Once Upon a Space, exhibition by Helen Edling, Kat Auld and Sarah Tulloch

ONCE UPON A SPACE
GOLDTAPPED, The NewBridge Project, Newcastle upon Tyne
5th - 16th August
Finnisage 6 - 8pm 15th August

During a 14 day residency in the gallery Helen Edling, Kat Auld and Sarah Tulloch worked together as part of artists’ collective Once upon a Space. 

The three artists work with found, ephemeral and contingent materials and explore everyday and unexpected playful juxtapositions of material. The photographic and the sculptural are preoccupations as is the ‘drawn’ line whether that be explored through 3d pens, ink or the scalpel knife. 

Auld works with ephemeral projects and photography, Edling with sculpture and drawing and Tulloch with collage and video. 

The artists focused on rhizomic forms including plant roots and 3D pen technologies.

 

The artists wanted to blur the boundary between artist and audience, to encourage participation but also to allow unexpected things to happen and work in a way that was open to that chance element. They encouraged other artists in the building to participate, for example by touching, re-arranging and commenting on the work. 

The gallery is located the heart of the studios; meaning that most of the visitors and studioholders walk through it to reach their destination. I found it fascinating to witness the presence of the artists working away in the gallery as I moved through the space on numerous occasions to and from my studio. This encouraged interaction and dialogue, and I had some really meaningful conversations with the artists as they worked. 

I also benefited from getting an insight into the working practice of one of the NewBridge studioholders (Sarah Tulloch) and being introduced to some new artists (Helen Edling and Kat Auld). It is rare for any of the NewBridge artists to have exhibitions in the gallery, and so was really useful to learn more about Sarah's practice, gain a better understanding of her areas of research and further the possibilities for constructive dialogue in the future. The setup of the exhibition made for an interesting model that could be repeated.

As for the work itself, I was taken by their approach to materials, the use of the cardboard, the juxtaposition of colours and expanded drawing practices. Process was integral to the work.