Often highlighting an almost perverse obsession with surface and proximity, Claire Jarvis’ practice explores themes of hygiene, waste, sustenance and consumerism, bending the relationship between fact and fiction.
For Claire, our surroundings are just a particular arrangement of ‘stuff’– hundreds and millions of Things – some static, some in motion. Becoming overwhelmed by the quantities of even the most unremarkable ‘stuff’ and their day-to-day significance within routine and structure, Claire documents and transcribes the sea of everyday objects through her hyperrealist paintings to describe a personal psychological journey experienced in digesting the gaze of the everyday mundane. These building blocks are obsessively documented, studied and transcribed through oil on canvas, to the point where they grow to take on a hallucinatory and surreal journey of her imagination. These incorporate phobias and fantasies brought on by the boredom of the paintings’ lengthy process and rigid constraints of everyday living.
This new body of work is being presented for the first time at NN. Many of the objects depicted in her paintings have undergone an uncanny treatment inspired by Claire’s role as a parent, such as monumental, towering stacks of Dairylea triangles or a lonely, abandoned crisp packet. Structure, repetition, the unknown, penetration, sinking, towering, consuming, exhaustion, proximity and fragility are all key elements within this work.
About the artist
Claire Jarvis works and lives in Northampton. Graduating from the Royal College of Art in 2009 she has since gone on to become an Associate Lecturer at The University of Northampton. Claire has exhibited nationally and internationally and has won various awards including The Stanley Smith Scholarship (2007), runner up for the Gordon Loot Award for Fine Art (2009) and first prize in painting from NDFAS (2005).
Events
Crit Group Saturday 19 March 2016, 2 pm NN hosts the Crit Group for artists at all stages of their career to come together to discuss their work in progress. This Crit Group will begin with two Featured Artists who will present short introductions to their practice followed by Q&A. Book your free place here.
Bumps and Babes Thursday 31 March 2016, 2–3 pm Thursday 28 April 2016, 2–3 pm If you are pregnant or have a baby or pre-schooler, come to NN to see the exhibition with your bump or babe and meet others for a coffee and finger painting. Wear clothes to get messy in! Book a free place here.
From Art To Commerce Wednesday 6 April 2016, 7–9 pm / How you can manage multiple priorities Wednesday 4 May 2016, 7–9 pm / Your brand – writing a narrative for your work Wednesday 1 June 2016, 7–9 pm / Getting started – funding routes These informal sessions cover a range of issues for people looking to develop a business from their creative practice. The sessions start with a 1-hour workshop followed by 1–2–1 support and/or group discussion. From Art to Commerce is led by NN’s Development Director Tracey Clarke. For further information contact Tracey at Tracey@NNContemporaryArt.org. Book your free place here.
How to: Introduction to oil painting Saturday 23 April 2016, 2–4 pm Come to NN and learn some basic techniques for painting with oils. Over two-hours, you will learn how to prepare your paint and surface as well as some tips on how to approach still life painting. Wear clothes to paint in and whilst materials are included, feel free to bring any materials of your own. Price per person: £15. Reserve your place here.
Write Club Thursday 28 April 2016, 7–8pm Write Club is for anyone wanting to brush up on their art writing from artist statements to critical texts, get together for peer critique over a coffee in the Café. This session will look at artist statement writing. For further information contact Catherine at Catherine@NNContemporaryArt.org. Book your free place here.