Artists Reveal All With Guided Tour Of Two Extraordinary Exhibitions

Art lovers across the North West are being offered a rare glimpse into the minds of two talented artists at a special event in the heart of Warrington's Cultural Quarter.

This showcase invites visitors to get up close to two extraordinary installations at Warrington Museum & Art Gallery and Pyramid arts centre.

Led by artists Ellen Sampson and Holly Rowan Hesson, this event guides visitors through the creation of both works, from inspiration to completion, with in-depth discussions on what each work represents.

Dubbed The History of the Future, these two works are the first chapter of a ground-breaking programme that consists of a year-round collection of exhibitions, installations and events, extending the annual Warrington Contemporary Arts Festival.

This unique event will begin at Warrington Museum & Art Gallery, where artist Ellen Sampson will present her exhibition, Worn: Footwear, attachment and affective experience.

Combining film, photography, and installation, Sampson investigates the relationship between bodily experience, memory and footwear, and how this manifests itself through the inevitable creases, folds and scuffs of general wear and tear.

Next, guests will make their way to Pyramid where Holly Rowan Hesson will present a guided tour of Echo. Hesson's projection and sculptural work navigates the gap between purely sensory feeling and more literal, rational, thought-based experience. The floating and projected elements of Echo are constantly changing, the interplay between the moving and static elements tapping into notions of permanence and transience.

Hesson and Sampson will then lead a discussion and Q&A session, exploring key themes and ideas around their work.

Bringing this remarkable event to a close, festival organiser Roger Jeffery will then present an overview of the extended Contemporary Art programme, including details of forthcoming commissions.

He said: "This is a great opportunity to see the work of two emerging contemporary artists and hear about their practice first hand. Echo and Worn are two very different exhibitions at two very different venues - but they really do complement each other, and can be considered together. It will be really interesting to hear Holly and Ellen in conversation, exploring links and contrasts between their work."

Thanks to support from Arts Council England, Culture Warrington - the charity that runs Warrington Contemporary Arts Festival, museum, art gallery and arts centre - is proud to present the year-round programme that enables them showcase raw talent.

By working with partners from across the North West, the charity plans to commission local, regional and national artists to connect with Warrington's neighbourhoods throughout the year, culminating in Warrington Contemporary Arts Festival 2018.

Maureen Banner, chair of the Culture Warrington board, said: "This is a very exciting time for Culture Warrington and Warrington Contemporary Arts Festival, and we are delighted to launch this exciting new programme with these two fantastic pieces. Being able to see these works through the eyes of their creators is real treat."

The event will take place on Wednesday 24 January at Warrington Museum and Art Gallery at 3pm.

For more information visit http://warringtonartsfestival.co.uk/event/artist-talk

N.B Warrington Contemporary Arts Festival is part of a wider calendar of events held across Cheshire in association with Slant, the county's cultural destination programme.

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