'An Academy of Investigations' is a fascinating collective exhibition that begins on Friday at the intimate Madame Lillie's gallery in Stoke Newington.
The collective comprises five London-based artists - Ambrosine Allen, Jonathan Gildersleeves, Amy Green, Colin Marsh and Uma Mahadeva. Their work is very much reflected in their choice of name: The Drawing Factory.
After meeting on the Fine Art drawing MA at Wimbledon College of Art, and connected by their love of drawing, their initial intention was to mount exhibitions together and support each others' individual work. In an effort to bring fresh input into their own practice, they started working collaboratively and began posting each other drawings, which the next person would continue, and then post to the next person and so on until the drawing had reached an agreed state of completion.
‘An Academy of Investigations’ is the first glimpse of the fruits of their labour over the last two years. Their intention is to highlight the process in which the drawings were made and dispel the myth that drawing is an individual pursuit. It can be both playful and social.
With the current state of the postal service, we’re amazed that they managed to complete the exhibition at all.
An Academy of Investigations at Madame Lillie’s, 10 Cazenove Rd, Stoke Newington, N16 6BD from 5-28 Feb 2010. Gallery open 12-6pm Fri-Sun.
By Jonnie Fielding
