Hinterlands at BALTIC Gateshead
Maja Lorkowska, Exhibitions Editor
The BALTIC Centre for Contemporary Art presents Hinterlands, a brand new group exhibition diving into our relationship with the land and its ecosystems.
Derived from German, the term ‘hinterland’ means “a region behind and inland from a port city”, suggesting areas that are hidden from view and little known. The artwork on display follows this idea by interrogating the multitude of meanings and symbolism attached to the landscape of the North East. From mythologies, folklore and the complex histories and legacies, the artists also consider the issues of future custodianship. Aesthetically too, the show is bound to be a delight with an array of mediums and approaches all combining to create a cohesive display.
The artists whose work you’ll find on display at Hinterlands are Michele Allen, Uma Breakdown, Jo Coupe, Laura Harrington, Emily Hesse, Alexandra Hughes, Mani Kambo, Dawn Felicia Knox, Sheree Angela Matthews, Anne Vibeke Mou, Sabina Sallis and the collaborative project Foundation Press.
By choosing existing pieces and commissioning works by artists somehow connected with the area, Hinterlands highlights the idea of belonging to a landscape, and the unescapable rootedness to the land. In an era of the climate emergency, the concept of going back to our roots, individually and as a species, is gaining traction as the place that we should look to for both ancient wisdom and a sense of connection with all that surrounds us. Visit Hinterlands and you may just be inspired to feel that connection a little bit more.
