Katherine Griffin tells us how this Open House will elevate your mood with art, music and disco bling!
The Winter of Our Disco Tent – exhibition poster by Katherine Griffin
We have to ask about the brilliant title of your show ‘The Winter of Our Disco Tent’, tell us more about it..
Those harsh opening lines from Shakespeare’s Richard III never felt so poignantly relevant! As a studio collective of artists, we wanted to create a group show to elevate our mood and create positive celebratory vibes. We are a group of visual artists with strong connections to musical events, between us we have collaborations with Glastonbury festival, The Blind Tiger Club Secret Garden Party, Electric Picnic, WOMAD, Der Bunglehoff jazz, Sony Music. Hawkwind and Radiohead! Music is a binder that lifts the soul and the exhibition title is reflective of us coming together creatively during these times of turbulence. Also, who can resist a pun or a boogie?!
Katherine Griffin, Icraus
What kind of experience should visitors expect when visiting ‘The Winter of our Disco Tent’?
We are really excited to christen the new studio space on St James’ Street with an exhibition from resident Printwerks studio artists and some special guests. We have a fantastic array of work from painting, sculpture, ceramics, printmaking, psychedelic illustration, mixed media, knitwear, stained-glass and jewellery. There will be colour, music, refreshment, high vibes, disco bling and cake!
Works you can expect to see at ‘The Winter of Our Disco Tent’
Tell us about the group of artists that are exhibiting in this Open House?
We are a group of artists working in Printwerks studios, a small studio just behind St James’ Street. The studio is owned by the Werks Group who rent artist studio spaces, craft, makers spaces and desk, office and meeting spaces across Brighton, Hove and Lewes. They recently expanded Printwerks into an old shop in St James’ street which backs onto the original studio. This will be the first open studios in the new space and a chance for us to come together as artists and creatives. The studio hosts, painters, print makers, furniture makers, web designers, ceramicists and a costume designer – whose incredible glitz and glamour on its way to Ru Paul’s drag race! We have invited some special guests with incredible uplifting work that brings us joy and are thrilled to have a platform to spread that joy!
Novak Hunter, Vision
25% of the proceeds from your Christmas decorations will go to the charity Shelter, tell us why this is important to you as a group?
With the current cost of living crisis millions of people are facing homelessness and experiencing unfit and unsafe housing. This feels heart-breaking at anytime but particularly during this cold winter with heavy rainfall. As this is a Christmas Open House we wanted to use our creativity to give something back to the community and thought the tree was a good way to enter into the true spirit of the season. Brighton and Hove Christmas Trees have very kindly donated a wonderful Christmas tree and each artist is contributing special baubles and tree decorations to help raise funds. We have also been gifted small trees with seed bomb baubles by The Eco Christmas tree company which are for sale with all proceeds going to SHELTER. Shelter felt like a great choice as they offer much needed legal services for those who face eviction during these unprecedented times as well as offering temporary housing. Shelter is at the forefront of the fight for improved social housing. Nobody should have to face sleeping on the street.
Sara Ayellow, Orchid
It would be great to hear about your art practice and the inspiration behind the work you are exhibiting?
My personal practice involves painting other worldly dreamscapes that use a highly saturated palette. I like to explore how juxtaposition can be used to question humanity’s relationship with nature. I always wonder what the legacy of the Anthropocene would be in a world far greater than us. I feel like plastic will outlive us all and I find it totally bizarre and endlessly fascinating how we love to celebrate nature by creating plastic relics. After hunters decimated Florida’s flamingo population Don Featherstone came to the rescue with his hot pink plastic versions, beautifully kitsch and sourly ironic. I love to think about Earth’s relationship with other planets and ours within the universe. I like to layer loose experimental painting techniques with tight detailed brush work and I adore colour!
Katherine Griffin, Reaching outside our Kinesphere
Is there anything else you would like to tell us?
We are open weekends from 10am – 5pm from November 26th – December the 11th We are very excited to welcome you!
Visit: Printwerks Studios
At: 32 St James’ Street, Kemptown, Brighton, BN2 1RF
You can also find some more information about us here:
https://printwerksstudios.co.uk/