Gemma Cumming graduated in 2006 from Loughborough University School of Art and Design with a BA in Fine Art. Her work deals with notions of anticipation and tourism, utilising tourist imagery to create giant painted postcards with an ominous twist.
Centring around notions of failed perfection, her work primarily explores imagery that sells an expectation of a place, not it's reality. Creating tension by replacing the stereotypical blue skies with darker and more ominous ones, adding other incongruous objects and highlighting people passivity to their unusual environment the viewer is forced to look again at the scene.
Biography: Education
2003-06 Loughborough University - BA Fine Art (painting) 2:1 hons
2002/03 The Surrey Institute of Art and Design – Foundation Studies Pass with Merit
Selected Exhibitions
2010 5th Annual Summer Exhibition, Atelier-East at Wisbech and Fenland Museum, Wisbech
2010 Summer, Crocus Gallery, Nottingham
2010 Greetings from the Mantlepiece, ReOrsa Project Space, Bracknell
2010 Elephant Parade London, Paddington and throughout London (catalogue)
2009 Somewhere Else, Broadwalk Arts, Bristol
2009 ReOrsa Project 4, 11 Crossway, Bracknell
2009 Summer Salon 09, Islington Arts Factory, London
2009 Wish You Were Here?, The Firestation, Windsor (Two person show)
2009 Ideas Bank 2009, Slough Museum, Slough
2008 Wrapped and encased in Liverpool, The Artists Book Fair, Liverpool Biennial,
Wolstenholme Projects, Liverpool
2008 In Common, New Greenham Arts, Newbury (catalogue)
2008 The Great Purpose of Landscape Art, Mile End Park Arts Pavilion, London (catalogue)
2008 Locus, Fringe Arts Bath, Bath
2008 Ode to Sartorial, Sartorial Contemporary Art, London
2008 Hide and Seek, Blue Elephant Theatre, Camberwell, London
2007/8 Notting Heaven, Sartorial Contemporary Art, London
2007 A Word on the Street, Museum of Farnham, Farnham
2007 Art at the Heart, Civic Centre, Esher
2006 Loughborough University Final Degree show (catalogue)
2006 Solo Show – LUSAD Old Foyer
2005 99 Red Balloons – group show/intervention LUSAD Staircase
2003 Foundation degree show – Surrey Institute of Art and Design
Prizes
2006 Charnwood Borough Council Purchase Prize
Conferences
2009 Slough Museum, A talk about my work in Ideas Bank 2009 alongside a selection of the other artists
2009 23:25 group, Goldsmiths University, London. Symposium “What would it mean to take part?”
2008 Fringe Arts Bath, A talk about my work in Locus alongside a selection of the other artists
Professional Affiliations
2009 to present ReOrsa (www.reorsa.org)
2006 to present Axis (www.axisweb.org)
2007 to present A-N Air
2009 Stag Fine Art and Photography
Related Employment Experience
June 2010 to present Freelance Workshop Facilitator
Delivering art based workshops and activities to local groups.
May 2010 to present Gallery Education Intern, South Hill Park Arts Centre, Bracknell, Berkshire
August 2009 Art Assistant, Bracknell Forest Council (Extended Services)
2006 to 2008 Gallery/Office Assistant, Sartorial Contemporary Art, London
Bibliography
“Wish you were here” Bracknell Forest Standard, 05/08/2010
“Jumbo parade to protect elephant is capital” Bracknell Forest Standard, 03/06/2010
“Freedom to Paint” Picture Business magazine, October 2009
“Opening up possibilities” Newbury Weekly News, November 2008
The Rebel – Class issue, December 2007
Incorporating Writing Issue 4 Vol 2 2007: TRAVEL, April 2007
“Council buys works of art” Loughborough Echo, June 2006
Country: United Kingdom (Great Britain)
E-mail: gemma@gemmacumming.com
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