I have a wander around the UEL AVA building to see the MA Fine Art show. I have had the pleasure of getting to know Michael Nash in the sculpture workshop and he has amazing metal work skills. So, I am surprised at his installation pieces to find they are made with wood, paper and bottle tops. However, they are very large and ingenious. Particularly the bottle tops which sing in the wind, which is titled “The Hut” 2019. Inside a newspaper structure there is “Tunnel Vision” 2018 where we are invited to look inside a mirrored tunnel. But for me the newspaper structure was the stronger piece. The newspapers are repeated, and some words just seem to leap off the page.
Also exhibiting is Marianna Zoumpliou, another artist I have worked with in the sculpture studio. Marianna and I bonded over our shared experience with resin, and she has also worked with me in Bronze. However, in the few weeks since I have been away, she has created a treasure trove of cast and found objects and created a huge braid from canvas. These are very well curated, and I like what she has done.
The other artists whose work I admire are, Emily Flourish, “My Mother and I”, 2019, Marie Robichaux whose work is based on her grandmother’s memory and Nick Balmforth “How does it feel to think about cities?” I am pleased they have all achieved so much and wish them well for the future.
