We British love our holidays whether it’s the annual bucket and spade job or a walking trek over the countryside, the short city break and weekends away.
In fact, the very act of travel not only arouses feelings of excitement and anticipation but can be said to be part and parcel of the whole ‘getting away from it all’ experience.
Even the great Samuel Johnson, known to espouse the merits of London living, wrote:
‘The use of travelling is to regulate imagination with reality, and instead of thinking of how things may be, see them as they are.’
The exhibition Getting Away! – based on the idea of the great British holiday and its importance in nourishing the spirit and reconnecting with the self – comes to Quay Arts in Newport in August.
Stretching our imagination
Certainly this group exhibition with work by Anna Barlow, Lydia Blakeley, Day Bowman, Jake Clark, Marguerite Horner, Sophie Marritt, Kitty Stirling, Judith Tucker, Amanda Wallwork sets out to stretch, rather than regulate our imagination.
Whether it’s the ceramic confection of gloopy ice creams, the collapsed and windswept deck chair to the remembrance of road trips, bank holiday traffic and curious holiday dwellings.
Paintings, floor-based sculpture, video, plaster and ceramic work provide a playful glimpse of what we Brits get up to whilst getting away.
Don’t miss it
During August and September Getting Away! will provide a sanctuary for those (possibly) wet and windy summer holiday moments where visitors can experience the outside inside.
In addition to the contemporary works there will be locally relevant historical paintings and sand glass ornaments from the Isle of Wight Heritage Collection, reflecting the themes of travel and holidays creating a truly dynamic visual conversation, showing us how the act of getting away continues to play an important part of our national well-being.
Exhibition: Saturday 4th August – Saturday 29th September 2018
Preview: Saturday 4th August – 2pm – 4pm (all welcome)
