Last Sunday we visited the newly re-opened Kettle’s Yard on Castle Street – including the touching exhibition of Caroline Walker’s work called “Actions. The image of the world can be different (part 2)” in the gallery and the specially designed House: home of Jimmy and Helen Ede between 1958 and 1973.
Walking in to the Kettle’s Yard was definitely a good experience – free admission, friendly and helpful staff but most importantly, there was beautiful and interesting artwork all around us. Our first stop was the exhibition of Caroline Walker, an excellent portrayal of the Refugee Crisis. Caroline photographed five women living in temporary accommodation in London before painting them in order to capture the exact facial expressions and to understand more about their situations, thus to clearly deliver the message of these artworks.
The warmth of a woman is the heart of her home; however, in these pictures there is a clear contrast between the “warmth” of the ladies and their environment. Messy bags, banana boxes, mouldy kitchens – they all represent potential isolation with anxiety of their situations.
After looking at the gallery, our way led to John Akomfra’s award winning two screen film, “Auto Da Fé”, a film that connects eight historical migrations over the last 400 years that develop into a religious line until our present days.
The House
“Friend to artists”, writer and curator Jimmy Ede and his art teacher wife, Helen, have definitely created something fascinating. The house is just as they’ve arranged it during the time they lived there.
When ringing the little bell at the small wooden door of the house, visitors have no idea what is gonna happen next. They are not aware that they are about to enter to a different world, the world of the Ede’s. When entering to the small hall, we could smell history – the scent of old wood, furniture and the years that has passed by. As people walk up the stairs, every room is getting brighter and more spacious.
Jimmy thought that art should be seen in a domestic setting, and to achieve his ideas, he placed artwork next to natural objects. The balance reached with these arrangements is incredible – walking around this house relaxed our minds and souls.
To find out more about what’s going on, visit Kettle’s Yard’s Page.
