Faye Claridge
Preview 23 May 6-8pm

Exhibition open to 2 June

Wed to Sat, 12 - 5.30pm

Claridge's work is concerned with the impossibility, and tantalising yearning, for objective records of place, time and experience.

For HGI Claridge has produced new works during a whirlwind residency at Castle Trebesice, near Kutna Hora in Central Bohemia, (Czech Republic.)

The artist stayed in the semi-derelict castle alone, communicating minimally with the Russian and Czech speaking workers who lived in site out-buildings.  The artist's relationship with the castle and its workers formed the basis for all her works. The nature of these relationships was formed by language barriers and - more significantly - social inequality.

Using the documentary media of photography this work builds on recurrent themes in Claridge's practice - of history, collections and artifice, whilst adding additional layers touching on national identity, geography, language and dislocation.  The work extends her exploration of subjectivity and identity (seen in previous work) specifically looking at the role of the ‘alien' or sense of isolation in society. In this context, exploring this alienation also has a political significance, as Claridge believed temporary residency, cultural difference and social (non)status are key to the workers' situations.  The decision not to title the photographic series in English is as significant as never seeing the workers represented in person. Our access to the ‘world behind the photographs' is limited. We are deliberately frustrated by a series that reveals very little and represents only a version of itself.

Claridge's HGI Project History and Development

For HGI Claridge proposed to source historical locations, potentially museums or heritage sites, in Prague in order to explore key concerns around the ‘impossibility’ of making objective records of time, place and experience.

Her materials are drawn from the potentially contradictory languages of documentary and theatre, and she is currently engaged in video work which explores relationships between photography and living tableaux.

With Claridge’s work gaining attention from curators, publishers and buyers, building new contacts in the Czech Republic will capitalise on this interest and allow the artist to develop her practice in an international context.