Greatest Hits Volume 1

'Greatest Hits 2006'

From York Press December 2006

'The ArtSpace has come up with a solution, if any of the sparky York gallery's shows escaped your gaze in 2006: a Greatest Hits package to see out the old, see in the new.

"We're pretty proud of the pot pourri of exhibitions we've put on this year.  If anyone's missed them The ArtSpace have come over all TOTP Christmas special and winklepicked the highlights.Something like 'Now That's What I Call Artistic - Vol 1'," says gallery co-owner Greg McGee.

 'Retro Techno', 'Femininity', 'Colour!' and 'Sleight of Hand', all share the stage for 6 weeks only. The resulting cacophony may smart the eye, but it is fun. "Top quality art and fun can be cosy bedfellows after all, despite what certain miserable self appointed chatterati maintain," says co-owner Ails Denholm.

"'Femininity' back in Feburary was our first serious 'concept exhibition' - we've got the best of what was displayed but sadly there's no Sasha Consiglio and her accompnaying 'dead dollies in coffins'. She's moved down South to be with her parents as she readies to give birth any day now. Good luck Sasha! There's noone one like her up in York with her viciously witty vision, but the theme is supported handsomely by Carla Ballantine's photography,nudes by Derek Hodson and the ubiquitous Malcolm Ludvigsen, and highly stylised  femininity from new favourite, Nell."

 "We photographed one of Nell's pieces for the front cover of Aesthetica magazine, the fastest growing culture magazine in the UK, and we knew we had to involve her in The ArtSpace," says Greg.

'Retro Techno', a celebration of Art, Graphic Desiogn and Rock and Roll, includes Lee Jeffs, Doug James from Mode Graphic Design, Carla Ballantine, Jim Stafford and Dexter. It was a very successful exhibition way back in April, kicked off by an opening night of hot art rock from local rockers, 'Death Cigarettes'.

'Sleight of Hand' dovetailed nicely with the York Magic Festival back in May. David Kettley, Magda Brieger and Simon Wallace return with their enchanting reminders of all things enchanting. The summer exhibition, 'Colour!', was not only concerned with canvases beslobbered with bright colourful paint, but also looked at the influence of York on artists who come from different cultural backgrounds. British Indian Kalindi produced bright citra fusion work, influenced by the Indian festival of Holi, Linda Foo Tomlinson looked to her Chinese roots and provided The ArtSpace with its only permanent piece 'Bureau de Change - 100 symbols', and Indonesian artist Tato came through with a mixture of traditional Indonesian scenes and British scenes rendered just that little bit more colourful. "Grafiklee's 'Up York!' has really connected with local art fans. It's from our Retro techno exhibition and represents everything we at The Artspace like to think, or like to hope York has", says Greg,"It straddles the gothic past and the glittering digital age, giving us a wonderfully complex continuum from the Celts to the future."

 "There'll always be quirky, gorgeous, collectable art at the The ArtSpace. It's great to see Artfulness on Goodramgate is flying the flag too, or Kindom on Petergate, or pretty much half of Gillygate. All affordable art, all infinitely cooler than the rubbish peddled by those soulless shop every city in the UK seems to nurture," says Ails.

"'Greatest Hits' allows us to celebrate the artists who've worked with us all year. It's already been recommended by The Times as in the top 5 of must see exhibitions of the month. We got to Number 3. Hopefully next Christmas' inevitable Greatest Hits Vol 2 will be Number 1!" says Greg.

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From The ArtSpace Issue 8, December 2006

We're pretty proud of the pot pourri of exhibitions we've put on this year. The inner sleeves will tell you all about them. If you missed 'em, weeeell, as luck would have it we at The ArtSpace have come over all TOTP Christmas special and winkle picked the highlights. Now That's What I Call Artistic - Vol 1. 'Retro Techno', 'Femininity', 'Colour!' and 'Sleight of Hand', all share the stage for 6 weeks only. The resulting cacophony may smart the eye, but, by Herne, it is good crack. Fun, old friend. Top quality art and fun can be cosy bedfellows after all, despite what certain miserable self appointed chatterati maintain. You know of who we talk. They pontificate about Yorkshire art like some kind of plummy pope of all things pompous, but their eyes are dead, oh my brothers, and their patter poisons. Jettison them. Instead, come to The ArtSpace opposite Clifford's Tower and enjoy the wide, wide range of original art we have on show, all by Yorkshire based artists who deserve more attention: Kalindi, Rory Motion, Derek Hodgson. Work that is as good as anything you'll find in St Ives or St Germain. We're two minutes walk away from York Dungeons or the Coppergate Centre. Leave the buying of weird prints of dead Hollywood icons or creepily zombified Teddy Bears to your neighbours: you know, the ones who still think Little Britain one liners are funny - or maybe they've graduated onto Borat imitations. Either way, they're probably not interested in buying original art, but perhaps you are. It's a sexy habit to get into. There'll always be quirky, gorgeous, collectable art at The ArtSpace. It's great to see Artfulness on Goodramgate is flying the flag too with their own style of art, or Kindom on Petergate, or pretty much half of Gillygate. All affordable art, all infinitely cooler than the sheister peddled by those soulless shop every city in the UK seems to nurture.

So. The Greatest Hits is a celebration of Yorkshire art exhibited in The ArtSpace over the last year. A 'Friend of The ArtSpace' card will ensure you get an invite to all our parties/preview nights for new exhibitions, as well as a free workshop, and 10% off all art, jewellery and bags. Inside we ask some of our favourite cultural warriors from York what rocks their world. Rock and Roll all Night - be Arty every Day! Woah! Aw yeah.