Still: Conflict, Conservation and Contemplation

STILL exhibition:

Metal Southend - 15 July – 3 September 2011, Chalkwell Hall, Chalkwell Avenue, Southend on Sea, SS0 8NB

Metal Liverpool - 16 September - 22 October 2011, Platform One, Edge Hill Station, Tunnel Road, Liverpool, L7 6ND

Videos with the artists:

STILL was an exhibition of new work made by artists in relation to the economics, politics, ownership and contested nature of global water supplies in the era of climate change. Water is all around us, yet increasingly we need to take steps to conserve our supplies of it and become aware that we cannot just leave the tap running.

In our everyday lives we take water for granted as a supply from the tap, a place for leisure and as a basic human right. Over the next forty years, predictions intimate that water will be as contended as oil now is in the post-industrial and developing countries. The artworks broadly touched on our relationship to one of our most important commodities.

Peter Cusack has recorded the underwater acoustic ecology of the Rivers Thames and Mersey, as a part of a longer term project over the next three years. These sounds form an abstract sense of place, reminding us of the importance of listening as well as seeing.

Gina Czarnecki's work 'Osmosis' engages with important ethical issues that arise from developments in bio-science and the aesthetic uses of matter - literally the stuff we are made of, including water. Her work has been in development over the last year with an award from the Wellcome Trust.

Simon Norfolk's extraordinary photographs tell an often hidden story about the contended waterways around the Scottish coast. In his own words - “The area which for most of us is a tourist heaven, is a ballistic submarine base; logistics centre; weapons testing and low-flying training zone; and a chemical, nuclear and biological warfare testing range.”

Paul Howard and David Matthew's national touring project has been developed at Metal in the early part of 2011. It is a transmedia, narrative-based work devised as an installation, drama and online episodic event. A central character, "JJ", attempts to smuggle a quantity of water from Sierra Leone to the Australian outback. Visitors to the exhibition explored JJ's hotel room for clues of his activities and whereabouts.

Canadian Artist/Film-maker Annette Mangaard has created a new short video work, using footage from travels in Patagonia, Death Valley and Baffin Island (near the North Western Passages) in combination with Super 8 film. Water is present (or not) as a powerful force in these landscapes and the artist creates a vision of the wilderness and raw beauty that nature holds in contrast with personal reflections on the many facets of this essential life force.

Liverpool-based artist, Markus Soukup, has developed a new work based on walks around the Thames Estuary (assisted by Graham Harwood). The resulting sound and video installation is contemplative in nature and gives a strong sense of the changing and tidal nature of the estuary, as well as the community of the area.

Still also incorporated commissioned new writing and excerpts from existing texts on personal connections to important rivers and waterways in the UK, including contributions from Roger Deakin, Bronac Ferran,Tom King, Deborah Mulhearn and Rob Smith.

Metal has collaborated with Chalkwell Park School on a short video interview with Martin Lunn, from Essex and Suffolk Water, who had kindly sponsored this exhibition. This work formed part of the educational programme that accompanied 'Still'.

Visitors to the exhibition were also able to engage with more detailed information on Britain's rivers and waterways via the glass interpretation panels. These panels used QR codes enabling smartphone users to access the accompanying website for the exhibition. This included new and recent writing by Deborah Mulhearn, Roger Deakin and Bronac Ferran.

Metal acknowledges the support of Essex and Suffolk Water, Arts Council England and Southend Borough Council in the development of this exhibition.