Tyger Bright
Part One: 6 July – 28 August 2015
Part Two: 18 September – 6 October 2015
This exhibition title derives from William Blake’s poem of 1794. The Tyger is most famously described as burning bright in the forests of the night. The question of the tyger’s maker is explored by Blake with a sense of wonder and awe that such a creature should exist.
For us the metaphor is useful – a big cat, bright orange and striped in dark lines, powerful but silent – seeing, hearing and noticing all, but incredibly not seen, heard or noticed itself by those it watches: a most unlikely proposition. A big, powerful, orange predator ought to be fairly easy to spot, and in a zoological garden, safari park or other open place, it is; but in its natural habitat miraculously it melts away, someplace between two others, somewhere in both shadow and light – rather hard to find. So too, the ‘creatives’ amongst us.
As the late Robert Hughes observed, it is astonishing just how much of the avant garde in art has been down to the most conservative individuals. Very ordinary people have proved themselves capable of extraordinary things, and, conversely, some rather extra ordinary personalities have moved us very little, if at all. So it seems the metaphor is apposite: ordinary people, day to day, are camouflaged according to their surroundings, but encourage them out into an open space and invite their extraordinary self to be in view, and they too may burn brightly, just like Blake’s Tyger.
In this exhibition we are not concerned with showpiece designs or artworks. This exhibition allows a glimpse into the processes of generating artwork and designs. Here are the current concerns of our postgraduate art and design students. Our second exhibition in September will provide the outcome.
This exhibition will feature work from the taught master’s degree students at Glyndŵr University’s School of Art and Design across a range of subjects including, applied arts, fine art, animation, illustration, lens based media and graphic design.
The Tyger
by William Blake (1794)
Tyger Tyger, burning bright,
In the forests of the night;
What immortal hand or eye,
Could frame thy fearful symmetry?
In what distant deeps or skies.
Burnt the fire of thine eyes?
On what wings dare he aspire?
What the hand, dare seize the fire?
And what shoulder, & what art,
Could twist the sinews of thy heart?
And when thy heart began to beat,
What dread hand? & what dread feet?
What the hammer? what the chain,
In what furnace was thy brain?
What the anvil? what dread grasp,
Dare its deadly terrors clasp!
When the stars threw down their spears
And water’d heaven with their tears:
Did he smile his work to see?
Did he who made the Lamb make thee?
Tyger Tyger burning bright,
In the forests of the night:
What immortal hand or eye,
Dare frame thy fearful symmetry?
A lovely meeting yesterday and really good to welcome Kerry Evison who came with Irene, and also Nancy who came with Holly. Lovely also to see Holly could attend due to it being school holiday time. Also bonus, the cafe was open! We discussed possible ways to take part in shared online crits on the blog for the group, but need the help of John when he gets back from the other side of the world! Watch this space!
HUGE THANKS TO HOLLY FOR TAKING THESE PHOTOS ON HER PHONE (Diana had forgotten her camera!) A thought provoking exhibition with some exceptional work, and we loved Chris Charstone’s glass monoliths!
DONT MISS THE FINAL MA EXHIBITION ON from 18TH SEPTEMBER, SAME VENUE.
(Great to see Yadzia and Dave as well!)
(Next gathering is at Clive Wilson’s in September)
