For months the duo meet up at Kekun to work out the details for the show and to create a number of new art work, some collaboratively along with individual works with Marys paintings and Jennys photography work. The idea for the show initially came about from an object that Mary picked up in a local charity shop which illicited feelings of nostalgia and place for both artists. From this simple object the seeds for 'Bygone' we're sown and grew into a show which tranformed every corner of the studio. Each new painting, collage and photograph began adding to the story and helped build up a bigger picture.
The artists statement about the show is also quite telling. "We cling to, and find comfort in the past when we find ourselves facing uncertainty and unhappiness, a dark comfort is found in the bygone: a world called upon, where nothing is quite the truth and the myriad versions of our histories are unearthed." The shows title and the artworks are less about the word and more about the feeling, the vibe of the bygone, a space that exists, much like the gloaming but is dependant on a number of factors to create just the right feeling, a place that can be found but not neccesarily visited at will. Indeed many of the objects contained in the show are intended as triggers which bring the viewer into the desired space both in the physical and the psychological, opening the door for the viewer and allowing them to walk through and draw their own ideas.
After months of work the show opened in October last year and proved highly succesful with a large turn out for the opening night and visitors throughout the following weeks. The owner of an old beat up car was delighted to see their beloved automobile immortalised on the walls while we welcomed our first feline visitor to the studio. As is often the case with Kekun and the artists we've worked with, something came from nothing and ended up being one of the best shows I saw in 2019. I'm often torn between the benefits of arts funding and the ingenuity that comes from being independant with 'Bygone' being a great example of what can be achieved when working outside of conventional arts frameworks. Of course funding would be great but navigating the tangled web of requirements can often feel counter productive to the intended goal.
Maybe we all just need a trip to the 'Bygone' to sort it out. Check out photos from the show below and be sure to follow the artists on instagram here and here.
