Walls and Windows

Reopening the vistas of our mind, after trauma has caused us to shut off. How have abuse and selfish acts of non-consensual violation of our land and bodies ruptured our ability to stay tuned to nature? And in doing so, separated us from the birthrights all living beings have: to know and navigate the fabric of the world around them.

The exhibition features a selection of artwork exploring the theme of empowerment. Through contextual reframing this work on display opens up a diverse exploration about what our truth really is. The artworks in the show divulge forgotten viewpoints of mythology, lost to us through the demonizing of women and animals, as we make a bid to reconnect the lost heritage of our Anglican tribal communities.

'The (Un)Holy Trinity' by Laura Jean Healey draws inspiration from three legendary 'fallen' women from Biblical times, Eve, Lilith, and Salome, who, through their supposedly 'unnatural' acts of defiance, aggression, or desire for autonomy have been demonised throughout the ages, serving as a warning of the destructive nature of unchecked female sexuality.

'He Who Came' and 'She Who Bore It' by Antonia Layzell, a transgender story of change and disillusion. These paintings were created when Antonia's partner was coming out as transgender, honouring a powerful time of change, internal shadow hunting and self empowerment.

'True North' by Nico Harbridge, a series of constructed paintings made from scavenged materials found in her natural environment, that guide us home through a process of reorientation with nature.

'Mythos' by Peter Day explores the invisible stories that shape who we are. Formed by hundreds of intertwining lines, the sculpture evokes a web of memory, ancestry, belief and imagination. Each strand follows its uncertain course, yet contributes to a greater whole - a reminder that identity is not singular but woven from countless narratives passed through generations.

'Mythical Imagination' by Maija Liepins, a living archive of storytelling taken from explorations within her dream forest. Maija guides us through internal stories and dream work containing archetypes from well known revisited fairytales.

Also included in this exhibition is work by Dennis Coote, Caroline Stannard, Wyn Haythornthwaite, Rebekah Wallace, and work taken from the Victor Batte-Lay Collection by Clare Iles and Ted Atkinson. This exhibition has been curated by Antonia Layzell as part of The Minories' Emerging Curator Residency, funded by the Hervey Benham Charitable Trust.