Natural Selection

The move of the Barrow v Carlisle six pointer to Thursday meant I was in town overnight. By chance I stumbled across the launch event of Art Gene’s exhibition ‘Deluge’ which was between the Imperial Hotel where I was staying and the match at Holker Street. With an early 6.30 start for Deluge and a late 8pm kickoff for the footy it was clear I could do both. So in a rather unusual evening combo that’s what I did.

Deluge involves the work of three artists. Rather than badly convey what it’s about I’ve attached the summary in the exhibition of its artists and scope.

It’s almost double take territory to see Barrow mentioned in the same terms as Aberlady Bay and the Wadden See, but of course the saltmarshes of the Furness area are a precious habitat for a wide diversity of wildlife reflected in the protections referred to below.

I was particularly taken by ‘The Wastelands’ which is a series of large scale ethereal panoramas of saltmarshes using rising bubbles to symbolise the threat of rising sea levels.

The pictures below give a feel for some of the other content of the exhibition without giving too much away.

I would like to thank the staff of Art Gene who made me so very welcome. It felt like a bit of a liberty for someone with no previous involvement to gatecrash the opening night even if there was a general invite, and the ladies I spoke to greeting people couldn’t have put me more at ease.

The exhibition is open to the public from this Tuesday 4th March to Saturday 15th March 12pm to 4pm (closed Sundays and Mondays). If you can’t make those dates but are in town between 18th and 28th March you can view by appointment. The Nan Tait Centre is on Abbey Road, Barrow-in-Furness, LA14 5TY.