An in-conversation event between architectural historian Professor Jane Rendell (UCL) and art critic and writer Ossian Ward as part of ‘Between Thought and Space’, a collaborative research project with an exhibition at Dilston Grove, Southwark Park between 7 May – 7 June 2015. The discussion will explore the value of interdisciplinary approaches to site-research, in relation to the contexts of both the Dilston Grove exhibition and contemporary practice in general. ‘Between thought and space’ project leaders Kelly Chorpening and Miraj Ahmed will introduce and facilitate the discussion.
Between Thought and Space is an exhibition at Dilston Grove, Southwark Park where a diverse group of creative practitioners spanning areas of visual art, architecture, sound art and choreography were asked to respond to a specific space. The acquisition of knowledge begins through physical movement and close observation, and soon becomes words, drawings, photographs and recordings. How can these processes of discovery be prolonged to promote exchange and innovation? In this, there is a desire to imagine how, often in the most fleeting moments, ideas are at play.
There will be a drinks reception following the talk.
Participating Artists: Miraj Ahmed, Isha Bøhling, Kelly Chorpening, Pierre D'Avoine, Shin Egashira, Matt Franks, Issam Kourbaj, Jeffrey T Y Lee, Theo Lorenz, Ian Monroe, Foster Spragge and Tony Thatcher.
Jane Rendell is a writer and architectural historian. Her books include Site-Writing (2010), Art and Architecture (2006), and The Pursuit of Pleasure (2002) and she is currently working on a new book on transitional spaces in architecture and psychoanalysis. She is co-editor of Pattern (2007), Critical Architecture (2007), Spatial Imagination (2005), and is Professor of Architecture and Art, and Vice Dean of Research at the Bartlett, UCL.
Ossian Ward is Head of Content at Lisson Gallery and a writer on contemporary art. Until 2013, he was the chief art critic and Visual Arts Editor at Time Out London and has contributed to magazines such as Art in America, Art + Auction, World of Interiors, Esquire, The News Statesman and Wallpaper, as well as newspapers including the Evening Standard, The Guardian, the Observer, The Times and The Independent on Sunday. Formerly editor of ArtReview and the V&A Magazine, he has also worked at The Art Newspaper and edited a biennial publication, The Artists’ Yearbook, for Thames & Hudson from 2005-2010. His new book, titled Ways of Looking: How to Experience Contemporary Art is published by Laurence King.
Kelly Chorpening is an artist who exhibits internationally: Fabbrica Europa (Italy), Voorkamer (Belgium), Camberwell Space and Dilston Grove (London). Many of her projects are co-developed as books, published by: Studio International (USA), Loughborough University/Marmalade Press, Bright Publications (London), RGAP and Sint-Lucas Visual Arts (Ghent), and OPAK, FAK, KULeuven (Belgium). Her conference presentations include: ‘Just what is it that makes today’s art schools so different, so appealing?’ (ICA, London), ‘What makes a good drawing?’ (The National Gallery, London), ‘Drawing out’ (RMIT, Melbourne), ‘Crossing the Line: Drawing in the Middle East’ (RMIT Melbourne and the American University Dubai), ‘Camera Lucida II’ (Royal Society London), ‘A history uncovered; A future imagined’ (Paris College of Art, France) and ‘DRAW2014’ (Carnegie Mellon University, USA). She has been the Course Leader for B.A. (Hons) Drawing at Camberwell College of Arts, UAL since 2006. www.kellychorpening.com
Miraj Ahmed is a painter and architect who has taught at the AA since 2000 - he currently is a Unit Master of Diploma 1. He is also an Associate Lecturer at Camberwell College of Art and was a Design Fellow at Cambridge University from 2006-2014.