Clare Charnley

Whilst maintaining her home in Leeds, Clare Charnley is an international artist is the truest sense of the term. By this I mean that not only does she exhibit abroad but her current practice demands her engagement with artists and publics from foreign countries.

For some years now her work has been concerned with the consequences of removing an object from its familiar surrounds into another context or culture. The early exploration of change where original meanings have been rendered inaccessible and are then possibly replaced and refreshed, utilised object, photography and video giving Clare a rich visual language with which to advance.

Her current practice is an intelligent meld between performance, video and installation. A continuation of the above concerns, she now utilises her own presence, most notably in speech, an ongoing collaboration that has taken her around the globe. This body of work has a particular resonance in today’s politicised global societies and economies, and brings a sensitivity and intelligence that could be learnt from. Combine the ascendancy of English language via the internet and distribution of American films, our poor system for teaching foreign languages, a belief in the West as being the focus progressive culture and we remain in a dangerous position of ignorance and power.

Clare’s starting point was therefore how does she, as a visiting artist, produce relevant work in a culture of which she only has superficial knowledge. How does an audience engage without being either in awe of a perceived exoticism or indeed feel patronised. She conceived a series of performances in which she works with an artist, theorist, curator or writer from that country who prepares a text in their language for her to attempt to deliver to an audience. By placing herself in a position of vulnerability within situations she does not comprehend, Clare extends and activates an awareness of her state of ignorance to the audience.

Her extensive experience allows her to transform the recordings of the event and present it to a wider audience not as a piece of documentation but as a work in its own right.

I have known Clare’s work and approach over many years and respect her ability to change and keep her practice relevant to today’s world. Clare’s work and her teaching have been quietly influential over many years and with the poignancy of her current body of work demonstrate her suitability as a nominee.

Clare Charnley was born in 1949 and studied a BA (Hons) in Fine Art at Leeds Polytechnic (1969-17) and an MA in Fine Art at Chelsea College of Art graduating in 1989. She has exhibited and performed all over the world including Belo Horizone, Brazil (2008); Arbil University, Kurdistan/Iraq (2007); Hobusepea Gallerii, Tallinn, Estonia (2007); Le French Festival, Hong Kong (2007); The Bengal Gallery, Bangledesh (2007); The Living Art Museum, Rejkjavik, Iceland (2006); Dashanzui International Art Festival, Beijing, China (2005); Performance Art Platform, Tel Aviv (2005); Castlefield Gallery, Manchester, UK (2003). Charnley is based in Leeds.