Nika Neelova in conversation

Join us ‘in conversation’ with Nika Neelova, Thalia Allington-Wood and Thomas Marks following the New Art Centre's recent exhibition ‘One of Many Fragments’ (11 September-20 November 2021) featuring work by Neelova and Thalia’s father, Ed Allington. 

The New Art Centre’s exhibition, ‘One of Many Fragments’, was shown in two halves.  Allington’s work was presented in the main gallery, while Neelova’s sculpture was displayed in the adjoining 19th century orangery. This juxtaposition encouraged visitors to contemplate the mentor-student relationship between these two artists and the similarities or differences in their work. 

Fascinated by architectural objects from old historical buildings, Neelova turns the functional object into the unfunctional. Particularly through her ‘Lemniscate’ series, which are transformed wooden banisters that retain the memory of each hand that has helped to carve the wooden support or rather reach for it while walking upstairs. Allington’s sculpture and painting provides a foundation for such themes, through his reinvention and displacement of the recurring classical motif.  

Neelova discusses this with art historians Thomas Marks and Thalia Allington-Wood as well as topics such as the property of materials and the liberation of objects.

As an independent charity, we rely on donations to deliver our program. For further details of how to support our work, please visit our website at: https://rochecourteducationaltrust.co.uk/support-us/ Follow us on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/_ilovesculpture/

For more information on Neelova, follow this link: nikaneelova

'One of Many Fragments' was curated by Simon Hucker. More information can be found here: Edward Allington and Nika Neelova: One of Many Fragments — NewArtCentre. (sculpture.uk.com)

Thanks to: Dan Coggins for recording and editing the podcast, and Zach James for his support in post-production. Also, Antonia Beard from the New Art Centre. 

Funded by the RSA Catalyst Seed Award.