Waiting Rooms: An exhibition of free space photography

bristol | media and culture | event notice Saturday December 06, 2008 20:48 by tanjent - Emporium thewaitingrooms at gmail dot com

The shutters are off no.37 stokes croft and the Emporium opens with a free exhibition all weekend.

After months of clearing, cleaning and building, the Emporium, no.37 Stokes Croft, has been transformed from a pigeon coop into a usable space for the community. It will open this Friday 12th of Dec with an exhibition of free space photography.

Waiting Rooms @ the Emporium, open all weekend

Exhibit info:

The cityscape of Bristol is motley and sweeping, and has been subject to much change and redevelopment of late. As an echo of the vast building programme of the mid-19th century, many of Stokes Croft’s defining buildings are the subject of mass upheaval and reinvention amidst a multi-million pound transformation – the effects of the sparkling Cabot Circus and Kingsdown have rolled down the hill – grimy, dilapidated yet fondly trodden rooms and supportive walls are now nearing their final weeks and being replaced with sharp and shiny designer apartment blocks.

In the interim period, between these two lives, these buildings bow out of use, sit and wait. It is the special space behind these looming Russian doll walls where stories unfold; hinting at years of busy industry and noise, autonomous zones, temporary squatted homes, party shells, art canvases and then quiet. Embracing the Situationist spirit of the ‘derive’ we can disregard established routes and hop through these holes, exposing predominantly unlit corners of activity.

Not only do these buildings become blank canvases, they also hold important potential as homes and creative centres. The Emporium, 37 Stokes Croft, situated in between a massage parlour and paint centre, has been the project of a determined and growing group of people who wish to breathe new life into these derelict spaces; the first project culminating in an exhibition of photography celebrating such buildings.

Each artist involved here has taken a unique stance; some are quiet observers and some are driven by a social duty to their surrounding neighbourhood. All have a deft and coherent idea of what it means to address the potential in these buildings.

This series of photographs as a whole exalts the vast and majestic quality of these often disregarded spaces. It also celebrates the willingness of people to volunteer any spare time they have to developing their neighbourhood and encouraging discourse and action. Not wanting to be too romantic, but just enough, we inhabit these beautiful beasts, these waiting rooms, glimpse beyond their original purpose to realise their frustratingly unfulfilled potential and share a rare moment with them.

Opening Friday 12th December 6-9pm
Saturday and Sunday all day
The Emporium, 37 Stokes Croft, Bristol BS1 3PY

For more information and press enquiries please contact Bryony Harris on thewaitingrooms@gmail.com