SMALL WORKS EXHIBITION AT COVENTRY DRESDEN FRIENDSHIP FESTIVAL 12th November -4th december

I’m thrilled to be showing prints with artists from Coventry and Dresden taking part in this festival of friendship. The opening is Friday 12th November at midday in conjunction with the official festival opening. The opening event continues until 3pm.

“Small Works” is the Coventry-Dresden Arts Exchange’s 8th collaborative exhibition with Dresden artists and Coventry artists.

The Coventry/Dresden Arts Exchange was founded by artist John Yeadon (Coventry) and Jean Kirsten (Dresden) in 2012. It is an artist-led, personal initiative, that seeks to develop creative dialogue between the cities of Coventry and Dresden and encourages cross-fertilization of praxis, by enabling and organizing collaborative exchanges, exhibitions and forums for visual artists in Coventry and Dresden. The programme has become a city-wide organisation and includes exhibitions and residencies, providing opportunities for artists to participate in the cultural life of both cities.

As artists we acknowledge the very different cultural histories of these cities since the late 1930s, when Dresden slipped from our view and our two cities were separated culturally and politically by various forces.

With the exhibitions, residents’ showcases, open studios and by hosting talks and workshops, the Exchange’s projects have engaged a wide range of audience interest. The exhibitions have served in the past as an introduction to art for those people who would not normally go to an art gallery or art exhibition but have attended these exhibitions though an interest in international friendship, understanding, peace and reconciliation, an interest in Germany or the Coventry-Dresden relationship. This is true in both cities.

The Exchange’s AIR Programme (Artists In Residence) is an Arts Council funded project with support from Class Room, Artspace Partnerships, Dresden City Council, Grafikwerkstatt and Coventry University, Arts and Humanities.

The Dresden artists: Matthias Bausch, Kerstin Franke-Gneuss, Karen Koschnick, Volker Lenkheit, Monika Marten, Christian Manns, Alexandra Muller, Lucas Oertel, Andre Uhlig.

The Coventry artists: Sharon Baker, Jack Foster, Michala Gyetvai, Will Hughes, Ashley Spindler, John Yeadon.