Bridewell Studios & Gallery: Terra Ignota

Bridewell Studios & Gallery: Terra Ignota

When

27.1.24 - 31.1.24    
10:00 - 18:00

Where

Bridewell Studios and Gallery
101 Prescot Street, Liverpool, L7 8UL, Liverpool

Event Type

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PREVIEW: Friday 26th January 2024 6.30-9.00pm.
ARTISTS IN CONVERSATION at 7pm
Join the artists at Bridewell Gallery on the evening of Friday 26th January 2024 in conversation with artist scholar Catherine Morris for discussion about their practice and the exhibition’s wider contextual picture.

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Terra Ignota (‘unknown land’) at Bridewell Gallery shows experimental artworks by artists Margaret O’Brien and John Elcock. Although distinct, the works are mutual in their exploration of intersections between art, bioenergy, and contemporary digital technologies.

Margaret’s work ‘Resistance: West’ is an ongoing work that develops a live experimental orchestra using a series of microbial fuel cells made from local soil. A microbial fuel cell is an electrical circuit that harnesses electrons released by bacteria in soil through organic decomposition. This work develops a series of musical instruments by translating the fluctuating electrical activity of bacteria in soil into sound. Its multi-cell construct produces a layered sound composition through nuances in note, pitch or tone that each cell emits relative to the specific soil sample. Through its live and unpredictable nature, the work explores parameters of failure in the pursuit of new discoveries.

John’s installation ‘Geist’ responds to the particular qualities of the Bridewell’s historic spaces and seeks to enter a dialogue with Margaret’s artwork. John’s piece similarly uses site-specific, recovered earth to power a live artwork; in this case the soil itself distilling something of its spirit of place to illuminate a ghostly light – powered by no extraneous sources. In doing so we are invited to reflect on the latent qualities of time and place, a reminder that what appears unseen is not always absent.