Edward Payne

Edward Payne is a sculptor whose architectural model aesthetic (shown above) hints at a possible narrative without giving away a story. He aims to work in a disinterested way while at the same time acknowledging the impossibility of a truly disinterested practice. This allows the work to have its own life without the artist acting as illustrator. In this way a dialogue is created between artist, work and viewer, ‘surface block’ is a work that is positioned at the functioning table in the living room.

Richard Shields

Richard Shields for ‘ContentsMayVary’ at Apartment ‘Intrinsic Reflection’ 1 and 2 are shown on the TV (above)and and computer monitors respectively. Richard’s work explores the complexity of traditional image making and its current cultural position by selecting new technology and bringing together varied processes he attempts to alter and preserve the original visual experience.

Jon Turner

Jon Turner takes mundane domestic objects as subject matter, and questions their hierarchical standing in a social context. He manipulates the appearance of these items by using disassociated methods; he aims to create a sense of potential sentimentality towards the modified items; by provoking a sense of uncertainty in terms of the reading and acceptance of the re-modified object. By using facets of domestic interior design in the manipulation, he questions the traits of domesticity and the placement of craft and craftsmanship in a time of mass-production. For this show Jon augmented Apartment’s existing mop bucket. The untitled work above was then placed in the kitchen.

Martha Webster

Martha Webster presents ‘There is NOTHING on this wall’. Martha is preoccupied with words and their meanings. Her work explores the complexity of learnt language and the changing experience of vocabulary. For this show Martha has explored the word ‘NOTHING’ and its meaning. By placing the word ‘NOTHING’ on the left hand living room wall in very small white vinyl, Martha highlights the interplay between the meaning of a word and its physical existence.

(Vinyl lettering supplied and installed by Cherry Tenneson)

News

Paul Harfleet and Hilary Jack have just returned from New York where they both participated in the Conflux Festival a contemporary exploration of psychogeography this fascinating collection of "International artists, Technologists, urban adventurers and the public" worked across New York. Paul took The Pansy Project and Hilary 'Make do and Mend'; each of them made site specific works based in Williamsburg where the festival was based. Alot of artist-led activity is going on in the area, a favourite gallery was Pierogi; the current show being an interesting take on 911. To find out more about the festival click here and visit Glowlab to find out more on psychogeography. Back in Manchester, Apartment is getting ready for the next show; Contents May Vary previews next week, more information below.

O T / CHERRY TENNESON

Apartment presents O T an exhibition marking the end of Cherry Tenneson’s residency at Apartment. Tenneson has concentrated on the signs installed by the council in the communal areas of the tower block. By appropriating the format of the signs, and subtly altering the content and context, Tenneson comments on the audience’s experience and appearance of municipal authority. The augmented signs will be visible throughout the building by residents and visitors to Apartment; who will also have access to work shown in the flat.

Preview – Thursday 13th July 6pm-8pm
The preview of OT (shown above) was very well attended, thanks to all who came and helped make it a lovely evening. Do contact us if you'd like to see the show
.14th July - 31st August / view by appointment:
apartmentmanchester@hotmail.co.uk
Paul Harfleet = 07870 244 153
Hilary Jack = 07957 398 451

"The work made for this show was inspired by the disappearance of two letters from the block’s main entrance sign which has resulted in the building gaining a new name. The remaining signs throughout the tower block have now been corrected to display its new name."

Cherry Tenneson

The image above shows the sign Cherry made with the 'new name' at the doorway , below the sign placed in the pinboard, for more images go to Cherry's blog: www.cherrytenneson.blogspot.com

Tower Block Tour

During this years Architecture Week, Apartment took part in The Institute of Urban Dreaming’s, collaboration with CUBE, where invited members of the public attended a tour of Manchester residential tower blocks. Artists John van Aitken and Jane Brake lead the tour on behalf of the Institute of Urban Dreaming, offering their own unique perspective on the history, present and future of the tower block. Just a few of the many highlights of the day included Thorn Court in Salford, with a beautifully kept communal garden, Stretford Tower in Stretford with fabulous views of Manchester, a new development in Collyhurst by Urban Splash, and ‘How to live in a Tower Block’ by Maureen Ward; an invaluable pamphlet with handy hints on tower block etiquette. Each participant was given a Polaroid camera to document the day an example of which is shown above. The day culminated at Apartment where selected Polaroids where then presented to the group. There are some useful links below for more information on tower blocks and architecture week.

www.architectureweek.com
www.sustainingtowers.org
www.3towers.co.uk
www.c20society.org.uk
www.cube.org.uk
www.webelongeverywhere.co.uk

The above picture shows Megan; one of the participants looking through the selected polaroids from the tour which were shown at Apartment at the end of the day. (Photograph Adam Murray).