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Liz Clifford

Near Petersfield
Contemporary artist making multi-disciplinary responses to landscape and the materials found in it.

"Liz Clifford's practice amalgamates found objects, flora and detritus in caged durational sculptures that resist being contained. These socio-geological studies speak directly to the climate crisis and the effect of the Anthropocene on our Earth. Through spillages onto the spaces they inhabit, the works remind us of the fallacy of controlling the land, as it seeps through the hands of its controller."  Ricardo Reverón Blanco. Curator and Programme Manager at Aspex Portsmouth.

https://www.ricardoreveronblanco.org/

 

 

The work is concerned, on a micro level, with a narrow locale and specific objects. However, on a macro level it is engaged with discourse about geological time, climate change and environmental breakdown.

Central to my practice is the daily act of walking in the landscape of the South Downs National Park. It is where materials and subject matter are found. The walk is an act of self-care as well as care for the place, clearing litter as I go. The human-made detritus I collect, the materiality of those objects, the act of walking and the hill itself are my subject matter.

This repetitive focus on landscape and geology has allowed me to explore concerns around fossil-fuelled recreation, plastic-waste, and erosion, through drawing and sculpture. The sculptural works combine found objects, waste matter and flora. I manipulate the detritus of agri-business and recreation to highlight issues of pollution and slow violence whilst aiming at a sustainable practice through the use of recycled materials. 

My method of construction is low-tech, binding together the salvaged materials, which range from discarded domestic fabric to brick, steel and fencing wire. Tying and knotting is appropriate to their lowly status. These are ‘making do’ joining methods that evolve with circumstances and are associated with ‘fixing things’ in domestic and agricultural contexts.

 

 

 

2021 - M.A. Fine Art, University for the Creative Arts, Farnham 

1985 - B.Ed.(Hons) Fine Art and Education, Homerton College, University of Cambridge

Associate Artist, Chapel Arts Studios, Andover, Hampshire

Member, Royal Society of Sculptors

Group Exhibitions and Projects.

2024

Belonging, Chapel Arts Studios, Andover, Hampshire

MK Calling, MK Gallery, Milton Keynes.

Chapel Arts Studios Open, Seeing Red, Andover, Hampshire

2023

spudOPEN, Spudworks, Sway, Hampshire.

Little Forest Land Art Competition, Boarhunt, Hampshire.

Splynta/s p l i n t e r, Black Box Project Space, UCA, Farnham, Surrey.

2022

Transient Traces, UCA Farnham Sculpture Garden, Surrey.

Boundaries, Hampshire Sculpture Trust at West Downs Gallery, University of Winchester.

Gallery No.32, Winter Sculpture Park 2022, Bexley, London.

2021

Haus a Rest, Land Art. Curated online exhibtion.

Alt-terior, 2021 MA Fine Art Graduates, James Hockey Gallery, UCA Farnham, Surrey

Bedrock, The Oast House, Farnham, Surrey

Forgotten Thought, MA Fine Art UCA Farnham Exhibition, Safehouse 1, Peckham, London

Unsettled Focus, MA Fine Art UCA Farnham Exhibition, South Molton St Gallery, London

Artists Responding To A.R.T. online zine Issue 7

The Sky Has No Surface. Curated online exhibition. 

Beyond the Boundaries. University for the Creative Arts, Farnham and online @undertowprojects

2020

Haus a Rest. The Environment. Curated online exhibition. 

You Are Here. Curated online exhibition. 

Under(cover) - Art made during lockdown. Instagram. mafineartucafarnham

2019

Objections, Linear Gallery, University for the Creative Arts, Farnham

2017

Inspired by the Word, Petersfield Museum, Hampshire

2015

10 days Chalk, The Winchester Gallery, Winchester School of Art, Winchester, Hampshire

2014

Mottisfont Open, National Trust, Mottisfont Abbey, Romsey, Hampshire

2011

Under The Beeches, public woodland, rural Hampshire

2009

Hampshire Sculpture Trust, The Winchester Gallery, Winchester School of Art, Hampshire

In To Land, Arlington Arts Centre, Newbury, Berkshire

2008

Auf Europaïsche Art, Historischen Rathaus, Warendorf, Germany

Hampshire Sculpture Trust, Winchester Gallery, Winchester School of Art, Hampshire 

2007

PAinT Arts Trail, Open Studio, The Avenue, Petersfield, Hampshire

2000

Art in the Garden, Beatrice Royal Gallery, Eastleigh, Hampshire

Little Gems, Beatrice Royal Gallery, Eastleigh, Hampshire

1999

Women's Work, Willis Museum, Basingstoke, Hampshire

1998

Open Dialogue, Forest Arts, New Milton, Hampshire

Voyage around George Staunton, Staunton Country Park, Havant - Hampshire Sculpture Trust

1997

Hiding Places, Red House Museum, Christchurch, Dorset - collaboration with Kate Miller

1996

Angels and Mechanics - Touring to Riverside Studios, South Hill Park Arts Centre, Tullie House - London, Bracknell and Carlisle

Touchables, Blackfriars Arts Centre, Boston, Lincolnshire

Unfamiliar Familiarity, Winchester Contemporary Art, Hampshire

1994

Sculpins, Dartington Arts, Devon - collaboration with Jilly Sutton

Whitechapel Open, Whitechapel Gallery, London

1993

London Group, Barbican Centre, London

Feast, Hardware Gallery, London

1992

Barbican Arts Group Trust, Sutton House, National Trust, London

1991

Lyth Arts Centre, Caithness, Scotland

Princes Trust, Fifteenth Anniversary, Windsor

1990

Beast, Submarine Gallery, London

1989

Barbican Arts Group Trust, Metropole Arts Centre, Folkestone

Reactivart, Submarine Gallery, London

Solo Exhibitions and Projects.

2024

Verge, Chapel Arts Studios, Andover, Hampshire

2021

Byway 745 Observatory, Wheatham Hill, Hampshire

1999

Forest Arts Centre, New Milton, Hampshire

1992

Academy Literary Club, London

High Water, Omphalos Arts, Sandwich, Kent

1991

St Bartholomew's Hospital, London

1990

Burial at Sea, Windsor Arts Centre, Berkshire 

Submarine Gallery, London

1988

Hardware Gallery, London 

Residencies, Talks and Workshops

2024    Chapel Arts Studios, Andover. Artists Takeover.

2023    Artists' talk, Little Forest Land Art Competition

2022    Artists’ Walk & Talk, Gallery No.32, Bexley, London

2021    Artist’s talk and tutorials, Fine Art Foundation Course, University for the Creative Arts       

2021    Digital Residency @undertowprojects

2020    Artist’s talk and tutorials, Fine Art Foundation Course, University for the Creative Arts

1997    Workshop leader for Hiding Places, Red House Museum, Christchurch, Dorset

1996    Workshop leader, Andover Museum, Andover, Hampshire

1994    Barbican Arts Group Trust, St. Dominic's Junior School, Hackney, London

1991    Artist in Residence, Lyth Arts Centre, Caithness, Scotland

Awards

2023    Winner, Little Forest Land Art Competition

2023    Shortlisted for Zealous Amplify Environment Award

Curatorial Projects

Forgotten Thought, MA Fine Art UCA Farnham Exhibition, Safehouse 1, Peckham, London

Work in Collections

Clare College, Cambridge

St Thomas' Hospital, London

Featured in

blog

Weekly Highlights: 26 February-3 March, 2024

blog

Curated Selection: Sculpture

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