Precious Exhibition 29th March 2012

Prior to this event, I knew very little about the type of art work which was going to be shown. However I was aware that this particular exhibition was a kind of DIY show taking place in a basement in Hyde Park. Put together by a group of twelve fine art and graphic students who are named Emblemen. The almost ironically named exhibition ‘Precious’ was perhaps one of the more interesting locations for an art show that I have been invited to.

Being a student in Leeds myself, I have seen the sort of unused basement in many of the houses. So often they are large, empty and cold, but they also work as a readymade art space. Arriving at 9 Hyde Park Terrace, the evening was in full flow with a large group of students, ex-students, and the general public alike all outside this wonderfully inquisitive building. After being asked to wear a screen printed mask whilst inside the exhibition, I decided it was time to see what all the hype was about.

Going down the steep stairs, the basement was as to be expected, the remnants of past parties and graffiti on the walls. However what this space had been turned into was utterly fantastic.

The layout of the space meant the show was divided into three rooms. The first one which I ventured into housed two artists, Abi Moffat and Chris Holdsworth. Moffat’s video piece, ‘Ripped’ set a wonderful tone for the room, and alongside her sat Holdsworth’s ‘50’ jars which had been created to represent diseases, which were really enhanced by the underground setting.

Leaving this room, it soon became clear that the mask I had received earlier was part of a live art performance piece by Sam Ashcroft suitably named ‘About Face’. This invited the audience to come and have their faces painted by the artists, however being asked to wear headphones they become oblivious to their surroundings.

Wandering around it was clear that although these artists had not made work in response to the space the pieces all seemed to fit in with this environment. One piece which was almost brought to life by the space was Kate De Lord’s ‘Feud’. A work made from various materials, but it was as if the piece was growing in amongst the area itself. Although being completely different but similar in the way it became part of setting was Rufus Newell’s ‘Antipathia’. This on first glance looked as if it was the wall, but then I touched the sticky ash and honey combination, realising this was a very clever use the surrounding.

The wide and varied mix of art pieces certainly breathed new life into a once forgotten space. Allowing the space to adapt to the work, there was no theme to this show but the artists clearly all held the same quality and views. The ability to turn nothing into something, an otherwise abandoned student basement into an exciting art space.