As Sarah Lewtas’ summer exhibition at the Regional Cultural Centre draws to a close, we invited local journalist Dave Bradley to join Sarah as she reflects on the exhibition.
The latest free entry exhibition at the Regional Cultural Centre gives visitors young and old alike a chance to view the work of Dunlewey based artist Sarah Lewtas.
Sarah studied art in Eastbourn and London and works mainly with sculptural installations.
There is a sense of movement that is present throughout the show as it conjures up images of the passage of time, the ebb and flow of tides transition between states passing from this life to the next and the energy created by opposing forces.
Sarah has taken inspiration for this show from artist’s residencies in Norway and Newfoundland where she saw how fishermen move their houses down to the sea for fishing season then back again to shelter for the winter. They also tell tales there of when the fishing ended each year the fishermen would turn to collecting seal pelts that they would then drag them back to the village leaving the strong image of a trail of blood across the pure white snow
The residencies, her own life experiences and the world around her, in particular the wild landscape of Dunlewey, have been instrumental in how this exhibition has come together.
Sarah intentionally does not label each piece rather leaving it to the visitor to make up their own mind as to their meaning. Visitors are encouraged to respond to the pieces each of which has its own narrative.
The gallery space and how the various pieces connect to it determine which ones she will use for the exhibition and how she will decide to lay them out. The opposing walls of the gallery allow for two opposing themes of calm and dynamic.
A variety of different materials have been used in creating the different sculptural pieces from sheep, horse, dolphin and crow bones and feathers. to papers, cardboard and wood. There is more than a hint of ancient mythology and folklore in the air.
Some of the pieces are 20 years in the making and Sarah felt that they fitted in the space and with her vision for this exhibition, while others are more recent and created with this show in mind.
On entering the gallery the visitor passes between two racks of sticks or staffs each of which tells its own story. Which one to choose for the journey ahead? From there wander the gallery in whichever direction suits to the sound of a busy Newfoundland harbour in the background.
The painting on one of the large walls conjures up images of ancient cave paintings and will be cleaned off when the exhibition ends so now is the only opportunity to view it, when its gone its gone. The calm of other wall with its paper pulp masks and hexagonal shapes contrasts with the painting opposite.
The central piece made mostly from shredded paper and cardboard houses that rise and fall and various bits and bobs are dragged along like us all by the undertow and don’t forget the ‘crocodile’ a favourite of the artist.
There is plenty for families to enjoy and talk about in the car on the way home and all summer there has been a children’s workshop where younger visitors can reproduce what they’ve seen in the exhibition or create some art of their own. While crows bones might be hard to come by cardboard and paper are easier to find around the house.
Sarah hopes that some of the works will resonate with the visitor and stay with them after they’ve left the exhibition and they take their own meanings from them.
The exhibition is being held in the large gallery in the Regional Cultural Centre which is behind the Grianan Theatre on the port road and there is plenty of parking on hand
The show runs until the 21st of September and further details are available on www.regionalculturalcentre.com
The Regional Cultural Centre is open From: 11am to 5pm Tuesday to Friday and 1pm to 5pm Saturdays
Photographs by Charlie Doherty.
