2 days Ago By [email protected] (Annette Belcher)
A new exhibition that celebrates and highlights the 'fantastically varied' achievements of women in Cornwall will be running at Art Centre , Cornwall’s new creative space. Women of Cornwall will present all 234 women that were suggested by the public last year. And 50 of the women will be selected by an advisory panel and, in collaboration with ceramic artist Katie Bunnell, a new art collection of 50 ceramic plates will be created to commemorate them.
The showcased women come from history, myth and contemporary life, and span a wide range of careers, activism and volunteering roles. Including a steam ship company director, footballer, master fishmonger, artists, carers and surfers, Art Centre Penryn invites the public to come and be inspired by the many stories they tell. Funded by The National Lottery Heritage Fund and the UK Shared Prosperity Fund, this exhibition shares the work undertaken in the first stage of this ambitious project.
It features all the women who were brought forward through a public call-out for women who have made, or continue to make, meaningful contributions to Cornwall. As well as providing information about each of them, also included in Women of Cornwall are numerous portraits produced through a series of free workshops held across the county, and a short film that documents the project so far. Katie Bunnell, the ceramic artist leading the Women of Cornwall project said: "The exhibition highlights some of the contributions made by this inspirational group of women, alongside the portraits created in community workshops.
"For me at least, the women suggested through the public engagement process bear witness to the lives of women of Cornwall and what we value about them. They are exhibited to be acknowledged and to inspire others to act, create and champion women from all sectors.” Megan Beck, director of Art Centre Penryn, added: "I loved reading about all the amazing women who were being suggested week on week through the public call-out.
Now seeing them all together is both moving and inspiring and we’re excited for people to visit the exhibition and explore for themselves.” The next stage in the project will be to select the 50 women to be represented on a plate. This will be a snapshot of what people have said they value now, in the 21st Century, rather than a ‘top 50’.
Art Centre Penryn and Katie Bunnell are working with Hypatia Trust; Kresen Kernow; Black Voices Cornwall; Access Cornwall and others to help in this monumental task of selecting just 50 diverse and inspirational women from the 234 suggested. Once the selection has been made Art Centre Penryn will commission a group of celebrated artists to feature the women on a new collection of 50 plates which will have a permanent home onsite. Women of Cornwall is the first exhibition in a newly refurbished space at the art centre in Penryn.
Connecting, inspiring and open to all through exhibitions, community projects, courses, residencies and events, Art Centre Penryn is a new creative space for Penryn and the wider region. The funding for the refurbishment was allocated from ’s Community Levelling Up Programme, part of the Good Growth Programme, which is delivering the UK Shared Prosperity Fund in Cornwall and Isles of Scilly. Women of Cornwall is open to the public from Friday, March 28 at Art Centre Penryn.
The exhibition will run until April 26 and be open Thursday to Saturday, 10am – 4pm. Visit the website for travel and directions: www.artcentrepenryn.
org.
