The Field System gallery is a new physical exhibition space located in the south west of England, dedicated to showing intelligent and genuine pieces of art by sincere and hard working artists. Named after a historic, topographic feature that patterns the landscapes and maps of Dartmoor, this relic of early land use speaks of people in the landscape; being involved in our surroundings; of ingenuity, community and folk. Field System is owned by Milly Brown and Mark Jessett and the gallery is located at 13 West Street, Ashburton, Devon TQ137DT in a double-fronted Georgian building.
Here are some of their upcoming events and exhibitions:
Lucy Wright: ’Oss Girls
Wednesday, 1 May 2024-Saturday, 18 May 2024
Hobby horses and horse girls; folklore, fetish + consent, this exhibition by artist and folklorist Lucy Wright takes as its starting point the folk archetype of the hobby horse, in particular the well-known ’Obby ’Oss tradition which takes place each May in Padstow, North Cornwall. Her new show examines how folk practices of all kinds might help us to navigate changing attitudes towards gender and intimacy.
Lucy is an Artist and Research Fellow in Folklore at the University of Hertfordshire whose work spans painting, textiles, participation and performance.
Mimei Thompson: The Drowned Forest
Thursday, 23 May 2024-Saturday, 15 June 2024
Mimei makes paintings using images chosen for their symbolic and archetypal qualities. The worlds she creates have a sense of fluidity and vitality; a suggestion that matter is temporarily taking on and changing form. The Drowned Forest is a gathering of spirits; a search for threads, origins and beginnings. Mimei is based in London and has been selected for Jerwood Contemporary Painters, the Contemporary British Painting Prize, and the John Moores Painting Prize in 2023.
Man In The Woods: Artefacts from My Friday Walk
Thursday, 20 June 2024-Saturday, 6 July 2024
The artist known as Man In the Woods, based in South West England, uses walking and the recording of folkloric motifs he encounters to make objects that tell a story about contemporary rural Britain. Artefacts from My Friday Walk is Man In The Wood’s first gallery show, bringing together a body of work which reflects the experiences and encounters made on his weekly Friday Walks.
Rob Ryan: In The Merry Month of May
Saturday, 20 July 2024-Saturday, 31 August 2024
Rob Ryan is a British visual artist who specialises in paper-cutting and screen-printing, his work tells heartfelt stories; some amusing, some poignant, some melancholic. He is also the elected Master at The Artworkers’ Guild for 2024, where he has instigated The Salon of Doubt. For the Field System summer show, Rob is presenting ALL the work he will make in his London studio in the space of one month, reflecting on process, procrastination, surety and doubt.
Visit the Field System website here / follow them on Instagram