Arts
More than meets the eye
An exhibition exploring the power of the word has opened
at the University Gallery.
More than meets the eye, which has been curated by students on the MA
Gallery Studies scheme, explores the everyday interventions of
contemporary word-art.
The exhibition includes artworks which display subtle statements,
messages or expressions. They spill out of the Gallery and can be seen
across campus as projections, wall graphics and fly posters. The aim of
the exhibition is to subtly intervene on everyday campus life, touching
wide sections of the University community and beyond with
thought-provoking artistic statements which create curiosity, even if they
are not immediately understandable.
Kim
Tuley, one of the MA students responsible for the exhibition, said: 'Words
function in our culture as vehicles of communication. Everyone encounters
words in some form everyday but we tend to take them for granted and are
not always aware how incredibly persuasive they can be. Words install
powerful emotions in a person and provoke varied reactions, mental and
physical, from subtle to very violent. The method of delivery of these
words often contributes to their power. This exhibition will explore how a
subtle expression or act of communication can often wield more power than
the loudest of shouts.'
More than meets the eye will be at the Gallery until 25 June.
Admission is free and opening times are as follows: Monday to Friday 11am
to 5pm, Saturday 1pm-4.30pm.
Stage door
Through the depths of human emotion, and back again
Review of Alchemy in Motion by Graham Hampton
This production was described by one of the writers,
Melody Gunter as a 'journey through the depths of human emotion',
promising the dramatisation of “beautiful, passionate and sometimes
unspeakably violent sensations”, and it did exactly that. I found the play
filled with passion and conviction, maintaining a strong bond between the
audience and the performers. One of the most remarkable features of
Alchemy in Motion was the absence of any regular dialogue. Melody and her
three fellow actors used movement and expression to depict what was
happening, both to the character and to their environment, and there was
no regular dialogue, only non-verbal communicative gestures to convey what
each scene was trying to say.
Overall, it was a very strange insight into a range of human emotions,
in a subtle and un-clichéd way. It was very thought provoking and allowed
the audience to experience the sensations with the characters and
empathise with them. At some of the more violent emotions, the audience
were left reeling, often due to the music which was exceptionally eerie
and really gave another dimension to the depth and thoroughness of the
emotions on display in each story.
In between sketches, a man with a burly voice in a dress would enter
the stage and announce the following sketch, which was important in
lightening the mood, which was prevalently dark and austere.
The production was fresh and original, and cleverly disguised the
provocative and foreboding emotions with occasional bouts of light-hearted
humour and mirth. A very clever piece, and well written.
Introducing our reviewer
Graham Hampton is a first year politics student at the University. he
recently joined the Wyvern team to review productions at the Lakeside
Theatre.
Also in the printed June edition of Wyvern:
