Adrift in Transient spaces by Karis Hopkinson – Art in windows

During this corona virus lockdown sadly, galleries are closed but whose to say that means you can’t see any art in Liverpool. Art in windows is a little gallery at the side of the bombed-out church that displays solo exhibition via the window. I’ve seen a couple of different artists work here and its interesting to see how each artist works with the small space of the window there given. In fact, it’s made me think about experimenting with some of my artworks to see if I think they would be interesting in this space, but I always end up deciding against it. 

Anyway, Karis Hopkinson’s work is the current work there during this pandemic lockdown, which I think is quite interesting. Her work aims to create a familiar yet unknown visual of the world. Experimenting with the nature of a place, including the landscape, the text and images seen and contrasts all of these to create a kitsch kind of landscape imagery. When peering through this window we are seeing a different view of the world. If you think about it this kind of reflects on what we are currently experiencing in a way. Peering out of my flat windows to see a different city then iv ever seen before, I look out on a Saturday night and I no longer see the large amounts of people stumbling along bold street. I no longer see the students that hit it too hard at pre-drinks but are still determined to drink till at least 4am as they stumble and fall on the cobbled road, the more mature drinkers who have been sat in concert square drinking since at least 7pm and will probably be too drunk and go home around 12pm with a kebab. Just looking out the window and leaving the flat feels almost like a surreal experience now and although I know Karis’ work isn’t about this. It was made before the lock down how could it have been, but I feel like somehow this kind of represents this feeling of looking at a familiar place and feeling like it’s not right, I guess you’d say strange.

On a visual note the artwork features graphic kind of designs on the window and then the walls behind are plastered in like posters, but I actually prefer the graphics on the window and I feel like they might actually be more visually pleasing without the chaos of the background, but I could just be saying this and then if it was done knowing me I’d be like, I think its needs something in the background.