Launch date: Saturday 8 June 2024, 5–7pm - ALL WELCOME! Please book a place here
Relaxed launch: Saturday 8 June 2024, 4–5pm - please email nottingham.castle@nottinghamcity.gov.uk to book a place for this
Exhibition dates: 8 June – 3 November 2024
Opening times: 10am – 5pm daily
BSL video
Exhibiting artists: Siddharth Gadiyar, James Gladwell, Thompson Hall, Richard Hunt, Nnena Kalu, Cameron Morgan, Michelle Roberts, and Leslie Thompson.
Kaleidoscopic Realms presents an installation of artworks by eight contemporary artists revealing a colourful insight into intuitive mark-marking in its many forms, alongside films made about the artists and their practice. The featured artists have all travelled different paths to firmly ground themselves within their art practice, each with a distinctive style.
Unfettered explorations of repetition, pattern, detail, and culture weave their way into the artwork. A clear sense of storytelling and play often features, whilst others just ooze the pure joy of mark-making and material investigations. Ceramics, embroidery, pen drawings, and large-scale painted canvases invite closer viewing, whilst an impressive installation of bold, wrapped sculptures entices you with its strong presence.
Siddharth Gadiyar and Nnena Kalu's large scale, visually impactful artworks are a riot of colour, both producing art that is big, bold and eye-catching. Likewise, Cameron Morgan and Richard Hunt have an inclination towards colour however, their work is thematic - both weave stories, from observation and memory of the things they cherish, onto canvas; with Morgan utilising ceramics and embroidery to further extend his work. Thompson Hall's work, whilst being both thematic and colourful, is more politically driven. Hall wants the observer to understand the hardships people endure and the anxiety this often brings. In contrast to these are the works by James Gladwell, Michelle Roberts and Leslie Thompson where the emphasis is on detail. Gladwell's delicate embroideries drawn from his imagination and memories are simple yet beautiful; Thompson's characters in their myriad of forms are presented, from memory, with perfect pose and structure; Roberts' signature characters drawn from visits both experienced and observed, joyfully dance across her large-scale canvases.
Co-curated by Jennifer Gilbert of Jennifer Lauren Gallery and artist Christopher Samuel, ‘Kaleidoscopic Realms’ was born out of project SHIFT, from Jennifer, which exists to give recognition and to amplify the visibility, voices and works of UK-based neurodivergent and learning disabled visual artists within contemporary art. The project, and this exhibition, are designed to challenge preconceived ideas, and to stimulate conversation and interaction.
Each of these artists work out of studios across the UK who tirelessly support not only these artists, but many other incredibly talented artists: Siddharth Gadiyar (Project Art Works), James Gladwell (Barrington Farm), Thompson Hall (ActionSpace), Richard Hunt (Shadowlight Artists), Nnena Kalu (ActionSpace), Cameron Morgan (Project Ability), Michelle Roberts (Project Art Works), and Leslie Thompson (Venture Arts).
Access: Please visit the museum website for their access information and visual map.
This is a paid entry exhibition – please contact Jennifer via email if this is going to be a barrier for you: info@jenniferlaurengallery.com
Installation photographs above by John Hartley
EVENTS
Associated events: Talks and tours in-person and online
/ Curators tour with Jennifer and Christopher – Sunday 21 July, 1–2pm / BOOK
Join Jennifer Gilbert of Jennifer Lauren Gallery and disabled artist Christopher Samuel for a tour of ‘Kaleidoscopic Realms’. As co-curators, they travelled around the country selecting the artworks alongside the artists, where possible. They will share a little about each artist, and some facts about the artwork on show. There will be time for questions throughout too.
These sessions are free, but booking is advised. You are welcome to stay around in the café at the end of the session, for further chatting. Admission fees apply to get into the Castle itself.
/ BSL (British Sign Language) tour with Chisato Minamimura – Saturday 3 August, 1–2pm / BOOK
Led by deaf performance artist Chisato Minamimura, this exhibition tour of ‘Kaleidoscopic Realms’ will be carried out in British Sign Language (BSL) only. The session will focus on one work by each of the artists in the exhibition. Using her skills and experience working in the art sector as well as art history knowledge, Chisato helps audiences gain insight into an exhibition. She works with major museums and galleries including the National Gallery, the TATE, the Whitechapel Gallery and the RWA in Bristol.
These sessions are free, but booking is advised. You are welcome to stay around in the café at the end of the session, for further chatting. Admission fees apply to get into the Castle itself.
/ Online curators discussion with Jennifer and Christopher - Tuesday 10 September, 6–7pm / BOOK
Unable to get to Nottingham in-person, join Jennifer Gilbert of Jennifer Lauren Gallery and disabled artist Christopher Samuel for a free online tour/discussion of ‘Kaleidoscopic Realms’ that is currently at Nottingham Castle. As co-curators, they travelled around the country selecting the artworks alongside the artists, where possible. They will share a little about each artist, and some facts about the artwork on show. There will be time for questions throughout too.
Closed captions through Zoom will be used. Should you have any further access requirements, please email Jennifer: info@jenniferlaurengallery.com
/ Audio description tour with Harry Baxter – Saturday 14 September, 2–3pm / BOOK
Join a live audio description tour of the ‘Kaleidoscopic Realms’ exhibition with Harry Baxter. This tour is specifically for blind and visually impaired, as well as partially sighted audiences. Harry will be wearing a mic so that people will be able to clearly hear him. Harry is a fully qualified audio describer who trained in audio description at the Royal Academy of Arts and has described every major exhibition there since 2010. He had also performed audio descriptions for the British Museum, TATE Gallery and Kings College London.
These sessions are free, but booking is advised. You are welcome to stay around in the café at the end of the session, for further chatting. Admission fees apply to get into the Castle itself.
/ Curators tour with Jennifer and Christopher – Saturday 28 September, 1–2pm / BOOK
Join Jennifer Gilbert of Jennifer Lauren Gallery and disabled artist Christopher Samuel for a tour of ‘Kaleidoscopic Realms’. As co-curators, they travelled around the country selecting the artworks alongside the artists, where possible. They will share a little about each artist, and some facts about the artwork on show. There will be time for questions throughout too.
These sessions are free, but booking is advised. You are welcome to stay around in the café at the end of the session, for further chatting. Admission fees apply to get into the Castle itself.
Associated events: Workshops and live events
/ Embroidery drop-in workshop with James Gladwell – Sunday 9 June, 10:30am–12pm
Join exhibiting artist James Gladwell for a FREE drop-in workshop as part of ‘Kaleidoscopic Realms’. James will demonstrate stitch techniques and help you to create a textile artwork inspired by his favourite themes of gardens, flowers, and snakes. Join James to create your own take-home miniature embroidery using cross stitch. All threads, materials and guidance are provided, and no experience is necessary. All ages and abilities welcome.
This session is FREE to drop in. No booking required. Admission fees apply to get into the Castle itself.
/ Live drawing from Leslie Thompson (11am–4pm) and Richard Hunt (1–4pm) – Friday 2 August
Join exhibiting artists Leslie Thompson from Venture Arts and Richard Hunt from Shadowlight Artists as they live draw in the Gallery spaces. Leslie will continue to work on his long scroll titled The Animals of London Zoo, where he draws from his memory animals, he saw on his trip to London Zoo last year. Richard will be working on a new work in the space, again drawn from his memories and things he likes. Come along, watch them work, and ask them questions if you like.
Feel free to grab a pencil and paper in the spaces and draw your own animals from memory too.
/ Family friendly creative workshop with Project Art Works – Tuesday 20 August, 1:30–3pm / BOOK
Join us for a free creative workshop inspired by the vibrant work of Michelle Roberts whose work features in Kaleidoscopic Realms. Michelle’s work depicts many themes from places and events to musicals. She interprets these themes in her own distinctive style. During the family friendly workshop you will have the opportunity to make your own illustrative panel, that we can connect with others to make a large collaborative concertina book, or you can make a mini book to take home. We will provide you with all the materials, and some themes for inspiration, to create your own artwork full of wonderful colours and playful patterns. Patricia Finnegan, the artist who supports Michelle at Project Art Works, will lead the workshop, and share an insight into Michelle’s practice.
All ages and abilities welcome, and suitable for families to take part.
This session is FREE, but please book your space. Admission fees apply to get into the Castle itself. If this is going to be a barrier, please email info@jenniferlaurengallery.com as Jennifer is happy to discuss this with you.
/ Family friendly creative workshop with Thompson Hall – Saturday 14 September, 11am–1pm / BOOK
Thompson’s free family friendly workshop will focus on participants creating their own stories or quotes based on 'what is on their mind' and their response to things there are thinking about at the moment that are important to them. This could be as simple as thinking about what to eat that day or where to travel to next, or getting more complex as to what they'd like to see happen in the world to make it a better place, or something they are looking forward to.
Participants will be invited to share their opinions through simple words, symbols or drawings on things that are important to them and their experiences. Participants will work onto speech bubbles designed by Thompson, which will then be added onto a large panel that will be hanging in the workshop space, with a Thompson painting already in the centre. The speech bubbles can be taken away afterwards.
Thompson Hall’s work is a response to living in society today. Thompson engages a lot with the world around him, and much of this is through attending events and looking at what is in the news. All ages and abilities welcome. Thompson will begin by sharing his own practice and talking through his work.
This session is FREE, but please book your space. Admission fees apply to get into the Castle itself. If this is going to be a barrier, please email info@jenniferlaurengallery.com as Jennifer is happy to discuss this with you.
/ Portrait sittings with Cameron Morgan – Sunday 29 September, 10:30am–4pm
Come along on the day for your free portrait by Cameron! Cameron Morgan's live portraits are truly original works of art. Created in watercolour, ink and sometimes a bit of Posca Pen, his unique style of mark making captures the essence of the subject while bringing in as much colour and movement as he can fit on the page. To sit for Cameron Morgan while he paints your portrait is an experience not to be missed. With each portrait taking 10-20 minutes, you will not be disappointed with the artwork you get to take home! Wild and wonderful portraits that will show the sitter a new side to themselves.
No booking required. Admission fees apply to get into the Castle itself.
Associated events: Relaxed sensory sessions
/ Relaxed session led by The Sensory Toolkit – Sunday 21 July, 10-11:30am / BOOK
/ Relaxed session led by The Sensory Toolkit – Tuesday 20 August, 10-11:30am / BOOK
/ Relaxed session led by The Sensory Toolkit – Saturday 28 September, 10-11:30am / BOOK
For individuals with additional needs and their families, artist Sarah Marsh [@thesensorytoolkit] leads the session with her gorgeous tactile, sculptural objects that you can wrap yourself in and explore the exhibition, while making connections to the artwork on display. Alongside making sensory dumplings that you can take home with you, it's a more quiet, less crowded relaxed morning exploring art. Sarah has a wealth of experience working with children with additional needs, and all supporting volunteers will have been briefed beforehand about the sessions. We will lower the lighting levels throughout ‘Kaleidoscopic Realms’. It will be a closed safe space, but the rest of the Castle will be open to the general public during this time. We felt it was important for you to be aware of this.
You can drop-in anytime between 10-11:30am and it's FREE, but please book a space so we can monitor numbers. Admission fees apply to get into the Castle itself.
PRESS
“While the impulse to create remains obscure, in Nottingham I came away with a much clearer idea of the artistry of those exhibiting and the challenges they have faced. Nine looped accompanying films featured all eight artists, with input from interlocutors, collaborators, curators and studio managers. The work was accompanied by audio commentary, large print notes, and infographic interpretation, the latter on eight easy-to-wield detachable boards. Angling the monitors and the seats they also made space for wheelchair-users. In this way, the exhibition is super accessible. Yet the motives, the impulse, the creative spark on show remains, for the most part, inscrutable. This is a tension which makes Kaleidoscopic Realms hard to resist.” – Mark Sheerin for Disability Arts Online
“The curators have definitely delivered in terms of viewer accessibility. For example, all videos include a British Sign Language interpreter, and there are braille descriptions, audio recordings, and tactile experiences available, so that every viewer can access something from each artist. I do believe this standard should be the minimum benchmark for art to become all inclusive. Every visitor has the opportunity to engage each artist in a variety of ways.” – Michael Orr for Corridor8
“This exhibition had access, empowerment – as well as acceptance without prejudice – built in from the outset. Where possible, artists (or their family members/studio facilitators) were involved in their artwork selection, in choosing wall colours, in deciding what event they would like to run in the space. For learning-disabled and neurodivergent artists, this is a rarity. But for myself and co-curator Christopher, this was non-negotiable and of the utmost importance, alongside the language used and the accessibility of this language – Braille, BSL and Easy Read.” – Jennifer Gilbert for Art UK
Curator Gill Crawshaw, who draws on her experience of disability activism, recently visited the show, calling the access provision ‘exemplary.’ Gill says, “I was bowled away by the exhibition and how it was presented. I’ll focus on some of the innovative, thoughtful and definitely aesthetically pleasing features of the exhibition which make it accessible and engaging for visitors, whether disabled, neurodivergent – or not.”
“The artists’ practices are united by different curatorial threads; an interest in colour, mark-making and creative exploration on the one hand while, on the other, theirs also happens to be a group made up of neurodivergent and learning disabled contemporary artists. While the latter point is, of course, of import in amplifying voices and profiles, the work on display – allowed centre-stage by the subtle yet meaningful curatorial intent (more of which later) – really sings here. All of which is to say that Kaleidoscopic Realms’ curatorial team of Jennifer Gilbert (founder of Jennifer Lauren Gallery) and Christopher Samuel, an artist whose practice is concerned with identity and disability politics, should be commended – both for bringing these eight artists’ varied outputs to a wider audience, but also the sensible, thoughtful ways in which this has been achieved.” – Mike Pinnington for Double Negative