Taking art out of the museum and firmly into the public realm, Forever in the Now brings together the work of 12 sculptors (from Ireland, England, Scotland and Wales) in a pop-up public art space in Victoria Place, a new multi-million pound residential and retail development, in the heart of Woking Town Centre.
Conceived during the pandemic by British sculptors Sean Henry and David Worthington, Forever in the Now at Victoria Place, in collaboration with The Lightbox Gallery, shows a selected group of artists whose work they admired and wanted to bring to a wider audience. The show is a unique opportunity to see sculptures that span the formal divide of figuration and abstraction and yet stand in close visual dialogue with each other and with the viewer.
Forever in the Now at Victoria Place will run until May 22nd, 2022.
Co-curated by artists Henry and Worthington, Forever in the Now features work from some of Britain’s most exciting sculptors including Nigel Hall RA; Nicola Hicks MBE; David Mach RA and Lucy Glendinning, as well as work by Laura Ford, Simon Hitchens, Kenny Hunter, Eilis O’Connell, James Capper and Richard Perry.
The Lightbox Gallery will also open a second pop-up space, The Lightbox at Victoria Place, featuring new work by four contemporary female artists.
Permanent new sculptures by Henry and Worthington have been installed in Henry Plaza; Worthington has created a five-tiered structure made from different types of marble and Henry has created two figures standing apart from each other. The new artworks are in the main atrium space within Victoria Place.
David Worthington says “All the artists in this exhibition have pursued an individual and personal vision regardless of prevailing tastes and fashions. They continue to find inspiration from the body and from abstract form, and from this starting point they have evolved their own identities, bearing witness to the myriad routes and experiences that representation and abstraction still have to offer.”
Sean Henry says “This show brings together artists that David Worthington and I have admired for many years – such as Nicola Hicks, David Mach, Nigel Hall and Laura Ford. Materials used by the sculptors range from wool to found objects, plaster, paint, clay, steel and feathers and yet similarities can be glimpsed amongst their radically different methods – Richard Perry’s and Kenny Hunter’s works being a prime example of this. I hope people find the show stimulating and thought-provoking and that they discover that our increasingly homogenised UK retail spaces still have the potential to surprise us.”
Sarah Brown, Director of The Lightbox gallery and museum says “It is always fascinating to see exhibitions curated by artists and both Sean and David’s selection of artists offers an insight into their practise both figurative and abstract. As we celebrate the opening of Victoria Place, we must recognise that culture is a vital part of city centres as we return to shop, eat and share experiences together.”
Open WEDNESDAY to SUNDAY, 10am to 5pm. Access free.
Artists selected by Sean Henry:
Laura Ford, Lucy Glendinning, Nicola Hicks, Kenny Hunter, David Mach (RA)
Artists selected by David Worthington:
James Capper, Nigel Hall (RA), Simon Hitchens, Eilis O’Connell, Richard Perry
For photo, videos, and much more information please visit: FOREVER IN THE NOW