Plastic Vanitas

The project

Plastic Vanitas is the title of 49 photographic artworks produced by artist, Mariele Newdecker, as a result of a residency at MoDiP. This work re-presents the MoDiP collection as 'Vanitas' paintings.  More information about the artist and the development of Plastic Vanitas is available on the associated residency page.

Aim

Plastic Vanitas was the first in a proposed series of artists’ residencies at MoDiP. There aim is to:

• stimulate artists’ creativity and  thus contribute to their development.
• enable the collection to be seen afresh through the artists’ eyes and thus become accessible to different audiences.
• facilitate a public engagement programme with the collection.

Activities

The project led to a:

• panel discussion exploring Plastic Vanitas through the theme 'Art within the Museum', Arts University Bournemouth, 16 October 2016.
• International Photographic Challenge.
• Series of workshops for young people and Arts University Bournemouth MA students.
• Range of responses from Arts University Bournemouth students.

Outputs

Plastic Vanitas has had the following outputs:

• UK tour of Plastic Vanitas exhibition: TheGallery, Arts University Bournemouth, 10 September - 26 November 2015; Nunnery Gallery, Bow Arts, 5 January - 27 March 2016; Corsham Court, Bath Spa University, 1 May -31 July 2016; and Poole Lighthouse, 29 October - 26 November 2016.
• German tour of Plastic Vanitas exhibition: Hochschule für Technik und Wirtschaft, Berlin, 27 October – 25 November 2016;  Zeppelin Museum, Friedrichshafen 29 January – 3 April 2016; Thomas Rehbein Galerie, Cologne, 3 June – 6 August 2016.
• Publication of the exhibition with an introduction by Emma Hunt and essays by Susan Lambert, Hanneke Grootenboer, Rachel Withers and Alice Sharp.

MoDiP would like to thank the artist for presenting the MoDiP collection in a new light and Arts Council England for making the project possible.