With a focus on plastics manufacture in the area and in particular the development of synthetic fabrics and dyes, the exhibition travels through broader social, economic, material and ecological themes, through paint, sculpture & film.
The impact of synthetic materials on human lives and the health of the planet has been extensive. This exhibition explores this impact and presents contemporary innovations in more sustainable fashion.
Newly-commissioned artworks by Annie O’Donnell, Onya McCausland and Katarina Zdjelar trace associations and connections with the materials and memories of the chemical works. Through painting, sculpture and film, the artists takes us into imaginative realms relating to memory, conflict and industrial harm.
Academic Esther Leslie is critical advisor on the exhibition and has written three extended essays that frame the presentation.