Annie Whiles' work, Donkey in the Distance (2011), will be featured in Donkey Work, opening 28 June at Grundy Art Gallery.
Donkey Work is a group exhibition that examines the historic and cultural impact of the original proletariat - the donkey. The show positions the donkey as a medium through which artists and audience explore themes of labour, leisure, value, wealth. Participating artists: Marina Abramović, Richard Ansdell, Alfred Bennett, Andrea Büttner, Sarah Dobai, Richard Eurich, Laura Ford, Frederik Goodall, Lubaina Himid, Paul Nash, Şener Özmen & Erkan Özgen, Arthur Segal, Annie Whiles.
Donkeys have always been and continue to be a dependable apparatus of progress. These deferential animals play a vital role in systems of labour across the globe. From facilitating the movement of people and goods; to generating power in food production, farming and agriculture; to providing logistical solutions in architecture. Given their usefulness, it is no surprise that their impact is timeless and universal. We find them in the mythologies of the Ancient Greeks and as central figures in religious texts, as well as recorded in history as playing significant roles in the Industrial Revolution, the Great Wars, and the cultural evolution of seaside tourist destinations, such as Blackpool.
Opening: 28 June, 2-4pm
Exhibition continues: 28 June - 20 September
Tuesday - Saturday, 10am - 4:45pm
Grundy Art Gallery
Queen St
Blackpool
FY1 1PU