Captivating Engagement

A platform for innovation and originality, the Aesthetica Art Prize Exhibition invites audiences to consider and reflect upon exciting work from some of today’s leading artists, both established and emerging. From individual narratives to global concerns, the artworks comment on contemporary culture and explore themes such as globalisation, perceptions of space and alienation in the digital age.

Further your appreciation of contemporary art and enhance your experience of the Aesthetica Art Prize by joining us at the following talks. Led by artists, curators and academics they offer an insight into current themes in the art world.

Navigating the Aesthetica Art Prize Exhibition, 8 June

Griselda Goldsbrough leads an engaging tour around the Aesthetica Art Prize Exhibition, identifying the various themes and techniques presented by the 2017 selection. The talk will highlight key modes of representation and interpretation used in the show.

Engaging with the Arts: Creativity and Wellbeing, 15 June

As part of the national initiative Creativity and Wellbeing Week 2017, Griselda Goldsbrough draws upon the works in this year’s Art Prize to explore the different ways in which we can benefit from engaging with the arts throughout our lives.

Sculpture Today: Creation and Interpretation, 29 June

Artist and Lecturer in Sculpture at York St John University, Dr Joanna Sperryn-Jones discusses the state of contemporary sculpture and the process behind the creation of three-dimensional works. Addressing the pieces in the exhibition and her own creative process, she will consider audience participation in sculptural works.

Art After the Internet, 13 July

Dr Cadence Kinsey, Lecturer in Recent & Contemporary Art at the University of York, investigates the relationship between art and technology. She will identify the opportunities and challenges presented by the digital age and how artists are responding to technological advancements.

Exhibition Practices: Curating for the 21st Century Audience, 27 July

Jennifer Alexander, Curator of Art at York Art Gallery sheds light on exhibition practices and curating for the 21st century audience. Drawing upon the Art Prize, she will discuss the symbiotic relationship between the space and the exhibits and how the works respond to each other.

Shortlisted Artists: Webb-Ellis Discuss Video Installation, 10 August

Andrew and Caitlin Webb-Ellis work across film, installation and performance. They are storytellers, transforming personal experiences into multi-disciplinary environments that seek to address the universal. They discuss what it is to be human in these strange times and the shifting boundaries between the self and the other.

Talks start at 12:30. Standard York Art Gallery admission charges apply. For details, see www.yorkartgallery.org.uk

Credits:
1. Jim Poyner.