Now finished, the exhibition at Vane included a combination of old and new works from both Susan Aldworth and Andrew Carnie. It included a range of prints and sculptural installations that have been made individually and collaboratively.  The Enlightenment prints made back in 2015 in response to the science of optogenetics, have almost been the trigger for Illuminating the Self, first connecting Susan and Andrew to the CANDO project.

 

More recently, Susan has produced a series of cyanotypes, a historic photographic technique, that echo the patterns and shapes of brain activity during an epileptic seizure. Susan says: "The cyanotypes are made using ultraviolet light, a process which mirrors the use of light in the optogenetic therapies being developed by the scientists. These prints explore, through pattern, the synchronisation that occurs in the brain during an epileptic seizure."

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Andrew Carnie's work for the two exhibitions reflects on the CANDO project's scientific and engineering aspects whilst also considering some of the ethical and moral questions surrounding it. Using programmable USB word fans, the video work, A Tale of Two, show rings of rotating phrases offering different perspectives on brain implants with the words coming from texts on legal, ethical and personal viewpoints.

 

This work sits opposite Crack of Light, a kinetic work that is triggered by visitors as they walk through the exhibition. Alongside Storm to Calm: Rockall, Abys and In Praise of the Scope, these pieces reflect on the nature of epilepsy, being concerned with balance and stability and how this can be interrupted and realigned.

The following video is a short documentary by filmmaker Alan Fentiman about the work that was shown in the gallery during the exhibition. 

 

In February, Andrew Carnie did a talk at Vane about his work on the exhibition. This was recorded by Vane and can be viewed below or through Vane's Facebook page.

Established in 1997, Vane operates a gallery space, as well as a flexible workspace for artists to develop new work. At the time of the exhibition, Vane was based within Commercial Union House on Pilgrim Street in Newcastle city centre.

In October 2021, the gallery along with the rest of the Orbis community was forced to move from Pilgrim Street and can now be found at 65 High Street, Gateshead, NE8 2AP.

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