PA123 Club Summer Term Trip to Firstsite Art Gallery in Colchester

This PA123 Club's BIG day out was a delight!

After an initial group contemplation of the 'Essex Man' who towered above the Firstsite entry, the group decided upon a divide and conquer strategy for Sarah Lucas' BIG WOMEN exhibition - a fun-filled celebration of the female creatives with particular themes of age, power and beauty.

We were particularly delighted by one of the first exhibits: rounding a corner we encountered a TV that showed a reel of women playing at being 'wild' including prehistoric dress and dishevelled wigs - companioned by anthropomorphic sculpture of typical Lucas fashion (adorned with a glamourous grey wig, high heels and fur gloves). It was a piece that struck us all.

As we continued to search and contemplate many different depictions of the body - all drawn to different styles, be it written, photograph or textiles - the most enjoyable part of the experience was our own interactions and sharing of ideas to puzzle over the minds of the artists. Through shared thought, there seemed to be a blossoming of appreciation and playfulness towards each piece (even that which was not to individual taste) that celebrated the ambivalent process of living, aging and relating.

Highlights included: Lipstick - a portrait by Maggie Hambling of her elderly mother that got our minds racing about their clearly emotive yet illusive relationship; and Nude Standing - a tall standing frame crammed with text that made us contemplate the heightened vulnerability/naturalisation the female body has to mass projections. The only enigma we were left with was "the dog"...

Of course, whilst also at Firstsite, we took the opportunity to design our own street of houses as a part of the Distanced Assemblage project & get a cup of tea that truly rounded off the day trip.

It was such a wonderful opportunity to meet andget to know some of the amazing minds in our department a little bit better through laughter, (wonderfully grotesque) beauty, and some thought-provoking conversations all while the sunlight shone through the gallery - both staff and fellow visitors were also clearly entertained by our presence.

I believe we all would like to extend a BIG thank you to our own artist, Dr Debbie Wright, for organising the trip as an epic extension of her PA123 Club!