past exhibition | Incomers: works from NDAR | July/August 2021
BBNR gallery is delighted to present Incomers: works from the North Devon Artist Residency.
The residency was founded by Monika Bobinska and Barbara Brownlee in 2018, with the aim of creating an exciting body of contemporary art works inspired by and responding to the north Devon village of Combe Martin and its environs.
Participating artists have spent a month in our Combe Martin cottage, and have included Phil Ashcroft, Chowwai Cheung, Jake Clark, Joe Johnson, Nicholas Hughes, Yoon Jung Kim, Jola Kudela and Mary Yacoob.
Artists have travelled from the UK, USA and Korea, and their encounter with north Devon has spanned photography, painting, drawing, printmaking, music video, sound and film.
Their subject matter has featured the stunning landscapes and seascapes of the region, as well as the idiosyncrasies of the village (known for its uniquely long high street and for the Earl of Rhone festival), the iconography of British tourism and a project which took place in the depths of a local silver mine.
Residency artists have been challenged to live alone in an unfamiliar village, often in the coldest months of a north Devon winter.
They have risen to that challenge and have created work that is both fresh and unexpected.
The residency has been temporarily interrupted by covid, but we plan to restart as soon as we can, with Jesper Blader (Sweden), Edmund Eva (Germany) and Rhiannon Inman-Simpson (Norway).
Incomers includes postcards sent from these three artists to the residency.
The exhibition is open any time by appointment through July, August and early September.
A discussion about artist residencies will take place on Saturday 7th August at 4pm. Please email to book your place.
A number of artists in the Incomers show will be in the gallery for informal chat on Saturday 4th September 2-6pm.
Residency research images : Jake Clark (box), Nicholas Hughes (banner)
Installation shots: Andy Keate Outdoor shot: Phil Ashcroft