Faffilia- is a group exhibition, showcasing specifically made works from 5 people. A common theme/brief was initially agreed in order to encourage a dialogue and set a creative process in motion, sharing works directly with each other via a blog, giving each other inspiration and feedback, open to lending ideas and using all materials possible to embrace this notion of creative strength and to encourage the fusion of ideas as much or as little as desired.

Faffillia seeks to break free from notions of ‘analysis paralysis’ choosing to become the producer rather than the viewer or critic, to filter, process and arrange the faff into something to show and enjoy.

Artist Bio’s

Lou

As a Devon girl living in London the amount of information around me sometimes still seems overwhelming – continually inspiring yet also irritating, I wonder when and how I should stop and try and organise these things into some kind of creation myself.

Loving the circular way of things – our experiences help shape who we are and our actions always follow us. With layers, colour and contrast – my work seeks to feed itself and grow – continually rotating, holding, joining and flowing. Previously collecting dust and hairs in our flat – this exhibition gives me the chance to develop and show my work to you by breaking this cycle of creative faffillia.

Influences; cycling, sushi, surfaces, design, movement, struggle, music, culture, growth, nature, water and love. Materials: oil, gloss, acrylic, canvas, wood, parchment and light.

Jessica

In my work I respond to my own feelings of helplessness and frustration in relation to the dehumanization of the other via dominant media dialogues and the rhetoric of imperialist discourse. In contrast to these feelings, my work apposes and denies what sometimes feel to be cut-off feelings, by showing a barren, lifeless triptych of landscapes, as if from above via the crude, objective eye of surveillance technology. The images depict a moment of nuclear fusion from beginning to end, erasing the familiar and replacing it with the unrecognizable as if this process could in some way make perceived divisions non- existent.

I hope to explore some of the literal, abstract and conceptual canons of our modern day cultural landscapes where by the paradoxes and fallacies of the subjective/ objective relationship are rendered via a personal process of self-expression.

Amit

I grew up in Kenya and am still influenced by elements I was exposed to from an early age.  Art has always been of interest to me.  I have found it cathartic as well as empowering. Studying Law at university allowed me to develop the literary side of my creativity, and I am currently working on my second book of poetry.

I enjoy Printmaking and also working with unusual materials such as Glass.  In the latter, I am particularly fascinated with the way light interacts with the work.  With regards to Printmaking, I am drawn to the textures involved and the actual method of printing the work itself.  I enjoy the journey it takes from initial concept, through the application of various textures to the printing plate, to the final print carefully being achieved.

My primary fascinations are people and relationships, although I have an interest in surface aesthetics, my works tend to explore light and depth, along with other aspects of perception.  I also enjoy creating abstract works.

Abigail

My work so far could be seen as a response to a personal dilemma of trying to reflect the world around me whilst dealing with internal frustrations of over analyzing, I frequently ask myself how I can break this cycle and turn down the volume of the inner critic, I hope to deal with and explore some of these responses in my work, by taking parts of images including my own personal holiday photos, found, specifically taken and point and shoot (without consideration) to make and build new ones.

Imposing and fusing shapes, bodies, plants, lines, textures and patterns on top of each other, I mix digital and physical processes and then treat the image by dipping, ripping, glossing and fading. You may not know what the images were originally intended for and this gives me a sense of freedom away from producing what might be considered the ‘perfectly lit subject’ or the ‘perfectly exposed photograph’.

Welcome to my internal clutter.

Jade

Jade’s a designer based in hackney. Working in print and digital media she likes to work in bold playful shapes, images and repeated motifs. Her personal work puts together groups of designs based on a theme, either exploring the use of iconic images, or exploring the interactions of images. Made often using neon colours and repeated patterns, with gouache, pen, sharpies, ink, collage, screen-printing, letterpress, photography, or whatever is to hand.

Faffillia hopes to help to raise vital funds and awareness for ‘The Centre for Better Health’ a community- based charity that promotes well being and recovery from mental distress, your money and support will help to keep this haven which provides the community with affordable counseling, various self-help activities/workshops and affordable exhibition space for artists, alive and well.

This exhibition presents Roma as a people whose history is not written within one country’s borders, it is on one hand about a culture, and a way of life across a continent. The photographs portray Roma Gypsies from the inside, in a wide range of circumstances, both sedentary and nomadic; images of traditional Finnish Roma,  Kalderasha in Texas USA, Gitan at the festival of Saint Sara, Andalusian Gitanos living with drugs, Holocaust survivors, English Romanies traveling by horse and wagon, the Roma’s mass exodus during the Balkan wars; their day to day lives, traditions, celebrations, in good and hard times. It also tells the story ofthe Roma’s diaspora across Europe; a story of migration, persecution, and suffering where they are the object of racism, refugees of war and, in too many places, live in abject poverty.

Most Roma live in insular communities; they are proud, fiercely private, and distrustful of outsiders. They define their own cultural boundaries, they can be extravagant and ostentatious, for the most part they are deeply religious, and keep strict codes of social etiquette. Roma relate strongly to their national origin, they have their own language, influenced by Sanskrit, Hindi and Ordu and identify very closely with the idea of family, traditions, and of a people. Strong emotional bonds draw Nigel back to re-visit and live with Roma year after year. He has worked to expose the systems that keep them down, and explain the circumstances of their departure. While each image tells a story, together, the photographs are a testimony to European Romani life experience, the Roma’s vibrant culture, and identity

Artist:

Nigel Dickinson is a British-born documentary photographer, photojournalist, and filmmaker whose work focuses on the environment, marginalized communities, sustainable development, identity, and culture. Graduating from Sheffield, 1982 with a BA Communication Arts, Dickinson’s first exhibition was at Camerawork Gallery, London in 1983; the same year, he photographed across South Africa, then the Miners Great Strike 1984-5, and later freelanced for major publications and media, in both the UK and abroad. In the late 1980′s he worked on indigenous land rights and deforestation issues with Friends of the Earth, and in the early 1990s, he documented the “UK Road Protest Movement” and began his long-term project documenting Roma communities across Europe. In 2003, ten-year’s work, the Roma pilgrimage to Saintes Maries, Sara. Le pelerinage des gitans, was published by Actes Sud. The Roma work was published by National Geographic, amongst others, and exhibited by the European Union, shown at Visa Pour L’image, Arles Rencontres, at “Moving Walls 12″ documentary series in New York, and at the Venice Biennale 2011. Assignments from editorial and NGO’s during the last three decades took Dickinson to the Americas, Africa, Asia, and Eastern Europe, covering diaspora, refugees from environmental disasters and war. In addition to “Roma Beyond Borders” his other projects include Smokey Mountain rubbish dump, Cambodia, Sharia Islamic law in northern Nigeria and The Meat Industry. Dickinson lives and works between Paris, UK, and the rest of the world.

Dickinson’s work on deforestation in S.E Asia won the UNEP bronze award at the first Rio Earth Summit in 1992; ‘Mad Cows’ a World Press award in 1997; ‘Roma Beyond Borders’ was runner up in the Eugene Smith Award 2000; ‘MEAT’ was shortlisted for the European Publishers award in 2006; ‘Cambodia’ won Feature award at UK Press Photographers Year 2008; and ‘Smokey Mountain Series’ won the Critical Mass 2011 Solo Exhibition Award

14th- 28th April 2012 @ The Darnley Gallery

RAGWORKS is a collection of 30 wall-hangings depicting world-wide folk-lore and fairy story characters.

Other items made from refreshed materials are embellished linen bags, blankets with elephant designs, E-book and I-pad holders, button brooches and quilts

Artist Gillian Lawrence studied art and West African literature in Leicester and ceramics at Hornsey Art College, she has exhibited and sold batiks in the Orkneys, Nigeria and London and is currently exhibiting RAGWORKS in 4 London 2012 boroughs.

RAGWORKS came about after a recent visit to India and after seeing striking other styles of handicrafts and art. Applejacks, the international textiles’ designers in Leyton, kindly donates beautiful material to Gillian. All her patterns are unique; all the work is hand-made and hand-sewn under the motto “Imperfections are not despised.”

Through Up Your Street Gillian has attended many projects and encouraged other seniors to take the opportunity to learn and refresh craft skills at community centres and projects in east London.

Gillian has lived on the borders of Hackney and Waltham Forest for 40 years.