A new show for emerging artists in Norfolk and Norwich launches at The Undercroft Gallery next week. Organisers Ben Kendall, Pinch, Amelia Butler and James Hunter explain more
A new art show which aims to promote the brightest artistic talent in Norwich and Norfolk launches next week. Emerge At The Undercroft in Norwich, bringing together more than 50 local artists showing their work in an accessible and fun environment, will take place at The Undercroft in Norwich between November 22 and 26, 2023.As well as featuring larger displays by nine more established artists, it will include more than 40 Open Call entrants, many of them exhibiting their work for the first time. It is organised by Norwich-based artists Ben Kendall, Pinch, Amelia Butler and James Hunter:
Ben (@benkendallart) says:
‘We know how hard it can be to make the first steps into displaying your work publicly. We wanted to make this show as accessible as possible. It was open to all levels of experience and qualification. We were also conscious that money can be tight for upcoming artists, so the show has been organised on a ‘pay what you can afford’ basis with those taking part being invited to make a voluntary contribution towards running costs. The quality of work on show is really high and we’re excited to be bringing some of the best artistic talent working locally to a wider audience.’
Amelia (@amelia_butler_art) says:
‘Having spent the last 10 years working on Superyachts all over the world I made the scary decision of moving back home to Norwich at the beginning of 2023 to pursue a newfound passion for abstract painting. Since then, I have done a month-long residency with Outpost which is an amazing local charity and I am very much looking forward to my first ever group show, Emerge At The Undercroft. I tend to intuitively paint large scale abstract works; I just pick up the paintbrush without a plan and see what happens, so it is always a fun journey to see where a painting ends up.
Pinch (@pinchpaints) says:
‘I’ve been heavily involved in the arts scene here in Norwich for a number of years now. I went full time self-employed just over a year ago and not long after the four of us got together online after seeing each other’s work to form a little group of artists wanting to take the next step in our careers. I’ve been mostly in charge of networking and designed all the advertising materials, and most importantly, the wine for opening night! Work wise, I studied architecture but have been painting since high school and never stopped. After moving back to Norwich my focus was buildings and cityscapes due to my studies as my work reflected my strong desire to feel a sense of belonging in physical place, however it has slowly begun to shift inward to my sense of belonging within myself. I’m at a very exciting point in my career where I am exploring many different avenues. But I’m lucky to be full time painting commissions in my signature colourful style along with selling limited edition prints of my previous work full time since Oct 2022.’
James Hunter (@hunter_paintr) says:
‘In my work I try to capture the beauty and complexity of ordinary, everyday suburban life. I’m particularly drawn to the abstract shapes and colours that both the built and natural environment can provide, and how these two worlds interact when they traverse one another. This interplay between the built and natural world is a recurring theme in my work. I’m particularly interested in how these two worlds coexist, and how they can both complement and conflict with each other. I try not to paint in a literal way, I want my paintings to be more like snapshots of a moment in time, I want to try and capture the feeling of being there. With regards to my involvement with the Emerge exhibition, myself, Ben, Pinch and Amelia met one another on Instagram and after many conversations we realised that there was a bit of a gap when it came to emerging artists having the opportunity to exhibit their work in Norwich. The exhibition is very much a group effort, and we have all had a hand in both selecting the exhibiting artist and realising the overall vision of the event, from promotion to general admin and logistics.’
Emerge At The Undercroft will take place at The Undercroft in Market Place, Norwich between 11am and 6pm every day from November 22 to 26, 2023. The opening night will take place from 6pm on November 22. Artists will be present throughout the show to meet members of the public and some will be carrying out painting demonstrations.
Featured image (left to right): Ben Kendall, Pinch, Amelia Butler and James Hunter – supplied
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