'Longya' is the title of the new art exhibition by the Newlyn Society of Artists at Tremenheere until 21st April, 11-4.30, closed Mondays except Easter.
The title means ‘belonging’and was chosen by curator Dr Matt Retallick.
The trouble with having a title is that as a visitor I am expecting the work in the show to relate to it and as usual although some have been inspired to make relevant work, most have chosen work that is just what they normally do which fits the title very loosely. Having the title makes me disgruntled when the work doesn’t fit it and wondering how the curator felt presented with this.
The most relevant item that strikes me is Janet McEwan’s and as she was there I tried my interpretation of her meaning - that Cornwall is something you have to believe in - and am delighted she likes that interpretation. There’s a photo of a woman receiving a holy communion wafer with the white on black cross of the Cornish flag on it and a whole sweet jar of these nearby.
Karen Lorenz has made a lively short animated film showing aspects of the Morrab library in Penzance.
Georgie Phipps has a sweet little porcelain matchbox to hold ‘Cornwall’s story’ rather than England’s Glory and a package addressed to a Cornish address, so cunningly made that I thought it was the actual brown paper item and it’s only when I read the list that I find it’s made of stoneware.
David Symonds has adapted his love of calendars and grids to document daily walks and found objects in a delightfully decorative way with small detailed labels to read that add another layer of interest.
Andrew Swan gives us one of his large sour political images showing how the Duchy and its state coach have been linked with the evils of slavery.
Mike Newton made an attractive portrait of Virginia Woolf, who visited St Ives and based ‘ To the Lighthouse’ on nearby Godrevy.
Then there are lots of landscape related pictures often depicted abstractly through shapes and marks.
I liked Tim Ridley’s painting of Penzance’s Montol festival with its masked pagan figures, and Seamus Moran’s shovel with an unusable mesh spade, alluding to the past history of mining.
Sunday 13th there are talks by some of the artists 2-3-30, free as is the show, and you can park there.
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