Who’s Resuscitating What Now?

Words by Carys Granger

Co-Vice Directors Beth Jones and Sophie Norton (also known as @cutnpaste_ on Instagram) conceptualised Resuscitate for the gallery's January exhibition. This is an insight into the inspiration, process, and significance of this upcoming exhibition. 

Beth and Sophie, the leaders of ‘Resuscitate’

The exhibition is composed of collecting discarded, broken objects and transforming them into artwork for display. It is split into two parts: Volume 1 which consists of two art-making sessions, and Volume 2 where the artworks are formally displayed for an opening evening. Permeated with notions of existentialism and the drive for revival, the participants will show how the chosen objects can be resuscitated. All the art to be displayed extends from these collaborative art-making sessions. These sessions are open to everyone, whether artistically inclined or just curious to express themselves. While repurposing the objects, issues regarding consumerism, sustainability and the conventions of art practices will be at the forefront of everyone’s mind. The transformative interaction with this exhibition allows the process, curation and subsequently, the presentation of the art to be cultivated in a new challenging form within the gallery.

Inspiration for the exhibition derived frameworks of conceptualism, surrealism, and interactivity within the art world. In connection to these concepts, a critical focus on the sustainability of materials found and the process of art-making is paramount. By taking discarded objects and re-articulating their presentation/objecthood, Resuscitate aims to answer and speculate questions such as: What is art? Can waste be beautiful? and How should we respond to the fragility of life on Earth? 

Japanese avant-garde group, Gutai, are an example of conceptual artists who deconstructed the traditional processes of art-making and creation in their work. The group recently inspired Uniqlo Tate Play: Mega Please Draw Freely, the 2021 Tate Modern event which invited anyone to draw on banners and floors in the Turbine Hall. This collaborative effort is undeniably an exemplary inspiring source for the conceptualisation of Resuscitate, as well as the prerogative to allow anyone to be involved in the creative process. 

To start repurposing discarded objects, Beth and Sophie scoured the streets of York for anything that had been discarded, wasted or broken. They encouraged Norman Rea members to also find objects in and outside of their homes, to be utilised in the art-making sessions. 

Discarded appliances at the university’s grounds depot

During a visit to the University's grounds depot, Beth and Sophie discovered a multitude of objects that could be granted new purposes, such as a broken keyboard, a variety of kitchen appliances and miscellaneous electronics. With this search and retrieval of materials and objects, members became captivated with ideas of revitalising the objects. The first art-making session happened on Tuesday 25th January, where many individuals attended in active pursuit of resuscitating the found objects. The second session will take place this Thursday 27th, with installation following in the days soon after. Below are a few examples of artworks created and those still to be worked on, alongside a look into the interactive aspect of the art-making sessions in the gallery space. 

On Monday evening, the opening night of Resuscitate will take place, accompanied by live music and an anticipated after-party following the exhibition. A sale of the artworks will take place a couple of weeks after opening night, alongside a clothes swap. Proceeds from the sale will be split between The Recycle Project York and St Nicks Centre. The Recycle Project hopes to take any remaining furniture that does not sell, for their own repurposing workshops. 

The exhibition is both creatively and financially beneficial in support of local charities, and helps to promote active sustainable practices and awareness of the environmental impact regarding the creation of the exhibition. This is an extraordinary exhibition for the Norman Rea Gallery; it will be enthralling to see more interactively collaborative projects similar to Resuscitate in the future. An unequivocally motivating and encapsulating exhibition, Resuscitate encourages creators and viewers alike.