Approved: 16.08.2006

Bridget Kennedy

Artist, Fundraiser, Lecturer / academic, Project manager

Approved: 16.08.2006

Bridget Kennedy (b. 1970 Netherlands) is a compulsive organiser. She uses systemisation as a survival tactic, as a means of creating a little quietness amidst the clamor of modern life. She lives on the outskirts of a small village in the North of England. Whilst seeking out wildness and wilderness through interaction with nature she succumbs to the ever present desire to tame and control. She

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      Artist Statement

      Bridget Kennedy (b. 1970 Netherlands) is a compulsive organiser. She uses systemisation as a survival tactic, as a means of creating a little quietness amidst the clamor of modern life. She lives on the outskirts of a small village in the North of England. Whilst seeking out wildness and wilderness through interaction with nature she succumbs to the ever present desire to tame and control. She sees herself as a librarian of the landscape, constantly cataloguing. A fascination with maps brings together her two main interests: landscape and the translation of information. Looking is an activity that is under constant scrutiny in Kennedy's practice, with regard to cartography she is intrigued by the leap of imagination that a map-reader undergoes in order to understand a three dimensional environment when looking at a set of symbols on a piece of paper. She expects her viewers to work together with her on their relationship with her pieces, giving clues in titles such as "Trying to understand the creation of the universe with beads and wire" and "Every letter is a number, every number is a colour (creation myths one and two)". There are two main strands to her practice, one is studio based and one is work made in response to place. She uses drawing, sculpture, photography and moving image in conjunction with the study of historical, critical and literary texts to aid her research and sustain her practice. In recent studio based work she has been re-coding texts and images that relate to landscape then meticulously hand replicating this information to create complex drawings and sculptures. Cool and impersonal at first glance these works expose a very human fragility on closer inspection. Imperfections resulting from the hand-made, homespun and irrational character of the romantic subtly compete with the rigid framework.

      CV & Education

      Coming Up:

      Entwined artist in residence with VARC: Bellingham Heritage Centre, July 2021

      Recent exhibitions

      2019, The Contemporary Countryside, Fold Gallery, Berwick-upon-Tweed: 1st-7th Nov           2019, Material Flow, Stroud Museum in the park, 28th Aug- to 22st Sept 
      2019, New Light Prize exhibition, Tullie House Museum, Carlisle: 13 Oct 2018-27 Jan 
      2019, #untitled 10, Bowes Museum, Co Durham, 09 Nov 2018 –11 January 

       

      Recent Events: 

      Nuclear History Group: July 2020: presenter at on line conference

      National Nuclear Laboratory:12th Feb 2020: delivered lunchtime lecture

      Nuclear Culture Research Group, Goldsmiths, London: December 2018: presenter at Radiological Deep Time Conference

      Group exhibitions

      Middlesbrough Art Weekender, 4th-7th Oct 2018

      New Light Prize exhibition, Tullie House Museum, Carlisle: 13th Oct 2018-27th Jan 2019

      KIN-doms, Dartington Hall, Totnes: 28th Sept - 17th Nov 2018

      KINdoms, FAB, Bath: 26th May-10th June 2018

      New Light Prize exhibition, Hudderfield Art Gallery: 10th March - 2nd June 2018

      New Light Prize exhibition, Bowes Museum, Barnard Castle: 18th Nov 2017- 18th Feb 2018

      Power in The Land, Bay Art, Cardiff: 18th Feb - 18th March 2017

      As Above So Below, Allenheads Contemporary Arts: 27th - 30th October 2016

      Sites of Wonder, University of Kent: 30th September - 2nd December 2016

      Power in The Land, Aberystwyth Art Centre: 14th May - 2nd July 2016

      Power in The Land, Oriel Davies Gallery: 6th February - 6th April 2016 

      The Story of Wylfa, archival exhibition marking the final shut down of Wylfa Nuclear Power Station, Oriel Ynys Mon, Anglesey: 23rd Jan - 10th July 2016

      2016 Sites of Wonder, based on the idea of the cabinet of wonder, curated by students at the University of Kent. 

      2016- The Story of Wylfa, archival exhibition marking the final shut down of Wylfa Nuclear Power Station, Oriel Ynys Mon, Anglesey

      2015- If I could Sink My Teeth Into The Whole Earth, ExLibris Gallery, University of Newcastle upon Tyne. 

      2014- Another Landscape, The Shed, Haltwistle

      2012 - Geological Etiquette, Mining Institute, Newcastle-upon-Tyne

      2012 - Happy Yesterday, Oriel Davies Gallery, Newtown, Powys, Mid Wales

      2011 - In a Constant State of Flux, 151 Sidney Grove, Newcastle-upon-Tyne

      2011 - Pop Up Cinema, Eden Arts, Penrith

      2011 - Scientific Stranger, Heritage Open Day Event , Blacksmith's, Allenheads

      2011 - Scientific Stranger II, MOMA Wales and CAT, Wales

      2010 - Northern Soil, ACA Shop , Allenheads

      2010 - So what's different today?, Globe Gallery, North Shields

      2010 - We all own the Mona Lisa, New Bridge Street Gallery, Newcastle-upon-Tyne

      2009 - "(...)", Gallerie Omphalos, Terlizzi, Bari, Italy

      2009 - Artland, various venues, Bishop Auckland, Co Durham

      2009 - Triparks, Dovetail, Newcastle-upon-Tyne

      2008 - More Than Yesterday, Globe City, Newcastle-upon-Tyne

      2008 - The Great Purpose, Mile End Park Pavilion, London

      2007 - "Further More", Tramway, Glasgow

      2007 - FRED 07, FRED / Fold Gallery, outdoor interventions in Cumbria

      2007 - Loch Long, Bluttenweisse, Berlin

      2007 - Multiplicity, In House, Edinburgh

      2006 - "Kunstvlaai 6", Westergasfabriekterrein, Amsterdam

      2006 - "Parasite", Gallery Blaak 10, Rotterdam

      2006 - Members Show, Transmission, Glasgow

      2003 - Contraflow, The Pentagon Centre, Glasgow

      1999 - Run Rabbit Run, ACA, Allenheads + Waygood Gallery Newcastle, two centre exhibition (rural / urban)

      Solo exhibitions

      2015- Strata, ACA shop, Allenheads

      2012 - Black Middens Project, Bellingham Heritage Centre, Bellingham

      2011 - Bridget Kennedy Recent Works, The Board Room, Incubator, NETPark, Co Durham

      2008 - Landline (Pantone coated), Veggverk, Akureyri, Iceland

      2007 - "I can still feel the wind in my hair", Emerged, 54 Bell Street, Glasgow

      2006 - "Every Day I Will Live", Barnes Flat Glasgow School of Art, Glasgow

      1999 - From NY848467 to NY863454, ACA (Allenheads Contemporary Arts), The Old School House, Allenheads

      1998 - Observations, Hancock Museum, Newcastle-upon-Tyne

      1995 - Zaira, Design Works, Felling, Newcastle upon Tyne

      Residencies

      2015: If I Could Sink My Teeth Into The Whole Earth, XL Gallery, Newcastle

      2011 - Utopian Realism, Centre For Alternative Technology, Wales

      2008 - Triparks, Allenheads Contemporary Arts and Aunehead Arts, Northumberland National Park

      2006 - student residency, Cove Park, Argyll and Bute Public

      Commissions, collections

      2020- Artwork commissioned by Public Health England in response to consultation with public around ionising radiation.

      2011 - Works from Triparks Residency, purchased by Durham County Council

      2001 - Soft Play, Commissions North, West Chevington Family Centre

      Projects

      2018 - 2024: Practice based PhD: Goldsmiths London (part time)

      https://www.gold.ac.uk/art/research/current-mphil--phd-research/kennedy-bridget/ 

      2016: As Above So Below, research and production at Allenheads Contemporary Arts http://www.acart.org.uk/aasb.html

      2014- 2018: Power in The Land, working together with X10 group of artists investigting the impact of Nuclear Power in Britain and beyond http://www.powerintheland.co.uk

      2015-16: Creative Dialogues, Arts and Health research project. http://www.creativedialoguesproject.wordpress.com/

      2014-15: Connecting Killhope, Arts Engagement project for Killhope Museum. http://connectingkillhope.blogspot.co.uk/

      2012- Utopian Realism, research, production and exhibtions with Mair Hughes http://utopianrealismproject.blogspot.co.uk/

      1999 - Fathom Five, collaborative events at various venues, North East

      Competitions, prizes and awards

      2016- Funding for Power in The Land from Arts Council Wales

      2011 - Funding for Utopian Realism from Awards for All, Arts Council England, England

      2009 - Black Middens Project, VARC project fund, Tarset, Northumberland

      Qualifications and training 

      2007 - Masters of Fine Art, AHRC funded, Glasgow School of Art, Glasgow 

      2006 - exchange student, Piet Zwart Institute, Rotterdam 

      1994 - Stained Glass Apprenticeship, Vetrate Artistiche Toscane, Siena, Italy 

      1993 - NVQ Welding, Lloyds British, Low Walker, Newcastle upon Tyne 

      1992 - BA Hons, Fine Art (Sculpture), University of Newcastle upon Tyne

      Publications

      2016 - Nuclear Culture Source Book, ed Ele Carpenter, published by Black Dog

      2016 - Power in The Land, project publication, ed Helen Grove White