Sacred Sites
- 23 Jul - 23 Aug, 2019
Join us at Ramp Gallery to open Sacred Sites, an exhibition by contemporary artist Jen Bowmast (NZ). Working in a variety of ways and across a number of materials, Jen creates objects, installation, performance and photography. This exhibition is part of our annual arts festival Ramp Festival of Music, Media, Arts and Design.
Jen often begins her exhibition research process by engaging with psychic mediums. This process directly links to her interest in challenging dominant ‘ways of knowing’ and traditional methods of inquiry (think art history, philosophy and western structures of research that are taught in tertiary institutions). Exploring ideas of innate knowledge and spirituality, these exchanges with psychic mediums then act as tools for making, as Jen adopts these readings into her material and conceptual practice.
Sacred Sites is a quiet and meditative exhibition that makes a space for contemplation whilst exploring ‘ways of knowing’ and the human impulse to connect to ideas larger than the self.
During Ramp Festival week, visitors to Sacred Sites will have the opportunity to experience Jen receiving live psychic readings (check out the festival schedule online for times). Jen will be giving a talk at 11am on Thursday 25 July (Gallagher Hub) about her practice and hosting a panel conversation around spirituality in contemporary art and culture. Jen will also be offering a practical workshop on Friday 26 July where you can join her in making a collaborative art work together (9.30 to 12.30 in RG.05). Details of booking for the workshop are again at the Ramp Festival website.
Thur 25 Jul at 11am / Gallagher Hub, Wintec / Panel discussion:
Join contemporary artist Jen Bowmast as she presents about her art practice and her current exhibition at Ramp Gallery, Sacred Site. During this session, Jen will be in conversation with Leafa Wilson (Artist and Curator Art: Waikato Museum) and Dr Natasha Tassell-Matamua (Senior Lecturer/Deputy Head of the School of Psychology, Massey University). The group will discuss ideas around spirituality in contemporary art and culture.
Jen’s work, spanning installation, performance, photography and object making, explores themes around spirituality and the human impulse to connect to something larger than ‘the self’. She also questions the status quo by exploring new “ways of knowing”, which has led Jen to an interesting practice of engaging psychic mediums in her research and making processes. Turning away from the rational and the known, to the unknown and the intuitive, brings an exciting and creative rebelliousness to Jen’s work.
Fri 26 Jul from 9:30 - 12:30 / RG.05, Wintec / Workshop with Jen Bowmast:
Make a collaborative art-work from scratch in this fun and practical workshop with contemporary artist Jen Bowmast. Work alongside others while making small sculptural elements - with anything from air drying clay and modelling clay to found objects. Together you will work on how the elements will be combined, so by the end of the workshop, you will stand back and admire the finished and installed collaborative work. Sign up at the Ramp Festival website now for this exciting workshop, and be ready to get your hands dirty.
