Artist statement
Using industrial and mass-produced materials to construct illusory and seductive environments, that simultaneously disorientate and undermine their superficial sense of optimism.
Spatial Conversations: exploring the work of Holly Rowan Hesson
Biography
Holly Rowan Hesson lives and works in Hebden Bridge, between Leeds and Manchester, UK. She has exhibited in solo and group shows nationally over the last five years. Recent solo exhibitions include Echo, commissioned by Warrington Contemporary Arts Festival at Pyramid Arts Centre in 2017, New Work at & Model, Leeds in 2016 and Assembly at Bankley Gallery, Manchester in 2016 which was awarded after winning the Bankley Gallery Open (selected by Kwong Lee, Castlefield Gallery; Kate Jesson, Manchester Art Gallery; Chris Bloor, & Model gallery and Peter Seal, artist).
Hesson was invited to exhibit in the inaugural Coventry Biennial of Contemporary Art in 2017 and in 2015 she was presented by Castlefield Gallery at The Manchester Contemporary. She was awarded Arts Council England research and development funding through Grants for the Arts in 2017 and 2015. In 2013 she received an MA in Contemporary Fine Art with Distinction from University of Salford.
Solo exhibitions
- Echo, Pyramid, Warrington, 2017 (commissioned by Warrington Contemporary Arts Festival)
- Assembly, Bankley Gallery, Manchester, 2016
- New Work, & Model, Leeds, 2016
- Only forward, Piccadilly Place, Manchester, 2013
Selected group exhibitions
- Micro-commission, The Art House, Wakefield, 2018
- Coventry Biennial of Contemporary Art, Coventry, 2017
- Creekside Open, A.P.T Gallery, London, 2017 (selected by Jordan Baseman, artist and Head of Sculpture at RCA)
- Graft, PS Mirabel, Manchester, 2017
- Phantom, Ruskin Gallery, Cambridge, 2017
- Spectrum, PS Mirabel, Manchester, 2016 (selected by Mark Doyle, Gallery Curator and Collections Manager at Touchstones, Magnus Quaife, artist and lecturer, Robert Miller, contemporary art collector, Lisa Denyer, artist)
- The Manchester Contemporary, presented by Castlefield Gallery, Manchester, 2015
- Tracing PAPER, PAPER Gallery, Manchester, 2015
- Open House, Federation House, Manchester, 2015
- Glitter & Gold, Cardroom, Manchester, 2014
- Bankley Open, Bankley Gallery, Manchester, 2014 (selected by Kate Jesson, Curator at Manchester Art Gallery, Kwong Lee, Director at Castlefield Gallery, Chris Bloor, Co-director at &Model gallery, Peter Seal, artist)
- HOARD, HOARD, Leeds, 2014
- Society of Island Universes, Piccadilly Place, Manchester, 2014
- Artifice, PS Mirabel, Manchester, 2013
- Catalyst, Piccadilly Place, Manchester, 2013
- Saatchi Screen, Saatchi Gallery, London, 2013
- Summer Show, Malgras Naudet, Manchester, 2013
- Journeys and Migrations, Hand Made in Bradford, Bradford, 2012
- Reverb, Bankley Gallery, Manchester, 2012
Awards
- Arts Council England Grants for the Arts award, 2017
- PS Mirabel Open prize commendation (selected by Mark Doyle, Gallery Curator and Collections Manager at Touchstones, Magnus Quaife, artist and lecturer at MMU, Robert Miller, contemporary art collector, Lisa Denyer, artist), 2016
- A-n Professional Development Bursary, 2016
- Oppenheim-John Downes Memorial Trust Award, 2016
- Arts Council England Grants for the Arts award, 2015
- Castlefield Gallery/ Creative Industries Trafford individual mentoring award, 2015
- Tracing PAPER by PAPER Gallery award, 2015
- Bankley Gallery Open first prize winner (selected by Kate Jesson, Curator at Manchester Art Gallery, Kwong Lee, Director at Castlefield Gallery, Chris Bloor, Co-director at &Model gallery, Peter Seal, artist), 2014
Residencies
- & Model residency, & Model, Leeds, 2016
- From the Rooftops, The Penthouse, Manchester, 2013
Writing
- Spatial Conversations: exploring the work of Holly Rowan Hesson - Sara Jaspan, 2017
- Precarious Aesthetics: on the recent work of Holly Rowan Hesson - Derek Horton, 2016
Press
- Axisweb - Five2Watch: Installation, 2018
- Art in Liverpool - Featured Artist: Holly Rowan Hesson at Pyramid Arts Centre, 2017
- Corridor8 - Holly Rowan Hesson: Echo | Pyramid Arts Centre, 2017
- This is tomorrow - Coventry Biennial of Contemporary Art review, 2017
- A-n - Coventry Biennial 2017 review: a springboard for new responses, 2017
- Creative Tourist - Graft at PS Mirabel, 2017
- Axisweb – Five to Watch at The Manchester Contemporary, 2015
- Axisweb – Artist of the Month, Holly Rowan Hesson, 2015
- Corridor8 – Review: Holly Rowan Hesson – Residency, The Penthouse, Manchester, 2013
Education
- MA Contemporary Fine Art (Distinction), University of Salford, 2013
- Certificate in Art and Design (Distinction), Calderdale College, 2010
Contact
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