| Images of pain and the brain
Art can’t be narrowed down into something that is hung on a wall or comes from the strum of strings. The Images of Pain and Brain Exhibition explores many different media with the work of 14 artists from Australia, UK and Ireland, Canada and USA, comprising this show of multi media presentations, poetry and words, painting and drawing, monotype, body art and a bit of graffiti! It is often the stories behind these artworks that make them intriguing.
It was quite an adventure recreating an exhibition of international artists’ work in Nottingham! All artworks shone through on the opening evening and we had some wonderful and unexpected late arrivals.
Tim Harbour’s electric guitar with the ‘Life is Pain’ tattoo to match the one on his back was a very special addition and created lots of interest, along with his sound track ‘it’s all about Pain’.
The Brain story Petrol linkup artwork by Rachel Napaljarri Jurra and Sally Naparrula Butler, attracted lots of interest as a teaching tool, but also the electronically displayed works of many artists looked superb. Chris Gollon’s work with the giant hands, Cora Li-Leger’s boxes and images of bones and cross motifs, May Mews’ moving portraits all looked fabulous up on screen. Trent Woods’ Free Range’ bronze egg carton filled with 6 tiny brains, Carol Ann Pennington’s Waiting Room with its attendant poem and Carolyn Dunbar’s recovery mandalas were all very powerful imagery.
Many thanks to all the contributing artists – the feedback from the exhibition has been great and the images speak for themselves, as we know they do!
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Art can be a powerful educative tool to bring about conceptual change – such as in the Brain Story, where Australian indigenous artists worked together with the Petrol Linkup programme to tackle the issue of substance abuse in their community. |
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An amazing story unfolds through sculptures and mixed media as part of a man's struggle for his life after being run down by a car and the ensuing nightmares to follow with his identity and battles to win an insurance claim. |
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Some beautifully drawn faces tell another story of a woman who was also hit by a car and suffered a brain injury effecting sight, speech, memory and coordination. Her impaired vision makes these astoundingly life-like drawings all the more incredible. |
These are real stories told by people who have had pain impact on their lives and have found ways to speak out as an artist.
Contributing Artists
- Thera Breau, Canada
- Carolyn Dunbar, Australia
- Tim Harbour, UK
- Joyce Thompson, United States
- Carol Ann Pennington, UK
- Trent Woods, Australia
- Sally Naparrula Butler, Australia
- Rachel Napaljarri Jurra, Australia
- May Mews, Australia
- Chris Gollon, UK
- Cora Li-Leger, Canada
- Angela Wilson, Australia
- Malorie Fourrier, Australia
- Cheryl Wardlaw, United States
