Parasol unit foundation for contemporary art

Parasol unit foundation for contemporary art is delighted to present a solo exhibition of paintings by the London-based painter Katy Moran.

Curated by Ziba Ardalan, Founder/Director of Parasol unit, this exhibition is Moran’s first major solo presentation in a public London institution and presents a survey of her work from the first ten years of her practice. The earlier paintings tend to be more loosely gestural with dynamic brushstrokes alive with painted energy and subtly rich colour. Later works, though more structured and detailed, often with added elements of collage, nonetheless abound with the ‘energy’ she demands of all her marks. Even within the modest scale of Moran’s paintings she achieves a remarkable concentration of energy that never fails to thrill viewers. Then there is the pleasure of seeking out the figurative imagery so tantalizingly hinted at in their intriguing titles.

This exhibition is accompanied by a full colour publication, printed in a limited edition of 500 copies & a limited edition print.

Suitable for

• Any age

Website

http://parasol-unit.org/katy-moran

Katy Moran sees herself as a figurative painter, but art critic Sherman Sam suggests that the term fugitive may be a better descriptor. Indeed, some artists such as Moran develop strategies to escape our inherent compulsion to categorise things. Through images, film clips and music, RCA Professor David Rayson’s lecture will explore this process of interplay between ‘the conceal’ and ‘the reveal’.

Suitable for

• 18+
• 16-17

Admission

£6 - full price
£4 - concessions

Website

http://parasol-unit.org/the-painting-game-lecture-by-prof-david-rayson

In Soul Alchemy, violinist Abraham Brody will create musical improvisations based on what he sees in Katy Moran’s paintings and in the eyes of audience members surrounding him. Brody has recently collaborated with Marina Abramovic, with his performance The Violinist is Present at the Fondation Beyeler (Basel, Switzerland). His new performance created for Parasol unit is an extension of this experience.

Suitable for

• Any age

Admission

£6 - full price
£4 - concessions

Website

http://parasol-unit.org/music-performance-soul-alchemy-by-abraham-brody

In Katy Moran’s work there is an emphasis on mark-making and abandoning control. This family workshop with artist educator Alexandra Hughes will explore these approaches through a series of experimental painting activities that are influenced by short stories, aiming to generate new creative narratives.

Suitable for

• 5-6
• 7-10
• 11-13
• 14-15

Admission

£5 per family

Website

http://parasol-unit.org/storytelling-family-workshop-painting-chance

In this talk, organised in relation to James Clar’s sculpture, ALL EVERYTHING, 2014, installed on Parasol unit’s terrace, artist Andy Charalambous will describe how he approaches science from an artistic point of view and show how this influences his work. He will overview his career path and the unconventional route he followed to become an artist.

Suitable for

• 18+
• 16-17

Admission

£6 - full price
£4 - concessions

Website

http://parasol-unit.org/talk-art-science-by-artist-andy-charalambous

Join artist Nicola Pomery for a playful life-drawing workshop. Families will start with figurative drawing, gradually introducing gestural mark-making and obliterating any elements of associated form with colourful paints. Everyone will be invited to pose for one another, selecting theatrical props and materials for the group to draw and paint. Feel free to bring your favourite costumes from home!

Suitable for

• 5-6
• 7-10
• 11-13
• 14-15

Admission

£5 per family

Website

http://parasol-unit.org/sunday-family-workshop-life-drawing-obliterating-the-figurative

Workshop programme
Monday 16 – Thursday 19 February: 3 – 5pm
Friday 20 February: 11am – 1pm
Free | Booking is essential | For ages 14 – 19 yrs

Over a 5-day project with Laura Kloss from Lightbox Cinema, participants can try their hand at experimental animation using both 16mm and digital mediums. The project will include 2 days of camera-less animation sessions in which participants will be able to create their own abstract animations on 16mm film using scratch techniques, pioneered by experimental artists such as Len Lye, Stan Brakhage and Norman McLaren. Participants will be invited to scratch, scour, and scrape away the emulsion on 16mm celluloid and doodle, smudge and pattern with paint and felt tip pens on clear 16mm leader. When played back through the projector the patterns created will come alive, dancing across the screen.

Weekend exhibition
Saturday 21 February: 10am – 6pm
Sunday 22 February: 12 – 5pm

An exhibition of the work generated from both youth projects Brain Dance* and Invitation to a Voyage will be shown in the Events & Education Room.

Funded by Hackney Council, as part of Discover Young Hackney 2015.

Please contact Nicola Pomery for further information:
nicola@parasol-unit.org

Suitable for

• 14-15
• 16-17
• 18+

Admission

Free

Website

http://parasol-unit.org/youth-project-experimental-animation

Workshop programme
Monday 16 February – Friday 20 February: 11am – 1pm
Free | Booking is essential | For ages 14 – 19 yrs

Following the footsteps of Katy Moran’s approach to paintings, where “each painting has to be a new endeavor, a new search, a new discovery of something”, the 5-day project with artist Hydar Dewachi explores creating sketchbook compositions from words, images, thoughts and storylines.

It is a journey back and forth between the digital and physical where digital images will be printed and layered onto the compositions and then journal pages scanned and exhibited online.

Project exhibition
Saturday 21 February: 10am – 6pm
Sunday 22 February: 12noon – 5pm

An exhibition of the work generated from both youth projects Invitation to a Voyage and Brain Dance* will be shown in the Events & Education Room.

Funded by Hackney Council, as part of Discover Young Hackney 2015

Please contact Nicola Pomery for further information:
nicola@parasol-unit.org

Suitable for

• 14-15
• 18+

Admission

Free

Website

http://parasol-unit.org/youth-project-invitation-to-a-voyage

In this lecture, Freudian and Lacanian theorist Lee Mackinnon will look at the relationship between psychoanalytic theory and the use of accident in Katy Moran’s creative process. Chance is currently a well-discussed topic in psychoanalytic theory, offering us an opportunity to discuss the way some artists access material from the subconscious or unconscious mind as part of their practice.

Suitable for

• 18+
• 16-17

Admission

£8 - full price
£6 - concessions

Website

http://parasol-unit.org/lecture-losing-control-the-role-of-chance-by-lee-mackinnon

Explore art and science through a poetic workshop inspired by James Clar’s extraordinary light sculpture 'ALL EVERYTHING', 2014. Families will join poet Francesca Beard to creatively imagine the time-line of their own inner worlds, against the excitement and mystery of the ‘Big Bang’ and the stellar backdrop of the expanding universe.

Suitable for

• 5-6
• 7-10
• 11-13
• 14-15

Admission

£5 per family

Website

http://parasol-unit.org/storytelling-family-workshop-sonic-stellar-bangs