Artist statement
Jane Fairhurst
Jane Fairhurst uses a wide range of media including drawing, painting, sculpture, installation, photography and film to make work that explores environmental, political and social issues in contemporary society.
Fairhurst originally studied for a Diploma in Art and Design at Liverpool College of Art.
She has exhibited her work in solo, group and collaborative exhibitions for over twenty years and has work in private collections in the U.K., Europe, Australia and America.
A founder member and chair of Cross Street Arts(formerly OK Studios), Wigan, she uses her organisational as well as artistic skills to develop networks and dialogues with artists and curators to support collaborative practice amongst artist communities.
Since graduating from Liverpool Academy of Art and Design with an MFA with distinction in 2010 she has worked collaboratively with museums, galleries and artists to bring together archival artifacts, multi media installations, films, photographs and publications exploring concepts of utopia, dystopia and heterotopias.
The transformation of found objects is central to her practice; "Using objects that have had a previous life, a history, satisfies both my need to tread a little lighter on the earth and my fascination with the process of transfiguration of objects from their origins into art; a contemporary alchemy."
Currently Fairhurst is collecting and creating objects for a ‘cabinet of curiosities for the 21st century’. Using a pre-Enlightenment system of classification she is constructing a world of knowledge that prompts alternate epistemologies.
www.crossstreetarts.co.uk
Qualifications and training
- 2010 MFA with Distinction, Liverpool JMU Academy of Art, Liverpool
Employment
- 2010 Self Employed Professional Artist/ Director of OK Studios, OK Studios, Standish Wigan North West Region
Solo exhibitions
- 2012 'Paula and Jane's Emporium of Curious Objects', Cross Street Gallery, Cross Street Standish Wigan WN6 0HQ
- 2011 'Rise Up and Build', Chapel Gallery, Ormskirk, West Lancs, L39 4QR
- 2010 Transition, Gallery Oldham, Oldham (more info)
- 2009 'Freefall Series', Panacea, Manchester (more info)
- 2008 'Un-Natural Selection', Lowry Hotel - Comme Ca Exhibition, Salford, Manchester (more info)
- 2007 Jane Fairhurst, Harris Museum and Art Gallery, Preston
- 2006 'Colour Box Series', Cornerhouse Projects, Manchester
Group exhibitions
- 2011 WE ARE HERE, Turnpike Gallery, Leigh WN7 1EB
- 2010 MA Fine Art, Liverpool School of Art and Design, Liverpool (more info)
- 2010 Turnpike Open, Turnpike Gallery, Leigh, Leigh (more info)
- 2009 'TEN years' - OK Studios, Drumcroon Gallery, Wigan (more info)
- 2008 'Migration', Contemporary Urban Centre - Red Dot Exhibition, Greenland Street, Liverpool
Curated projects
- 2012 'Paula and Jane's Emporium of Curious Objects', Cross Street Gallery, Cross Street Standish Wigan WN6 0HQ
Projects
- 2002 Studio based professional artist and administrator, OK Studios Charitable Limited Company, Standish, Wigan
Competitions, prizes and awards
- 2009 Fairhurst_Fielding collaborative sculpture-first prize, Chapel Gallery, Ormskirk, West Lancs
- 2005 Objects of Desire-3D prize, Turnpike Gallery, Leigh, Greater Manchester
- 2005 West Lancashire Open-First Prize, Chapel gallery, Ormskirk, West Lancashire
Site specific
- 2008 Site specific collaborative practice-Fairhurst_Fielding, JMU Academy of Art, Liverpool
Personal website
