Opem
Opem, Open East Midlands. This was the first incarnation of the new open exhibition for artists in the East Midlands and Humberside. The exhibition ran from the 5th of February to the 3rd of May 2011. Thirty six artists were selected from one hundred and fifty entrants from across the region to show their work. By bringing together artists from diverse cities and counties the exhibition aimed to showcase the region’s flourishing contemporary visual arts scene. Emerging artist were shown alongside those with established reputations. The show’s selectors were, Alan Parker, Chairman of Lincolnshire Artists Association, Deanna Petherbridge, writer, artist and curator and the sculptor Richard Wilson. Works were chosen for their individual qualities with consideration for the balance of the show as a whole. While the exhibition had no pre-determined theme, during the selection several common strands emerged including; response to place, play and playfulness and layering of meanings.