As part of the ongoing visual arts programme for City of Culture 2013 and the continued profile of emerging and established Artists ,The London Street Gallery in Derry is currently hosting an unprecedented exhibition NO JURY NO PRIZE. The exhibition runs until November 6th. The NO JURY NO PRIZE is celebrating the creativity of visual artists across the city, region and indeed the island of Ireland. Running in the City and in part collaboration with key cultural partnerships during the Turner Prize, the entirely, un-juried exhibition consists of almost 300 artworks. The Exhibition is the brainchild of Rory Harron, PhD Glasgow School of Art, building upon the success of curating emerge+see earlier this year. Harron is working alongside Noelle McAlinden and The London Street Gallery. There is an accompanying Symposium being held at The Playhouse tomorrow afternoon from 1.30 to 3.30pm.
I was fortunate to get up to this exhibition earlier today with my 15 year old son. We had just come back from Ebrington and the Turner Prize, so this was offering us another insight into the world of Art. What we found was an amazing spectacle of local talent. There were four galleries and each one was filled to capacity with exhibits. Such ranged from test tube bottles, paintings, poetry, conkers and too many to mention. But each one was original and each was interesting. Every sense was awakened and there was something new at each turn of the eye. One didn’t have to move to experience something different.
This was very different from the Turner Prize yet equally if not more exciting. Turner is a prominent event and it’s an honour to be able to visit. But this was an honour and more. To see what local artists and many names that I recognised and even know, were capable of in this NO JURY NO PRIZE was such an eye opener. My son was calling to me to come look at this, look at that. It was creativity at its very best.
The NO JURY NO PRIZE exhibition runs until next Wednesday, 6th November. Do get along and have a look. You really won’t be disappointed. We weren’t!
North West Culture Gal 