It’s a group exhibition responding to the Beatitudes.
The exhibition runs from evening Friday (evening) 20 October until Wednesday 15 November in St Edmund’s Church (Lidgett Park Road, Roundhay, Leeds LS8 1JN).
I previously participated in one of Si’s curated exhibitions at the Left Bank, Leeds in 2012… and it was stunningly impressive (not my stuff, I hasten to add!) – so I KNOW this one will be well worth seeing if you’re anywhere in the Leeds area.
Si Smith explains the unlikely, extraordinary
inspiration for the exhibition as follows:
“At Donald Trump’s inauguration ceremony, the Beatitudes were read. That
struck me as a truly dissonant moment and – whether deliberate or not – a
pretty direct rebuke to the values that he represents. Because whilst we’ve
succumbed to the belief that it’s the richest, the strongest and the most
powerful who’ll always and inevitably triumph, the message of the beatitudes is
that in the end, it is actually the meek who’ll inherit the Earth. As I
pondered it, that idea of re-imagining a world turned on its head really
appealed to me, and it’s something that our contributing artists have enjoyed grappling
with too – I think that the work they are producing will make for a really
interesting and thought-provoking exhibition”.
For the
exhibition, I’ve put together twelve simple photographs of twelve rough
sleepers (Chris, Daniel, Gary, Gemma, Geordie, Ian, Joe, Kim, Nathan, Paul,
Phillip and Shaun) I’ve befriended over recent months. As I’m sure you’ll
appreciate, here in Bristol – like most cities across the UK – there are
SEVERAL dozen rough sleepers… (apparently, in the past six years, the number of
rough sleepers in the city has increased NINEFOLD)(yes, ninefold!).
They each
have their own stories, but I’m not providing any details or specifically
identifying them. I think it’s better to let their portraits speak for them… (I’m
not going to show the overall piece of work because one of the individuals
didn’t want his photograph shown on facebook… and I don’t want to break his
trust). They are individuals with lives to live – each with their hopes and
aspirations, each with their fears and regrets.Blessed be the meek…
This is
what I wrote for my exhibition blurb:
“This year, I’ve spent more time
talking to some of the rough sleepers in our city.They’ve all got their stories…
The thing that has struck me most is their quiet dignity and their gentle friendliness.
I’ve never been threatened or verbally abused and they’re always happy to talk.
None of them likes the way they’re forced to live.
Some of them live in doorways.
Some live in small make-shift tents.
Some live in squats.
Some get the occasional respite of a night shelter.
Some are there because they lost their jobs and/or could no longer afford to pay their rent.
Some are there because of their own foolishness in the past.
Most are there due to circumstances beyond their control.
There are sad stories of broken relationships, broken homes… of being unable to cope.
There are sad stories of being verbally or physically abused by passers-by or rowdy drinkers.
There are sad stories of being robbed of what little money they had or having their tents slashed.
Many feel ashamed by their circumstances.
Many just want to be given another chance.
Many simply feel hopeless… utterly hopeless.
Most feel that society doesn’t care about them.
The sad reality is that, once you’re down, it’s very difficult to get back on your feet again”.
I think the exhibition will provide plenty of food for thought.
Please see it if you can.
Photo: this is just ONE of the individuals I’ve spoken to over recent months… I chat to him regularly.
PS: Si Smith is a wonderful illustrator (as well as being a very special bloke)… who created, amongst LOTS of other work, the thought-provoking book “How To Disappear Completely”.
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