Saturday 29th October - Saturday 26th November 2011
Les Étoiles Magiques - (The Magic Stars)
Mike Tedder
Collages and mixed-media works that explore real or imaginary universes with a sense of wonder.
My work creates a juxtaposition of dreams, realities and sensations, fleeting moments from life inspired by my own experiences. I explore a sense of empathy, belonging, identity and individuality; existing across different places and times, examining personal sensations of deja-vu without a fixed linear chronology. The boy is autobiographical, and being that intrepid explorer, I now report back on my findings. It is a never ending journey that spans different places and times; exploring the personal and the universal with equal fascination.
Images often develop out of quick sketches, inspired by many things such as a dream, a feeling, something suddenly remembered, a song, or a particular experience. I work with a diverse range of materials, enjoying experimenting with different art media (collage, drawing, painting and printmaking). Sometimes great surprises and discoveries come from working in an alternative medium.
I have always enjoyed image making, whether the process is drawing, painting, or photography. My first photographs date back to when I was nine years old, and was the proud owner of Kodak 127 roll film 'instamatic'. Shooting mostly holiday landscapes and friends portraits, I then progressed to using a wonderful Russian SLR, further fuelling my passion for black and white.
My photography explores past events, experiences the present, and contemplates the future. The camera records, as a sketchbook, the essence of ideas, and the nuances of existence. Pathways are revealed in landscapes and faces that lead the explorer towards discoveries. I am fascinated by the area of shared experience and empathy between the photographer and his model. The creation of the image is a collaborative event, which extends beyond the moment to include the viewer within this collective process.
My artwork has been commissioned and represented in various publications, with solo and group exhibitions showing in the UK, France, Holland, Spain, Germany, Italy, Canada and the USA. I have also taught adult classes and workshops in drawing, printmaking and painting.