Liverpool, Unfinished – Reviewed

Kayleigh Davies peers into the darkness of the slideshow at Drop the Dumbells and discovers one of her picks of Look/13…

Despite the small, unfinished-looking surroundings at Drop the Dumbells, Rob Bremner’s portraits feel like an instant highlight of Look/13, the international photography festival currently occupying venues around Liverpool, grasping the attention of visitors with images evoking British streets of the 1980s and ’90s.

While Wolstenholme Creative Space will sadly no longer be playing host to the creative projects after being considered architecturally unstable, fear not; the fire is far from out for the brains behind the venture, who will now be utilising Liverpool’s less familiar, artistic haunts to continue showcasing their considerable talents.

Some spaces will work better than others and perhaps in this case, the unfamiliar location could be partly to blame for the curation of the slide display – close to the entrance – that disturbs the viewer’s experience, although this small quirk is easily forgiven; the creative group deliver a sensational series of bold, piercing eyes that see through to the inner-most secrets of onlookers as the stories of Rob Bremner’s subjects unfold dramatically before us.

“The darkness that embraces onlookers captures the attention and creates a fitting backdrop”

The darkness that embraces onlookers as the door closes, captures the viewer’s attention and creates a fitting backdrop for the vibrant colours that are prominent as they form the character of each image. Every photograph is embellished with a rich flavour of the artist’s style, forming a consistent, at times confrontational, finish to every shot.

Although taken in the suburbs of Merseyside, the images shown are distinctly British, suggestive of any town or city of that era, prompting observers to reflect upon their own background and personal history, in line with the festival’s theme, ‘Who do you think you are?’

Reawakening distinct memories, images of Kwik Save bags and harassed estates ironically encourage viewers to rediscover the beauty amongst the wreckage that hides within the towns and cities embedded in each of our past lives.Picking through these wreckage-strewn images, we are reminded (as they uncover the glory in imperfection) of the odd nostalgia invoked by that first burnt-out car or matchbox flat, the pride in ownership of the story being told. The impact of Bremner’s images transcend the small scale exhibition, the results of which are somehow as personal as the pasts he delicately glimpses.

“The sound of changing slides disturbs and yet enhances the period feel of the photographic series”

WCS present the images uniquely as the sound of changing slides disturbs and yet enhances the period feel of the photographic series, imbuing them with a sense of years and depth. This non-stereotypical curating method could be seen as a limitation, yet the pause in time the technique provides between the images means participants are given a moment to allow their imaginations to strike, forging a dialogue between the artist and viewer.

In response to the images, there is an unspoken link placed upon viewers, sparking a relationship between the work itself and the emotions that connect us all to our past, instilled in us in our formative years.

Wolstenholme Creative Space make a big impression on a small scale, proving that you need not be a large institution with bundles of funding, popular blockbuster names or a marketing ploy to contribute inspiration to the arts, moulding their position to continue their streak binding the community through events and exhibitions.

Staged in a variety of locations, WCS will be continuing to advise and engage with the arts in a new format, surfacing as a unique asset to Liverpool.

Kayleigh Davies

Liverpool, Unifinished continues @ Drop the Dumbells until 2nd June

Posted on 21/05/2013 by thedoublenegative