This autumn, conceptual artist Anne Tallentire comes to John Hansard Gallery for a major solo exhibition. Tallentire encourages us to think again about the spaces and environment that we inhabit. Questions of how we occupy both public and private space are brought to the fore in works that utilise everyday materials, systems and structures.
The significance of the spaces we all inhabit is intriguingly brought into focus. We are encouraged to think about how our daily lives are impacted by the conditions in which we live. One work, made specially for this exhibition, directly relates to Wyndham Court in Southampton. Plans, measurements, proportions and diagrams are animated and made relatable through Tallentire’s thoughtful depiction of this iconic building.
The specific qualities of the John Hansard Gallery spaces and location are brought beautifully into focus through both new and existing works. Using sightlines between buildings and referring to neighbouring architectural space, Tallentire adapts and roots her work to its locality. However, despite the modest means by which the works are made, Tallentire raises significant questions about the built environment, the economics of labour, and the ongoing inadequacies of housing provision and its societal impact.
Anne Tallentire (b. County Armagh, Northern Ireland) has lived and work in London since the 1980s. She has exhibited extensively in the UK and internationally and is Professor Emerita at Central St Martins, London (where she taught from the early 1990s to 2014). In 2018, Tallentire was a recipient of the prestigious Paul Hamlyn Award for Artists.
Anne Tallentire: Material Distance is organised in partnership with MAC, Belfast and Hollybush Gardens, London, supported by Henry Moore Foundation. A publication will be produced in conjunction with the exhibition, including new texts and extensive photography throughout. To be published in January 2023.