Bill Chambers: Confined

Bill Chambers is based in Newport, South Wales and is a long-standing member of Cardiff Print Workshop. Over the years, he has been self-employed as an artist and teacher, offering workshops and master classes to a variety of organisations and individuals.

"During the pandemic I created a new series of transfer prints exploring the figure in response to the 'new normal' of self isolation and social distancing. Like so many people I have felt the creeping effects of this ongoing situation. The call to modify our behaviour and the closure of so many opportunities to interact with other people has lead to a widespread increase in mental health issues. Without the healing effect of others, loneliness and disconnection have left many of us feeling more isolated than ever.

The works were made using photocopy transfer on collage, a process I was able to do from home during lockdown. They are based on photographs taken in collaboration with a friend, Marega Palser, a dancer and performance artist. This project represents a new direction for me in my own artistic journey and is only the start of more creative work to come.

The series was self initiated as a way of progressing previous work that explores the figure combined with objects and pattern, but the initial idea came from a proposal for a group exhibition that was ultimately unsuccessful. (I found myself so excited by my own proposal that I decided to do it anyway!) The figure is composed to explicitly acknowledge the boundaries of the image but ultimately she is not trapped. She inhabits the space as her own."

You can see more of Bill's work on his website, or connect with him on Facebook or Instagram.

CuratorSpace are currently featuring articles by artists, curators and organisations who want to share their experiences of responding to the COVID-19 pandemic, whether that is artists using their practice as a way of exploring new boundaries of isolation, or as a way to connect more broadly with their communities. We are also interested in hearing from curators and organisations who are offering support to artists and audiences during this time.

Contact us at louise@curatorspace.com to share your story.

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