A Sheffield based art gallery in Hillsborough is hosting an introspective art exhibition until Saturday.
Each year, Cupola Contemporary Art Gallery curates an exhibition around a specific theme.
Their most recent exhibition is a mixed group show called “undercurrents,” which focuses on ‘forces that flow underneath all our lives, shaping how we live and changing nature itself’.
Graham Shapley, the general manager at the gallery, said: “Undercurrents felt quite appropriate for this year’s theme in more ways than one, with everything that’s been going on in the world. Things are changing, and there are things moving around underneath that we don’t know about.”
When Cupola advertises a theme for artists to participate in, they leave the idea as broad as possible to not limit the artists’ imaginations.
Graham said: “The artists always surprise us with what they do and how they view the brief for the exhibition.
“When we begin selecting pieces for a show it’s a huge eclectic mix of works, ranging from deeply personal, to more political, to some that are just natural.”
Graham said: “Ultimately, the mission of the gallery is to be able to support a huge range of artists.
“We want to showcase work that, in some cases, is more conceptual or experimental, and in others, is more decorative and ‘easier’ to access visually.”
Graham said: “The biggest challenge in putting the exhibition together is not taking everything.
“We go through a series of selections and look through the submissions multiple times. Gradually, as we narrow it down it becomes harder and harder, because it’s not about what you personally like, but about what’s going to fit together and how the pieces will sit alongside each other.”
Despite wanting to showcase as much art as possible, Cupola is a small venue which can only hold a limited amount of pieces.
The gallery was established in 1991 by Karen Sherwood. It was named after the cupola furnace which is used in steel industries to melt iron, primarily for casting.
For a better insight into the gallery and their featured artists, you can visit their website.