Etain O’Carroll‘s 250 acrylic discs, shaped in a murmuration, currently adorn the North Wall‘s gallery in Summertown (see main pic). They are her contribution to new exhibition Dividing Lines which aims to highlight and address the conflicting issues currently concerning Oxford and its residents.
Her work ‘A Load Of Old Bollards‘ is based on the fierce debate around the city’s LTNs in Oxford and the rhetoric that has emerged since they were installed. Etain says: “People’s responses have swung between amusing and horrifying, but having lived in Cowley for 16 years there doesn’t seem to be any discussion going on where people listen to each other.
‘we need a more harmonious solution to the way we live at the moment – to have more connections rather than divisions’
“So this is about encouraging people to talk to each other and listen, to exchange opinions, rather than stay separate and divided like starlings in a murmuration who fly completely separately without touching each other, because what we need is a more harmonious solution to the way we live at the moment – to have more connections rather than divisions.”
She is one of the six local artists picked to take part in the Dividing Lines exhibition, which came about after a group of Oxford Brookes art graduates decided to address the issues they constantly talked about.
“It’s too simplistic to say Oxford is so divided. It is an easy term to use with Oxford’s Town and Gown reputation. But we want to get people talking, to discuss the issues rather than moaning about them, to listen to others and look at finding solutions,” Etain adds.
“And having all graduated from Oxford Brookes, and as long term Oxford residents, we wanted to explore people’s perceptions of the city.
“So everybody has made new work for the exhibition based around the issues they want to highlight, while offering different perspectives and takes on what they might be. This is their response, their perspective on things,” she adds.
Other artists taking part include Katie Taylor from Summertown, whose sculptural work uses a variety of prescient materials, her work based around the hidden homeless, the break down in the social system and how to care for those on the margins in society with more dignity.
Cowley resident Deborah Pill‘s postcards are reflections on perceived barriers, such as 15 Minute Cities and the Cutteslowe Wall encompassing how the city has changed.
Kate Hipkiss asked people to write in with their own perceptions on Oxford and has cut their comments into her paper houses.
Emmett Casley from Botley, uses multi media pieces to focus on the decline of industry, in particular the Cowley Works and Lucy Works in Jericho, through photos, wood carvings, and 3D paintings.
Artist Lilli Tranborg asks us to consider if wildlife can live and thrive in a growing city, using wildlife corridors in urban spaces, and encouraging us to make more allowances for nature. Her wire work demonstrates this alongside a video of wildlife activity in her back garden, taken over eight months, to show the wonderful array of animals from badgers and foxes which visited.
The exhibition opened last night and runs until April 19 and Etain says she is delighted to see how the work complements each other.
“Dividing Lines has a real flow, the shapes reflected on each other, so we are very happy with the installation and encourage as many people as possible to come and see it.
‘we are very happy with the installation and encourage as many people as possible to come and see it’
“If you live in Oxford you will recognise the issues highlighted and will have questioned the same problems. So we’d love feedback and to hear how people react, because fundamentally Dividing Lines is about encouraging people to listen to each other, and talk to the people in their communities, rather than dismissing their views outright.
“Because these are complex issues which are given a lot of airtime, and while we are not arrogant enough to think we have the answers, we need to address the root causes and work out how to go from there.
‘Dividing Lines isn’t telling you how to think, but just to reflect on the issues featured’
“Dividing Lines isn’t telling you how to think, but just to reflect on the issues featured,” Etain adds.
And for those who want to explore this further, on Tuesday April 8 the North Wall is hosting Wongani Mwanza (architect, participatory urban designer and director at Transition by Design Cooperative, who specialises in community-led design with an environmental and social justice focus) who will be discussing Changing Oxford: Connecting Communities and Spaces, an interactive workshop and conversation around the lack of housing in Oxford and how to change that in the future. The event will include short film screenings, interactive discussion and opportunities to connect with others. Book this event here: https://thenorthwall.ticketsolve.com/ticketbooth/shows/873669566
Dividing Lines runs at North Wall until April 19 and is free to enter. For more details go to https://www.thenorthwall.com/whats-on/dividing-lines-connecting-spaces/
