The Last Days of The Empire

4 - 22 December 2010

Pacal-Michel Dubois

In the weeks leading up to Christmas, g39 has embarked on a project with twelve artists to produce new work. Each artist has worked with g39 in the past and have been commissioned to produce a limited edition print for the gallery.

The tongue in cheek title is a reference to the changing times that we are in, a time of austerity, re-evaluation, a time of change in the visual arts landscape. It’s the end of the year, a time of change, out with the old and in with the new and it all starts again. The future of g39 is uncertain, but that has been the case throughout the history of the organisation. We are used to adapting to change and re-inventing ourselves, it is a useful survival strategy in uncertain times.

This exhibition marks a departure for g39, revisiting a generation of artists that we have supported in the past, in many cases we have represented them – critically and Curatorially – in the early stages of their careers, in other cases they are artists that have developed their careers alongside g39. Given an open brief they have responded with a collection of works that gives a cross section of contemporary practise in Wales

Artists include S Mark Gubb, Peter Finnemore, Manon Awst and Benjamin Walther, Pascal-Michel Dubois, Miranda Whall, Bedwyr Williams, Richard Bevan, Simon Holly, Jo Berry, Will Woon and Casey Raymond.

In addition to the edition of prints, the project space is being transformed by Casey Raymond into an alternative grotto for the season. Renowned for his graphic work, music videos, zines and design work, Casey creates and invents a world of offbeat characters that inhabit absurd dark worlds or situations. The grotto will be no exception, taking the traditional Christmas store grottos as a starting point, things are mixed up a little.

The exhibition will coincide with On Collecting: Transactions in Contemporary Art, a seminar that will consider the development of a cultural ecology in towns and cities that are geographically at a distance from ‘the market’. Via the guest speakers it will investigate how collections are amassed and how companies, aspiring private collectors and artists might engage with this process.

On Collecting will take place at National Museum Wales, Cathays Park, Cardiff on Fri 3 Dec 2010 2-4.30pm. For more information on the seminar or to book your place call Heidi Evans, National Museum Wales on (029) 2057 3148.

On Collecting is supported by the Contemporary Art Society

The following Artists were in this show:

The Last Days of The Empire

4 - 22 December 2010

Pacal-Michel Dubois

In the weeks leading up to Christmas, g39 has embarked on a project with twelve artists to produce new work. Each artist has worked with g39 in the past and have been commissioned to produce a limited edition print for the gallery.

Programme

g39 / warp