Visual Arts

A new show is being unveiled in October 2007 at the latest exhibition space in Leeds - PSL [Project Space Leeds] on Whitehall Waterfront. 'Wildwood' brings together the talents of eight leading UK artists around the theme of woodland.

The exhibition features Rebecca Birch, Emma Bolland, Laura Ford, Rachel Goodyear, Diane Howse, Kelly McCallum, Sophie Lascelles and Heather & Ivan Morison, each working in different but complimentary ways, exploring the conscious and unconscious mind, through the common prism of a woodland.

Emerging talent is represented by Kelly McCallum, Sophie Lascelles and Rebecca Birch. Kelly’s work for Wildwood is inspired by an interest in Victorian taxidermy and its association with preservation and disintegration; Sophie's by magic lanterns and optical toys; and Rebecca, by a recent trip to Big Pine and its nearby forest in California. Laura Ford's installation places oversized reindeer created from fabric off-cuts, into the project space.

'Wildwood' aims to challenge childhood fears of what lies deep within the forest, bringing a fairy story full circle when viewed in the aspirational setting of the city's West End Development. 

Wildwood is extended by a programme of literary events; walks, talks and tours that explore the literary history, folklore and storytelling associated with our woodlands; alongside modern-day concerns around the environment. The programme includes poetry readings by Glyn Hughes, a talk on the 'Tree 37' Project at South Yorkshire Forest, and performances of 'The Man Who Planted Trees', from Puppet State.

A huge exhibition space, PSL is a unique artist-led initiative that aims to retain its relationship with grass roots culture and to capitalise on the space available at Whitehall Waterfront, to realize contemporary exhibitions on a scale usually reserved for the region’s bigger galleries. Its position within the Whitehall Waterfront development is down to property developer Kevin Linfoot, who is a keen art collector.

PSL is the brainchild of three artist-curators: Pippa Hale, Kerry Harker and Diane Howse. It represents a new approach to making space for contemporary art in the city, in order to support a creative programme that is both progressive and accessible. 'Wildwood' is the first in a series of Arts Council funded exhibitions curated by PSL into 2008. For more information, check out the website:

'Wildwood' runs from Friday 12 October until Saturday 15 December 2007 at PSL [Project Space Leeds], Whitehall Waterfront, 2 Riverside Way, Leeds.