drift, perspectives in surfing

Prolific contemporary Cornwall based artist Ben Cook has turned his eye to the sea and his hand to the culture of surfing, culminating in a solo show at one of the North East’s most established art galleries.

Littoral
adj. Of or pertaining to the shore; existing, taking place upon, or adjacent to the shore.

Ben Cook Littoral Drifter is the result of over five years of work by the artist and is showing at Hatton Gallery, Newcastle University, from March 3 – May 21 2011.

With commissioned pencil drawings of approaches to North East surf spots (as part of the artist’s ongoing Surfing Landscapes project) the exhibition also includes multi-media artworks made from materials associated with surfing such as fibreglass, neoprene (the fabric of wetsuits) and surf wax.

Ben studied in the late 1980s in the North East, undertaking his B.A in Fine Art (Painting) at the University of Sunderland, and has a strong attachment to the area.

He says:

“To have the space at Hatton Gallery to be able to show this body of work is amazing.

My landscapes of the South West coast have never been shown in their entirety and to produce commissioned work of coastlines of the North East, a place I feel strongly about, is an honour.”

In Littoral Drifter, Ben Cook challenges the stereotypes of surfing and provides an alternative examination of coastal landscapes as seen through surf culture, and creates ‘paintings’ from the very materials of surfboards; foam, fibreglass, resin and wax, to create landscape abstractions.

Curator of Hatton Gallery Emily Marsden said:

“Surfing has been a cult activity in the North East, but one which is growing in popularity, so we’ve been delighted to work with Ben Cook on this project.

Ben’s work also raises important questions of sustainability of coastal areas and the impact of human activity on the natural environment.”

Professor Eric Cross, Dean of Cultural Affairs at Newcastle University, commented:

“Promoting greater understanding of complex and socially-relevant issues though the arts is an important part of Newcastle University’s commitment to demonstrating the impact of our world-leading research in areas such as sustainability.

I hope that this thought-provoking exhibition will encourage visitors to consider what each of us can do to ensure that our natural environment is safeguarded for generations to come.”

Pete Robinson, the Founder/Project Manager of the Museum of British Surfing, a registered charity dedicated to the preservation and celebration of UK surf culture, says of the artist:

“We’ve worked with Ben before, in Cornwall – his art is pushing new frontiers for surfing art in the UK and internationally. He is in the forefront of a (relatively) new movement.”

Locals only image by Ben Cook

Littoral Drifter spans Ben Cook’s work since his move to Cornwall from Manchester six years ago, where he developed a body of work rooted in the city’s cultural development in the 90s, referencing music, football, architecture and most particularly fashion, culminating in his textile based ‘Found Paintings’.

While the works produced in Cornwall refer to popular culture (though always surfing related) they look very different and use a much wider range of technique using materials and most importantly are much more directly engaged with their subject matter.

Playful references to art history occasionally appear as The Dance (after Matisse) from 2010.

A programme of diverse events to complement Littoral Drifter will be taking place over the course of the exhibition, including talks given by the artist about his body of work, and film events brought to the Hatton Gallery by the Tynemouth Surf Film Festival.

Ben Cook Littoral Drifter is supported by the Northern Rock Foundation.

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Hatton Gallery is open from Monday – Saturday 10am – 5pm and has free entry.