Surface Arts' DIY exhibition liberates industrial warehouse in Exeter

An industrial warehouse in Exeter is being liberated by a group of artists in a response to the time of finical instability, the failure of traditional galleries and as a celebration of the vibrant arts community in the city.

The arts group Surface Arts has got together with Book Cycle and EVA Studios for the site specific exhibition DIY, which will feature a whole range of work – from sculpture to performance.

The exhibition will take over an industrial warehouse awaiting development on Water Lane near Exeter Quay side.

A short residency or ‘collabortory’ period for artists began back on Monday, August 23 and is set to come to an end with the start of the exhibition on Friday, September 17.

All materials used in the exhibition has been sourced on site, and the show ‘aims to create a non-alienating environment where artists and the public can engage in a meaningful exchange of art and ideas. The productive space of the working artist as a site of valuable, visual and intellectual interaction will be in plain sight to the public, creating a more holistic creative exhibition space’. And part of that intellectual interaction will be whether it’s now essential that artists create new and independent opportunities.

DIY will form part of a rolling exhibition programme being developed for the warehouse in collaboration with Book Cycle and is also the first of the ongoing site specific projects being pursued by Surface Arts.

The artists taking part are Adam Garratt, Chiara Gill, Hanna Downing, James Burgess, Jessica Mautner, Jo Willoughby, Julie McCalden, Mark Houghton, Megan Hoggins, Michele Louise Schiocchet and Sarah Farmer.

DIY will run for four weeks from Saturday, September 18 until Saturday, October 16 and will be open to the public Thursdays to Saturdays 10am to 6pm and Sundays 11am to 4pm or by appointment only – ring Katie Hawker on 07812566759.