Jerwood Solo Presentations 2021 showcases new commissions by Emii Alrai, Freya Dooley, and Bryony Gillard in three concurrent solo presentations at Jerwood Arts in London.
Diverse in content and materials the works span sculpture, installation, moving image and sound; with each artist taking over a whole gallery to present their ideas. The exhibition brings together three distinct voices, based in Leeds, Cardiff and Bristol respectively, convening individual dialogues on loss and illness; façade and post-colonial museum practices; and the experience of interdependence and untethering within leaky interiors.
Now in its fifth year, Jerwood Solo Presentations creates a platform for the most outstanding early-career artists from across the UK to have their first major solo presentation in London’s thriving Southbank area only moments from Tate Modern. Selected and curated by Harriet Cooper, Head of Visual Arts at Jerwood Arts, it provides a fully resourced opportunity for three artists to develop a significant new commission at a pivotal moment in their career. The resulting exhibition creates a unique space for conversation and experimentation, across and between disciplines.
Emii Alrai’s Passing of the Lilies is a layered installation that positions monumental sculptural forms alongside smaller clay pieces to interrogate the idea of value and the origins of artefacts.
Freya Dooley’s Temporary Commons is an immersive multi-channel sound installation that weaves dodgy plumbing, turbulent neighbours, bad weather, canned laughter, pets and etymology to describe experiences of connection, untethering, and futile attempts at control.
Bryony Gillard’s I dreamed I called you on the telephone is a moving-image work that considers loss, illness and time under late capitalism.
Jerwood Space, 171 Union Street, Bankside, London, SE1 0LN from 19th May – 17th July. Times: Wednesday – Saturday: 12pm – 7pm. Admission: Free.