Sidney Cooper Gallery

Open Ear 2012

27 April - 4 May 

Opening performance Thursday 26th April 6:30 pm

Students from Canterbury Christ Church University's BA (Hons) creative Music technology course display their sonic art work, involving headphone installations and surround sound pieces.

The exhibition will be opened by the renowned sonic artist Janek Schaefer, who will be giving a live performance with his "Local Radio Orchestra".

Talk and performance

Friday 4 May     Free events    booking essential

David Toop talk 3pm - Internationally recognised musician and author David Toop discusses issues pertinent to contemporary sound art.

Salvage performance 4 pm - Sonic Artists from the BA (Hons) creative Music technology course bring thrown-away and 'redundant' materials back to life in an exciting hour long performance featuring circuitt-bent electronics, toys and junk percussion.

Part of the Sounds New Festival

© James Allen, Canterbury Cathedral

The Thinking Line: Defining Drawing
16 March - 5 April

Using John Berger's categorisations of drawing as observation, communication and exorcism as a framework, this exhibition tracks links between 20th cnetury and contemporary artists.

Hung alongside work from the British Council collection, this exhibition includes work by Canterbury Christ Church University alumni and staff, and significant drawings by artists such as Maggi Hambling, Michael Sandle, David Nash, Euan Uglow, Kennith Armitage and Michael Craig-Martin.

© Anish Kapoor, the Chant of blue 1983. Mixed Media and pigment. Courtesy of the artist and the British Council collection. Photo: Prudence Cummings

Third Dimension: Sculpture
from the British Council Collection
27 January – 3 March

Of all the artforms in Britain, sculpture has been widely regarded as the most inventive and innovative. Over the decades the pace with which it has evolved to incorporate new materials, new forms and new ideas has been unmatched. This display offers an opportunity to trace key moments from the mid 20th century to today. This exhibition includes work by Anish Kapoor, Richard Long, Vong Phaopharit, Tony Cragg, Rebecca Warren, Bruce Maclean and William Tucker.

© Humphrey Ocean, Ship 2011, Oil on canvas. Photo: Mike Bruce

Humphrey Ocean: Now and Then
27 January – 3 March

Humphrey Ocean returns to the Sidney Cooper Gallery with a handful of key works spanning his time as a student at Canterbury, including a drawing made there in 1973, through to recently completed paintings. During this formative period – when Michael Craig-Martin had been teaching with Tom Watt (Head of Fine Art), Ocean was introduced to tutors such as Geoffrey Rigden and Ian Dury, both recent graduates from the Royal College of Art, all influential. Ocean exhibits five works representing this journey.

© Vanessa Liu

Artists of Tomorrow: I am Me
6 – 18 January 2012

I am Me celebrates emerging talent from five secondary schools based in east Kent. Using a range of process and materials students have created new works that explore themes of self-image.

The following school’s participating in this year’s artist of tomorrow exhibition are:

The Canterbury High School
Herne Bay High
Homewood School
Kent College
Weald of Kent
The Archbishop’s School