Curated by Nicola Richardson and Marianne Taviner of Vortex Creates, the exhibition includes two new works from their studio showcasing their distinctive bright, bold and beautiful designs that invoke joyful reactions in audiences.
"JOY... inspired by nature" celebrates Vortex’s collaborative approach to creating with artists involved from across the region with themes and work cross pollinating throughout the Herbert Museum and Art Gallery and the wider community 19 July - 22 September 2024.
We are currently exploring touring opportunities from 2025 and beyond and are looking for venues and partners. We are open to different models for collaboration and hire.
JOY has been a core value for our entire existence as Vortex; to laugh and play often and bein inspired by the work we do and the people around us to continually create moments of joy in our day to day.
When the world shut down during the pandemic our understanding and seeking of JOY became even more important to us and those around us, and indeed the entire globe. This led to a focused period of research into how certain emotions are triggered and how we find moments of JOY in our lives and world around us. This also included a testing residency at the Nest culminating in a vision for our own JOY period of creating.
We are incredibly JOYful to have been commissioned by the Herbert Art Gallery and Museum to bring our vision of JOY to life, and successful in our Arts Council Project Development BID to realise this initial phase.
We are excited to have a number of wonderful artists joining us on our journey of JOY in this first iteration of the exhibition.
Earlier in the year we held an open call for artists creating JOYful works inspired by JOY and the response was overwhelming. We are excited to have selected 15 Artists who join us for this first exhibition of JOY at the Herbert.
We have also been overJOYed to have the wonderful Abeda Begum joining us with our making in the studio. She jumped into our talent-pool of artists back in 2021 when she decided to build her creative practice and we've enjoyed learning more about each other and sharing skills throughout the project.
We are also incredibly lucky to have been able to commission Ashley James Brown and Gemma Costin to bring their artistic talents to the exhibition. Ashley is worked with us on our new artwork How Does Your Garden Grow to create a soundscape for the piece. Gemma, inspired by the subject and the artworks created a scent-scape to allow audiences to smell their way around the space.
It is with much grateful thanks to the Arts Council England Project Grant and Culture Coventry for funding JOYful dream so we can turn it into reality.
Please email us if you're interested in the possibility of JOY...inspired by nature touring to your venue, and engaging with artists in your locale.
Exhibition Images: Joe Bailey | fivesixphotography
Artists involved
24Species of plants in the world
380,000Happiness Has Power
Over Your Immune SystemOr call us on 0757 506 8754
