SPARK #29: Minute to Midnight

SPARK artists Adele Jordan and Rae Story host a visit to the group exhibition Minute to Midnight, in which they are exhibiting alongside Rebecca Chesney, Antony Hall and Mishka Henner. Adele and Rae will discuss the works and themes in the exhibition, and talk about how their practices relate to the climate emergency. There will be the opportunity to continue the discussion over a cup of tea or other beverage. 

Minute to Midnight
The Doomsday Clock was created in 1947 by the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists as an indicator to show how close humanity is to destruction. Then, it was set at seven minutes to midnight. Now, the hands are set at 90 seconds to midnight, indicating how much closer we are to global human-made catastrophe.

Human activities such as burning fossil fuel to power factories, for transport and to heat our homes release carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. The Earth’s surface is warming as a result, faster than it ever has in human history. For this exhibition, Gallery Oldham has invited five artists based in the north-west of England to show works which consider the climate emergency, and their role as artists in relation to this.
https://hla.oldham.gov.uk/gallery/exhibitions/

This venue is wheelchair accessible.

Adele Jordan
Adele’s work focuses upon the extractive, linear, global systems, underpinned by cheap oil, which enable mass production to produce maximum profits. Levels of such production create irreparable environmental damage and rely upon an exploited labour force, creating mountains of waste. She explicitly presents our anthropogenic impact upon the planet, with her practice straddling textiles, film, sculpture, infographics and the growing of flax, raising awareness of issues to encourage behavioural change.

Adele recently undertook a week’s residency on the island of Rathlin as part of an AHRC-funded project through Queen’s University Belfast, where 24 practitioners from multidisciplinary backgrounds joined academics to collectively discuss and visualise circular systems. 

In 2022 Adele completed an MA in Textiles at MMU. Prior to that she taught printmaking over 9 years at FE and HE, spent 5 years at the workers’ owned co-operative Unicorn Grocery, and set up and ran a social enterprise, Cracking Good Food, teaching vital skills needed for communities to connect, grow, cook and socially engage with local food.
https://www.adelejordan.info/
https://www.instagram.com/adelecjordan

Rae Story
Rae’s practice is fundamentally about connection. Using drawing, painting, photography and sound recording she creates opportunity for relationship; with self, others and nature/environment. She is particularly interested in how we can improve the urban environment to support health and wellness and has worked in arts and health in Manchester for 25 years. 

Her multi-disciplinary work seeks to inspire others to find their own means of self expression, employing creativity as a tool for exploration and playfulness. Often this activity culminates in ‘meta’ works: bringing together work from many contributors to form a larger whole that goes beyond what could be achieved individually.
https://raestory.cargo.site
https://www.instagram.com/verdant.city

SPARK
The SPARK network was set up by Castlefield Gallery in 2022 to facilitate a Greater Manchester/North West-based network of artists wanting to intervene in the climate crisis. The gallery initiated SPARK in response to the high demand for places on the 2021/22 SUSTAIN programme focussed on low carbon artmaking. 

SPARK #29 follows SPARK sessions at Manchester Art Gallery, Rogue, The Birley (Preston), Eccles Friends Meeting House, Manchester Museum, AIR Gallery, Paradise Works, Editional Studio, Cadishead and Little Woolden Moss, Gallery Oldham, the John Rylands Library, Dunham Massey, Lindow Moss and Castlefield Viaduct. At the end of 2023 SPARK held a group exhibition, also called SPARK, and events programme at Rogue Studios.

Castlefield Gallery continues to provide admin and co-ordination support via its Artist Environmental Lead, Jane Lawson.

https://www.instagram.com/sparkartistsnetwork/

Directions
Gallery Oldham, Greaves Street, Oldham OL1 1AL
Gallery Oldham is two minutes walk from Oldham Central tram station. Head towards Sainsbury’s car park and almost immediately you’ll see Gallery Oldham.

0161 770 8000
galleryoldham@oldham.gov.uk

Image
Rebecca Chesney, Red Amber Green (detail)