BABEL
26 January - 3 March
A short film about the exhibition made by George Adams and Alex Freeman, Art Students at Tonbridge School.
Babel explores the tower, in all its forms, as structure, image and metaphor. It features the work of artists Jonathan Wright and Wayne Warren who have created installations especially for the exhibition. Babel includes large scale towers made of unusual materials alongside photographs of historic and contemporary structures and souvenirs from around the world.
In recent times perhaps the most iconic images of towers are inseparable from a narrative of disaster and collapse. And so, the exhibition explores whether the desire to build bigger, higher, denser structures, invokes the kind of hubris the Bible cautions against in the tower of Babel.
Warren and Wright invite us to look again at functional architecture such as the water tower, lighthouse and pylon. They suggest we reconsider the skeletal minimum of structural necessity as the pragmatic made beautiful.
Open to the Public
Saturday & Sunday 12-4.00 pm
Core Section (detail) by Wayne Warren
ARTISTS’ TALK
Artists Jonathan Wright and Wayne Warren discuss their fascination with the tower as both structure and metaphor within the context of their own practice.
Both create pieces with a rich materiality and conceptual framework. Together they explore the ways in which the story of the tower of Babel is still relevant today.
Wright’s work is concerned with the fabric of modernity and the mysterious, seemingly functionless structures that surround us in modern society. Warren’s practice questions what society values - how this reflects the past and how it may be different for future generations.
Thursday 7th February 7.30pm.
Gallery open from 6.45pm
BUILD - DRAW - IMAGINE: TOWERS
A Drop-in workshop for Families
Using a range of materials, objects and words participants will create amazing towers that will transform the gallery. They will be able to add their own tower to a ‘city of towers’ being made in the gallery or take it home. The workshop is led by Artist Educator Lorena Carbajal, is free and no booking is required.
Sunday 10th February 12-4pm.
Bring a School Group
Schools and local groups are welcome between Monday and Friday. - We can arrange free guided tours with our Gallery Educator, providing a fascinating insight into the exhibits.
Tonbridge School Arts Brochure
OBS Gallery forms part of the vibrant cultural scene at Tonbridge School. See the Arts Brochure for the full programme of events, and we'll see you soon...