in Rerum Natura - in the nature of things - is the title of my MA Fine Art project which consists of research along with a series of images.

I am interested in the structure, order and classification of the natural world, in why we have the need to classify and create order and in the Latin names given to all living things: what the names mean, why they were given, who named them and how this impacts on both visual and written language.

In this Site and Archive Intervention project I investigate the issues involved in classification as complexity is removed and individuality or character, is lost. In doing so I explore the interpretation and use of signs and representational imagery, philosophies and ancient belief systems, consider cognitive science and how we interpret images by using our senses, memories and past experiences and how this ultimately affects our perception of the subject.

Using the medium of photography and with wild plants as subject matter, I show how this understanding can effectively be used to create an alternative means of classification and the impact that this has on what we see. It also looks at how we connect with nature and offers some ideas for allowing a wider audience to enjoy the natural world on our own doorsteps.

The MA Show is currently on at UCLAN in Preston, with my exhibition at the Centre For Contemporary Art at 37 St Peters Street - opposite the UCLAN Library. Originally due to run until Thursday 17th, my show has now been extended to run until 25th September. A selection of cards featuring the images are available to purchase.

A slideshow of images used in the project can be seen here

I am proud to be a part of the ‘9 Degrees Northwest’s challenging and contemporary MA Fine Art Show at the University of Central Lancashire in Preston. My work is being exhibited at the Centre for Contemporary Art at 37 St. Peter Street, opposite the Library, whilst the main show is being held in the studios of the Hanover Building on Kirkham Street. The show is now open to the public, with a Private View this evening.

The exhibition brings together innovative and imaginative work in painting, photography, performance and film, and shows the creativity and diversity of the work produced by MA students Caroline Black, Cherry Bai Shan Shan, Colin Binns, James Loftus, Keith Roberts, Jonathan Moss, Rachel Riggs, Steph Hurst, and Denise Swanson.

The MA Fine Art course at Preston is unique in that it offers students the opportunity to follow one of two pathways in studying and making contemporary art – studio practice and site & archive intervention. Pete Clarke, the university’s Course Leader, explains  “the pathway in Studio Practice is designed to encourage new artwork in a range of materials and processes, whilst the Site and Archive Intervention pathway promotes issue based and socially engaged work”.

Lubaina Himid, Professor of Contemporary Art at UCLAN says “working with this group of creative practitioners in Site and Archive Intervention has been a stimulating experience. They have succeeded in connecting people with places. Each separate project demonstrates a development of ideas around audience engagement that is both inventive and subtle. They have all experienced and made the most of an intense period of academic investigation and visual research during the past two years. This has enabled each of them to make numerous informed decisions about place, memory, space, community, materials, history and installation. Each has grappled with the bureaucracy of revealing hidden and neglected histories while devising innovative and creative ways to contextualise their findings.”

She continues “During the past year some parts of this work have been tested in a public context: all four projects have excellent potential for collaborative development in a professional arena and are ready to be extended and expanded further at a national and even international level.”

The exhibition is open to the public from 14 to17 September between 10.00am and 5pm daily. Admission is free.

http://www.artinliverpool.com/blog/2009/09/uclan-09-ma-fine-art-exhibition/

http://news.bbc.co.uk/local/lancashire/hi/people_and_places/arts_and_culture/newsid_8248000/8248075.stm

http://www.prestonsun.co.uk/