WhaleFest Exhibition at ONCA – photo review
Onca Gallery Whalefest – Bottlenose Dolphin by Kendra Haste
Group of paintings at Whalefest exhibition at ONCA in Brighton
Anita Bruce – Siphonophora (Haeckel) – textile
Anita Bruce – Siphonophora (Physonect) – textile
We were delighted with ONCA’s exhibition in support of the Whalefest convention being held in Brighton later this month. We expected paintings of sea creatures, but were surprised with the quality, originality, sensitivity and creative use of media in the art on display. Who could have predicted that wire mesh could be formed into a beautiful, soft grey ‘Bottlenose Dolphin’, or that a single vertebra from a whale’s backbone, when carved into a Walrus’, would reveal a delicate lattice of bubbles inside the bone, or that fine wire and textiles might be knitted into the translucent forms of jelly fish. Woodcuts of ‘Humpback Whales’ carved from old timber (driftwood?). And these unusual media have none of the work-in-progress feeling which sometimes accompanies experimental media. it seems the artists are familiar with both subject and media – indeed, one gets the feeling the artists love what they doing, that this is a passion not only of conservationists but also of artists. Aside from the delightfully unusual media there are also lovely pieces of conventional figurative and impressionist painting such as of ‘Humpback Whales in the Antartic’. As such, the exhibition is a triumph of curation, encompassing not only a worth while cause, but also competent and attractive art. We intend publishing a more in depth review and interview with the curator in coming days, but in the meantime we present this pictorial review of the exhibition and encourage our readers to visit this exhibition to buy some original, unique and competent art – or just to be inspired, and reminded of the world that still exists outside our human sphere. The exhibition runs to 16 March, for address and opening times click here: http://wp.me/p488Yn-u5.
Whalefest – gallery entry
Dafila Scott – Humpback Whales in the Antartic; bottom: Darren Rees – Big Blue Dolphins; Katie Henery Humpback Whales
John Ives – Neptune’s Despair
Quanaq Palluq – Walrus and Seals
June Carey – A Passage of Time
Sussex ArtBeat 