'On Folding Ground'

At the heart of the show is the idea of the fold, a concept that challenges the notion of distinct separation between past and present, or between material and immaterial. Like a fold in fabric, these elements intertwine, influencing and reshaping one another. Both artists explore this dynamic process through their individual yet interconnected practices. Sutton and Neish engage in an intuitive manipulation of their materials, working slowly and allowing each action to build upon and transform what came before.

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Positioned in the centre of the gallery is Rebecca Halliwell Sutton’s floating aluminium sculpture, “The Longing Isn’t Lost on Me.” Upon closer inspection, one can observe delicate tracings made with wax pencil alongside countless carefully hammered imprints of small circles. Working on it for almost a year, Sutton has carefully traced the reflections of light on the aluminium sheet in wax pencil, following these lines with hammer strikes. The centre of the sheet is hollowed out to the point of splitting open, blurring the distinction between inside and outside, top and bottom.

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At the back of the gallery, Halliwell Sutton’s “Obliterate (i)” and “Obliterate (ii)” can be seen—two silver gelatin photographic works that have been alchemically transformed into obliterated images. The upper layer of the first piece is slowly peeling away, giving it a more three-dimensional quality as it gradually disintegrates over time.

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These works exist in between states—between flatness and fullness, all surface with no depth other than their cavities. Space flows into the sculpture and its shadows. Sutton’s practice reflects a fluid, intuitive process where each action influences and transforms the others, revealing hidden dimensions. It’s akin to a resurfacing of the unconscious, allowing the unknowable to re-emerge and become part of the world.

Neish’s paintings are also build up slowly over time. The surface of her work is constructed through a prolonged process of accumulation, where oil paint is layered and excavated with brushes and palette knives, a process that can take months.

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On this irregularly raised surface, she paints detailed compositions pulled from a collected archive of shared photographs. Most of the images are direct or indirect reference to time cycles: birthday, nests, rotating disco balls.  Pieces like “It’s So Sad” and “Thank You for Coming” feature close-ups of baby birds in a nest, images taken on her phone at the family farm or sent by friends.

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All of the paintings are in greenish-grey tones, building the composition by perfectly painted play of shadow and light. In 'DON'T GET LOST', she has painted the ear of the hare in 'DON'T GET LOST' so carefully that each hair is rendered perfectly, creating an effect where, even against the fanciful background and the grey tones, you feel as if you are looking at real fur.

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All of the works in ‘On Folding Ground’ explore the relationship of time and material in a different way. During the process of creating these pieces, there is no clear distinction between the two; rather, they exist in a continuous, relational state that interconnects layers, influencing and shaping one another. 

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