New art exhibition at Alnwick museum highlights environmental concerns

Bailiffgate Museum and Gallery in Alnwick welcomes back artist Jose Snook with her new exhibition opening on October 12.
Resurrection by Jose Snook. Picture: Jose SnookResurrection by Jose Snook. Picture: Jose Snook
Resurrection by Jose Snook. Picture: Jose Snook

In Memoriam is an exhibition of Jose’s new work, made in response to the current environmental crisis and the mass extinction of animal and plant species.

The exhibition is in two parts. ‘Resurrection’ is a series of beautiful, haunting photographs depicting solitary animals suspended in ice, oblivious to their predicament.

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The work seeks to draw attention to endangered species of mammals and the causes of their loss, and the role frozen zoos may play in the conservation of animal species.

Jose Snook's new exhibition seeks to draw attention to endangered species.Jose Snook's new exhibition seeks to draw attention to endangered species.
Jose Snook's new exhibition seeks to draw attention to endangered species.

‘Imposters’ is a series of evocative faux-vintage photographs of replicas of plants and animals, which are displayed alongside selected artificial and organic plant and animal specimens. The trick is to spot which ones are the imposters.

The work explores the replacement of lost plant and animal species with synthetic replicas, and is inspired by an event that happened in the Lake District in 2007: daffodils flowered too early for the tourist season, to avoid disappointing visitors a holiday park planted hundreds of artificial daffodils.

Jose’s work focuses upon environmental issues.

She said: ‘Over the years I became increasingly concerned that human faith in science means we fail to take immediate action to prevent ecological catastrophe. There seems to be a belief that sometime in the future science will reverse the damage of climate change and ecological disaster.

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"We keep on kicking the can down the road, I desperately hope that COP 26 will change that.”

Jean Humphrys, chair of trustees, said: “We are thrilled to be hosting this new exhibition by Jose. Her images are always exquisite: taking her many hours to create using a variety of processes and techniques.

"Her themes, as ever, are very current – she explores the Climate Crisis and the 6th Ongoing Mass Extinction of species in her unique and evocative style. The images are both stunning and challenging and focus attention on the future of our planet.”

In Memoriam runs from October 12 to November 28. Bailiffgate is open Tuesday to Sunday: Adults £4; Concessions £3; Children 5-16 £1; Under 5s free; Friends free.

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