Visual Arts

Just why is it that the art world has become enchanted with the idea of project spaces? And what indeed does a project space do? The directors of Project Space Leeds (PSL) believe that the project space movement is part of a new order evolving within the arts, stimulating something new and allowing artists to take control of the way they work and exhibit.

The deliberate blurring of those traditional boundaries between creating and exhibiting, by inviting artists to both work and exhibit within a project space has led to a new art project. Morphic Resonance examines the urge among artists to control the dissemination, as well as the production, of art.

In PSL's most recent collaboration '195 Miles' with London's Whitechapel Gallery, artists from London collaborated with artists from Leeds, working and exhibiting in the space concurrently.

Following on from that groundbreaking art project for the north of England, PSL is working with theartmarket's Zoe Sawyer and invited artists who are involved with project spaces throughout the north to use the space in this new and experimental way over the next two months to create work and move towards exhibition.

As well as works from up-and-coming artists from across the North Of England, Morphic Resonance includes lots of free events and music as this mix of artists come together and utilise the space to the full.

Curator, Zoe Sawyer: "We're tapping into an historic avant-garde that existed in Leeds at the turn of the last century, which involved the likes of Wassily Kandinsky, Michael Sadler and later Henry Moore, Jacob Kramer and Herbert Read. We feel Leeds is once again on the cusp of something exciting and transformative and believe that artist-led spaces such as PSL and theartmarket have a crucial role to play in this."

Since late March 2009, artists have been working at Project Space Leeds, using the space in a studio context (although open to the public during this time) as a place to explore and develop ideas. The developed works will be presented in a more conventionally curated format within the space.

Morphic Resonance takes place at Project Space Leeds (PSL), Whitehall Waterfront, 2 Riverside Way, Leeds LS1. The exhibition itself opens on Wednesday 13 May 2009 and runs until Saturday 27 June 2009. The exhibition is free and is open Wednesday - Saturday, 12noon - 5pm or by appointment.