Current Exhibitions
Pip Dickens, The World Within Us, 2011, oil on canvas, 137 x 121cm © Pip Dickens
Pip Dickens: New Work
18 January - 14 April 2012
Drawing inspiration from the Michael Sadler Kashmir Shawl Collection at ULITA (University of Leeds International Textile Archive), this exhibition shows new paintings and works on paper commissioned from the contemporary artist Pip Dickens.
Dickens develops the Kashmiri 'boteh' motif from these exotic fabrics, creating entities heavy with shadow, and placed within dramatic environments. These motifs traverse the canvas - sometimes together, sometimes alone. Her work fuses the theatrical and the fantastic with the colour, surface texture, repetition and shape of the textiles.
Influenced by the imagery and technique of Hieronymus Bosch, Disney animation and the claustrophobic 'arena' interiors of Francis Bacon, Dickens presents her boteh shapes as individuals, or groups, in socio-political contexts that, although brightly coloured suggest an underlying threat or sense of isolation.
RELATED RESOURCES
- In the news: 'Home City Debut Show for Local Artist' by Nick Ahad, Yorkshire Post (20 January 2012), 'Boteh Beauty' by Rich Jevons, DigYorkshire (20 January 2012), Diary, Times Higher Education Supplement (19 January 2012), Review: 'Pip Dickens: New Work' by Claire Naylor, Leeds Student (3 February 2012)
- Events related to this exhibition: Burton Saturdays, talks and workshops.
- Further information: Gallery blog, with archived posts reporting on Pip's progress on the commission, video of 'Toward the Light' - Exhibition in the Cartwright Gallery, Bradford in 2010; 'The Alchemy of the Surface: The Paintings of Pip Dickens' by Roy Exley.
Education Room
Eric Gill's 'Moneychangers', commissioned by Sadler. Photograph of sculpture in situ, unknown date, University of Leeds Archive
Sadler in the Archives
Monday 19 December 2011 - Saturday 18 February 2012
The 'Sadler in the Archives' display draws from the Michael Sadler papers held in the Brotherton Library’s Special Collections and University Archive. These papers document Sadler's time at Leeds, illustrate his importance in both his official capacity as Vice-Chancellor and as an art collector, and chart his wider impact as an active supporter and benefactor of visual arts in the city.
The papers illuminate Sadler’s gift to the University, his commitment to cultural education, and show some of the many different aspects of his contribution at Leeds. In addition to his many published works, they include reproductions of his own artworks, photographs, and a wealth of unique original material, manuscript and typescript. The variety of these documents highlights the breadth of his collecting and his interests and the diverse nature of his legacy – both intellectual and physical – to the University. Sadler was a prolific author and regular public speaker, at different locations in Leeds and beyond; much of the material relates to his many lectures, talks and publications, in the form of notes and draft manuscripts.
To avoid disappointment, please contact the Gallery to check if there are any events being held in the Education Room at the time of your planned visit.
RELATED RESOURCES
- Events related to this exhibition: Burton Saturdays, talks and workshops.