Published: Wednesday, 29th June 2022
Gallery Oldham’s latest exhibition is inspired by our local quarries and the way these landscapes have changed over time.
The show features new paintings, prints and sculptures by popular local artist Diana Terry.
Diana’s work draws on stories of when these quarries were working sites during the industrial revolution. She has repeatedly visited quarries at Stonebreaks in Springhead, Sandy Lane, Dobcross and Running Hill Pits, Diggle.
She compares the physical scars on the natural landscape with their current rewilded state.
It is this rewilding of quarries that fascinates Diana as she is keen to stimulate conversations on belonging, leading to a greater understanding of who we are and contributing to climate change debate.
Diana said: “Land Marks is a show about place and about process.
“It’s about how where you live gets under your skin and how through returning to craft processes and the rhythms of making we can achieve a better understanding of who we are. I have been recording the physical scars formed by quarries in the landscape.”
Following a successful funding bid to Arts Council England, Diana Terry embarked on two years of research, production and collaboration using painting, printmaking and sculpture.
She has created a body of work demonstrating how returning to craft and physical making can inform our understanding of places.
Diana is keen to engage with people from the local area and specifically her fellow deaf community. British Sign Language (BSL) and other interpretations will be available during the exhibition.
Councillor Elaine Taylor, Deputy Leader of Oldham Council and Cabinet Member for Culture and Leisure, said: “It is always inspiring to see the ways that artists explore and celebrate our rich local landscapes.
“Diana Terry has produced some beautiful work that I’m sure visitors to Gallery Oldham will really enjoy it.”
The exhibition opens on Saturday 2 July with a special opening event and BSL signed talk from Diana.
Land Marks is on display until 3 September.