 May. The gallery will be open from 11am to 6pm on these days as part of the Select Art Trail. For full details see www.sitselect.org

image:  © Matthew Harris ‘Triple Cellophane Cloth’