WALL
X
SOPHIE
ATKINS
Residency
THIS IS NOT OUR HORSE
24 January – 26 April 2020
Residency Launch
Friday 24 January
from 5pm
Artist Salon
MONOPRINT
with Sophie Atkins
12 February 2020
from 7pm
Taproom
Blackened Sun
Brewing Co.
3 Heathfield
Stacey Bushes
Milton Keynes
MK12 6HP
“[This Is Not Our Horse] is a peaceful attack on symbols of power in the public realm, and a critique of the use of monuments and statues to tell a selective history and impress upon populations. The work was made during a residency in the city of Skopje, North Macedonia, a city littered with statues and monuments.
I was instantly struck by the macho feel that their presence exuded, which was no doubt the intention, not to mention the absence of female representation. These were all men; men on horses, men waging war, men pointing, men deciding, men preaching. Initially this show of toxic masculinity, a celebration of the patriarchy made me very angry. I didn’t want to make angry work, but still acknowledge the seriousness of the issue, so I set out to find a way to take the men down from their pedestals using humour, drawing the men in an exaggerated comical way. Being an outsider, not knowing who these sculptures represented added an extra layer of absurdity. This piece is a questioning of who decides who gets to be remembered, praised and glorified, what happens when regimes or attitudes change. This was my way of becoming a new regime, a peaceful, egalitarian one, disrupting the narrative that concerns a shared history; placing and moving the depictions of the ‘important’ figures in an arbitrary way.”
– SOPHIE ATKINS
WALL is supported by funding from MK Community Foundation and beer mats by thirstys.co.uk
Background
WALL is a three month residency project organised by Big Shop Friday at Blackened Sun Brewing Co.
WALL is about supporting local independents. Whether that’s art, beer, food or music. Working in collaboration like this will help build audiences, bridges and hopefully new opportunities to help grow your business or creative practice.
Blackened Sun Brewing Company Ltd is a brewery based at 3 Heathfield, Stacey Bushes, Milton Keynes. We are all about creativity, skill and precision, only using the best ingredients crammed full of flavour and passion. Our beers are neither fined, filtered or pasteurised, they are left to mature and condition naturally to create a fuller flavour.
Established in September 2017 by Gary and Sharon Morse, all our beers are based on our love of Belgian yeast. Our styles are not traditional Belgian beers, they are hybrid styles we have created (some more traditional than others). For us it's all about big flavours to produce balanced beers. We also brew a range of seasonal beers (Winter, Spring, Summer, Autumn) reflecting the relevant seasons.
The taproom consists of 6 keg lines showcasing not only our own beer but other smaller craft breweries from around the UK. We would like to introduce our customers to new beers that are not currently available in our area. We will also extend the range with bottles and cans from our favourite European, American and UK breweries.
WALL is a three month residency project organised by Big Shop Friday at Blackened Sun Brewing Co.
WALL is about supporting local independents. Whether that’s art, beer, food or music. Working in collaboration like this will help build audiences, bridges and hopefully new opportunities to help grow your business or creative practice.
About
Big Shop Friday is an artist-run collective bringing together a number of creatives from across Milton Keynes. We plan occasional events pooled from a collective of contacts and specialisms, and look to connect with inspiring people from all over.Blackened Sun Brewing Company Ltd is a brewery based at 3 Heathfield, Stacey Bushes, Milton Keynes. We are all about creativity, skill and precision, only using the best ingredients crammed full of flavour and passion. Our beers are neither fined, filtered or pasteurised, they are left to mature and condition naturally to create a fuller flavour.
Established in September 2017 by Gary and Sharon Morse, all our beers are based on our love of Belgian yeast. Our styles are not traditional Belgian beers, they are hybrid styles we have created (some more traditional than others). For us it's all about big flavours to produce balanced beers. We also brew a range of seasonal beers (Winter, Spring, Summer, Autumn) reflecting the relevant seasons.
The taproom consists of 6 keg lines showcasing not only our own beer but other smaller craft breweries from around the UK. We would like to introduce our customers to new beers that are not currently available in our area. We will also extend the range with bottles and cans from our favourite European, American and UK breweries.