"In the Kingdom of Fiction"

The Artists

2011-08-16T06:25:00.000-07:00

(left - right) Pauline Carney, Michelle Maddison, Stevie Croft, Jenn Nicholson, Becki Harper, Rebeka Scrase, Stephanie Shaw, Jam Grantham, Sophia DeeDee Rose.

Contributors

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Please visit our contributing ventures:

Thank you

Context & Curation

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"In the Kingdom of Fiction" draws references, inspiration and context from Mariner Warner's "From the Beast to the Blonde: On Fairy Tales and their Tellers".

The curator would like to extend thanks to writer and mythographer, Marina Warner, for the inspiration and reference for this concept.

"In the Kingdom of Fiction" will be Mixed Media Artist and Writer, Pauline Carney's first large-scale curatorial project, bringing together a diverse collective of professional artists.

Pauline is looking forward to working closely with everyone involved, and sends thanks to guests and artists alike.

Thanks to;

Kitty Corbett - Assistant Curator and Text Editor.

Chris Peacock - Installation and Set up Assistant. Chris is a freelance sculptor specialising in large-scale sculptures and installation. Commissioned work available. Email Chris with your queries.

All Photography copyright of the Artists, please do not use without permission.

Concept

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Using the surreal act storytelling as a means of distorting the everyday and explaining the human condition.

Stories are cultures way of understanding the ways of life which we embrace, and the society with which we inhabit. Like folktales passed down through generations - distorted and altered by word of mouth - stories are the teachings of everyday life, exaggerated and warped in time. Fiction is our attempt at a collective comprehension.

The exhibited work documents our individual take on the history of storytelling; using a range of visual disciplines, altering our perception and introducing an abstracted, surreal narrative style into the visual work in the process.
Our artists' collective draws inspiration from the kingdom of fiction. From dreams and nightmares, to traditional fairytales and modern storytelling.

For further research on the theme, please look at my work on 'Outsider Art' and 'Fairytale Therapy'.

Coverage

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All Photography copyright of the Artists, please do not use without permission.

The Artists

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(left - right) Curator - Pauline Carney, Michelle Maddison, Stevie Croft, Jenn Nicholson, Becki Harper, Rebecca Scrase, Steph Shaw, Jam Grantham, Sophia Rose

Space 109

2011-03-21T16:01:00.000-07:00

The weekend of the 25th - 26th March 2011 saw the second showing of "In the Kingdom of Fiction", held at Space 109, Walmgate, York.

This was just as successful as the first exhibition, highlighting the strength of the work involved and promoting the creativity of our York artists. As the curator, I am extremely proud to bring my chosen artists to Space 109, and the exhibition space suited the artists style, and the theme of the show, to perfection - inspiring venue, inspiring artists! An amazing launch night was had by all!

I'd like to thank Jo of Space 109 for her support and amazing attitude regarding art within the community!

Bar Lane Studios Basement

2011-03-21T15:57:00.000-07:00

Thank you to all who attended the first showing of "In the Kingdom of Fiction" at Bar Lane Studios Basement on the 18th and 19th March.

It was a great success, we had a lot of welcomed guests and artists alike, and had a lot of interest in the show, generating artwork sales and some very happy artists and art collectors in the process!

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Pauline Carney

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Five years since the completion of an Art and English Degree, and currently a practising professional artist, Pauline works with mixed media collage, fragmented prose and symbolism to express traits that she believes to be intrinsically human.

"Hanging your Life on a Story..." exploits outsider art, fairytale therapies, fragmented prose, and a naive style of expression to externalise our collective internal, and to explain our subconscious through intuitive visual methods.
By including art and prose by the non-trained, as well as her own artwork, Pauline intends to draw inspiration from art in its most raw of states. Expression on an instinctual level is valued over art pushed to a pristine state of completion. The concept of fiction as being our collective comprehension in considered throughout this experimental anthology.

"In the Kingdom of Fiction" will be Pauline's first large-scale curatorial project, bringing together a diverse collective of professional artists.
She is looking forward to working closely with everyone involved.

For more details, please see Pauline's Website.

Pauline Carney Creative CV

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Recurrent Themes & Ongoing Concepts

The Art of Song. Translating sounds visually.
Fairytale Therapy.
Paper-constructed moths.
Outsider Art.
Enola-Autumn's Sketchbook.

Curatorial Experience

"In the Kingdom of Fiction" Bar Lane Studios Basement & Space 109, York. March 2011.

Solo Exhibitions

"Beautiful Melancholy" at the Central Library, Museum Street, York. Jan 2007
Translating personal memories visually with the combined use of textiles, collage, found objects, writing and symbolism. Imbued with residual memories, my work is visceral and emotionally charged, covering themes of personal loss, death, decay, transitory states, spiritual enlightenment and a romantic reminiscence. I tap into spiritual aspects of the human condition via symbolism and beliefs grounded in nature, folklore and religion. Translating the beauty of an intensely felt emotion, a melancholic beauty. Through the use of textiles, paper work, and collage I can successfully create delicate, fragile pieces that are laced with symbolism and emotion, descriptive of this human condition.

Paper dress installation at the Theatre Royal, York. Pantomime Season, 2005/06.Using clothing constructs as a means of creating a personal link to the past, and to memories is a recurrent theme of my work. A residual spirit of the past can cling to an old, discarded garment. Clothes are an extension of the physical self, which in turn ties us to our spiritual self. I highlight these connections, and use them to resurrect our old memories and forgotten past lives.

Group Exhibitions

"In the Kingdom of Fiction", Bar Lane Studios, York. March 2011.
"In the Kingdom of Fiction", Space 109, York. March 2011.
"Unique Vision" at the Guildhall, York. July 2010.
"Soup", Kitch-en Urban Gallery, Middlesbrough. 2007.
York St John University Graduate Show June, 2006.
"Tanka and Art" at The Bar Gallery, Curzon Soho, London. 17 July – 14 August 2006
"Fleeting Beauty" at The Embassy of Japan, London. March 2005.
"Fleeting Beauty" at the Hida Takayama Museum of Art, Japan. August 2005.

Art specific work experience

Art specialist, Paperchase, York. November 2009 -Mar 2011.
Sales and Gallery Assistant, Blyth's Artshop & Gallery, Manchester. 2008
Designer and maker, The Beadshop, Affleck's Palace, Manchester. 2007
'Big Boost', Un Ltd. funded Artist start-up costs.
Original artwork exhibited and sold, Hannah Makes Things, Affleck's Palace, Manchester. 2007.

Relevant Qualifications

BA Degree Art and English Literature, York St John University, York. 2003 - 2006
AVCE Art and Design (BB)
A Level Fine Art (C)
AS Level Textiles (B), Cleveland College of Art and Design in Hartlepool. 2000 - 2002
10 GCSE's at grade A and B including Art, Textiles and Media. Shotton Hall School, Peterlee. 1995 - 2000

Outsider Art

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Dr. Guislain Museum, Ghent, Belgium

This place is intense. Raw inspiration and a queasy unease were felt in equal measure when I visited this Psychiatric Institution-slash-Gallery and Museum in the summer of 2009. It's surreal.

The fusion of psychiatry and art is surprisingly seamless when seen through the guise of Outsider Art and chronicled in such a place as this institution. It reminded me of the rawness of beauty (and the beauty in rawness) and the appeal of an unpolished art-form. Expressing a feeling, an emotion, in as close to it's natural state as physically possible. That's the struggle.

And I'm very much a fan of art by the untrained in translating this struggle. It's more whole, more integral, more real. I need to keep hold of this mentality.

Official Site

Fairytale Therapy

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Aim: To write a fairytale adaptation of a key event or issue from your life, as a means of self-therapy.

Think about the fairytales you already know. In writing your own tale, you must adhere to the rules of these classic fairytales;

Fairytales have no clearly defined timescale. For example, “Once upon a time” “Happy ever after”.
They are set in a non-specific location. E.g. an impenetrable castle encased in thorns. (Perhaps think about symbolism here.
A good versus evil plot structure…in which ‘good’ ultimately wins out. You must create a scenario in which a ‘battle’ ensues between these opposing forces. Think about your life issue. Give it a 'happy ever after' outcome.

Key moments throughout the tale can explain the good versus evil power struggle. For example, a wicked stepmother or evil witch who wants rid of the beautiful princess daughter and thus poisons her with an apple. An event such as this could provoke the ensuing battle. A key event could also cease the battle, an example of this being that of a sleeping beauty being kissed by a mysterious saviour to arouse her back to life.

Your fairytale can be as modern, traditional, or fantastical as you like, just think about the template, and translate your personal 'story' within these template. Think about the classic fairytales you know. Take note of their structure and style, and apply these rules to your own life ‘story’.

The intention of the fairytale writing is to confront a past event or unresolved issue from your life, to dissect it, and to resolve it via the safety of a “happy ever after” fairytale.

In writing the tale you will be working through the issues presented, finding a way to deal with them and being capable of moving forward through your life’s journey.

If you'd like to contribute a story please feel free to post it as a comment, or send in an email.

Please note, should participants be willing, excerpts may be featured in "Hanging your Life on a Story..."a visual anthology part of the "In the Kingdom of Fiction" exhibition.

Participants will be contacted in due course to discuss this further.
Thank you, Pauline