About

‘Seeds of Change’ is a celebration of radical kindness towards the more-than-human world, and includes work that visual artist Lauren Saunders has made in the studio, outdoors, in collaboration with more-than-human beings and alongside various community groups*.

She questions the relationships between humans and ‘nature’ in the context of the climate crisis, and how meaningfully developing these relationships can lead to the radical ecoliterate transformation that is desperately needed from within our society’s dominant culture.

Lauren has been exploring these ideas within her recent MA Creative Practice studies by taking an experimental and creative autoethnographical approach to research, using a blend of science, art-making, empiricism, mysticism and direct experience to better interact and ‘listen’ to the more-than-human world. She has been navigating themes of inter-species kinship, nature connectedness, human:non-human creative collaboration, ethical art-making and sustainable professional practice, and looks to natural phenomena as conscious, equal, co-creators of knowledge in her learning.

‘Seeds of Change’ showcases this postgraduate research. Through collaborative drawings, sculpture, photography:film, installation and participatory activity, she argues that creative, scientific, material, existential, emotional and spiritual transformation – on which the survival of humanity relies – arises from compassionate action; a restorative recultivation of care and respect with our more-than-human kin.

 

 

Opening Information

The exhibition opens on 23 August and will run until 15 September, regularly opening on Wednesdays (1-6pm), Fridays (11am-4pm) and Saturdays (11am-3pm) with the invitation to make an appointment outside of these times if necessary by emailing hello@laurensaundersart.co.uk.

 

 

Public Programme

A series of free events will take place in the gallery to accompany the exhibiting work.

 

9 August

Launch (from 5pm): We’ll be having a ‘Late Lammas Launch’ private view on Wednesday 9 August between 5-8pm (Lammas being when communities traditionally come together to celebrate and give thanks to the mid-summer harvest). If you are able, you are encouraged to bring along bread, preserves and/or seasonal fruits to share at the table. All are welcome (including non-humans!).

 

23 August

Climate Reading Art Group – The Critical Fish (6.30 – 8.30pm): This one’s a bit different than the previous CRAGS- instead of providing a text or image, we’re encouraging participants to bring something to share that it is climate and art related.

 

29 August

Hull Culture Declares Emergency? – The Critical Fish / Culture Declares Emergency Kirklees (5 – 7.30pm): Join Fish to discover more about the organisation Culture Declares Emergency and think about what artist-led climate action could look like in Hull. What’s already existing? What could happen next? How can we better learn from and support each other as climate-conscious creatives? The focus of the event is a talk by Mike Prior from CDE Kirklees. Mike will tell us about the first year of establishing their local hub in West Yorkshire and about a more recent project The Kirklees Cuckoo.

30 August

ClimateCafe and Sensory Walk – Friends of the Earth Hull (5.30-8pm): Come along and discuss climate matters before being led on a research-led sensory walk around the city centre.

 

9 September

Umbra: Play with Humber Clay – Lucy Kelly (11am – 1pm): Make and take session working with tree seeds and clay from the Humber. Bring active enthusiasm to patron your tree, grow fruit and provide oxygen for generations. Suitable for all ages 7+ but children must be accompanied. No need to book… just turn up!

Want to get more involved with Climate Activism?– Friends of the Earth Hull (2 – 4pm): Come along and find out how you can take more meaningful action in the context of the climate crisis on both a local and national scale, what it means to be a member of Friends of the Earth, and more!

 

13 September

Artist Q&A and Film Screening (5.30 – 7pm) – Come along to a relaxed informal screening of the two films on display within the show – ‘Where The Beings Are: The Film’ (~6mins) and ‘ReWild’ (~25 mins) – and have the opportunity to ask any questions about the projects, the exhibition or my practice in general.

More events may also be announced!

 

Access:

It is a family friendly exhibition.

Sounds are typically restricted to headphones.

There is plenty of different types of seating available.

There is a small ramp up from the pavement outside to access the gallery, but the exhibition space itself is wheel-chair accessible. However, the loos are up a long flight of stairs.

There are disabled parking bays directly outside of the gallery.

Most of the gallery interpretation is displayed at a lower height than usual (approx 1m off the ground).

All gallery interpretation is in large print – the smallest size font is 14pt – using an accessible learning typeface.

Ask if you would like any text read out, or explained in different terms.

There is a bowl of water for visiting dogs (and plenty of tasty snacks!)

There is a private room available for breastfeeding if required.

 

If you have any additional access requirements, please let Lauren know and she will do her best to make your visit more enjoyable for you.

 

 

Finding the Prospect Gallery

The Prospect Gallery is on Prospect Street, Hull City Centre, and next door to Rymans and opposite a hairdressers called Ruby Sapphire.

The full address is: 77 Prospect Street, Hull, HU2 8PW

The whatthreewords location for the gallery is: poem.racks.dare

 

Google Maps link: https://goo.gl/maps/eLkkTVuLMHTSdchs7

The gallery is about a 5 minute walk from Hull Interchange train and bus station, where most buses in Hull go through.

 

 

Acknowledgements:

The show also features work developed in co-production with various community-based groups:

  • Participants from the Humber Recovery College will be showcasing some of the artwork and writing developed within Laurens ‘Riverspeaking’ project (funded by the Hull Maritime Community Grant)
  • Young people from Blueberry Academy and Graham School in Scarborough – and their artwork – are featured in an an artist film documenting the ReWild: A Space To Be project (commissioned and supported by Scarborough Art Gallery)
  • Young refugee and asylum seeker children from the National Initiative for Creative Education co-created a local public-art installation as part of the Shorelines Project in the Yorkshire Wildlife Trust Pearson Park Tangle HQ/Nature Garden with Lauren, which has been documented through a commissioned film by Storyboard Media (funded by Rights Community Action and commissioned by Hull Friends of the Earth).

In no particular order, many thanks to Scarborough Art Gallery, Rights Community Action, The Shorelines Project, Yorkshire Wildlife Trust, Hull Friends of the Earth, the National Initiative for Creative Education, Fly-Away Rugs, Hull Maritime, Hull City Council, Hull Culture and Leisure, the Heritage Lottery Fund, the Humber Recovery College, the Hull Artist Research Initiative, Hull College, the Prospect Centre, to all the participants within the community projects and to the family, friends and supporters who have contributed in this journey.