Rosie Edwards: Genetic Material at Cross Lane Projects

Cross Lane Projects welcomes a new show Genetic Material from the 19th Mark Tanner Sculpture Award winner Rosie Edwards.

Awarded for the innovation in the field of sculpture, as well as sensitivity to material, the exhibition showcases Edwards’ breadth of practice with a number of pieces which wonderfully complement each other.

The sculptures are often minimalist, geometric, with little detail and taking on shapes that resemble outlines more than detailed structures. They vary in material and texture, but are generally soft, flowing forms that expand, twist and fold. Other pieces are more angular in shape with mesmerising patterns on the surface. Some resemble molecular structures or dividing cells yet their large scale makes those comparisons somewhat more intriguing for the viewer – as is often the case with sculpture, this is a show best experienced at first hand!

Edwards’ work is described as disturbing the formal qualities of minimalism and playing around with the formal grid. Indeed, some of her sculptures feature a grid element but made into soft, bulging lines that cross over each other. It’s also interesting to keep in mind that while in Genetic Material, the pieces are displayed in a particular order and position, back in the artist’s studio they are often stacked on top of each other due to space constraints. This has the potential to create new relationships between them and expands their possibilities as changeable objects.

While almost all sculpture bears the mark of the human hand or the action put upon it, Edwards cites this as a key driving force in her work. The materials used in her sculptures, including fibreglass tape, plaster bandage, expanding foam, contribute to the sense that the pieces were caught in the moment of being handled and manipulated, and a decision was made to fix them in that state. The final result is the piece in the state of potential malleability that can no longer change.

For fans of contemporary sculpture – treat your aesthetic senses and visit Rosie Edwards’ Genetic Material in the gorgeous surroundings of Kendal’s gallery: it will not disappoint.