In July the Vestibules was proud to host The Coe Gallery’s stunning exhibition featuring paintings by Aboriginal artists, focusing on land and the natural world. The Coe gallery is the UK’s first Aboriginal owned and artist led gallery, founded and curated by Jasmine Coe, a Wiradjuri-British artist and daughter of Paul Coe.
Paul Coe is an activist and passionate proponent for Aboriginal land rights and was also the first Aboriginal person to study law at the University of NSW. He established the Aboriginal Legal Service and in 1979 took a case to the High Court of Australia challenging British sovereignty, he lost this battle but the case was a step forward for Aboriginal rights.
James Cook claimed the East coast of Australia for the British Crown in 1770, the principle used to claim the Aboriginal land was called terra nullius, latin meaning nobody’s land, meaning that Australia was judged to be empty. Violence followed as land was taken, Indiginous men, women & children were massacred and European diseases and starvation claimed many lives.
Aboriginal people have lived in Australia for over 60,000 years and have lived in harmony with the land. Instead of being owners of the land, they consider themselves custodians – care takers, carefully managing the land so as not to take too much, to stay in harmony with the natural world.
In 1976 Paul Coe & Cecil Patten travelled to England and planted an Aboriginal flag on Dover beach, ‘claiming’ England and challenging the Terra Nullius doctrine, Paul’s work helped to pave the way for the historic 1992 case of Mabo vs Queensland.
This case directly challenged the acquisition of Aboriginal land under Terra Nullius and the High Court threw out the principle, meaning that Aboriginal titles over their land were recognised for the first time. However despite this there are many financial and legal barriers, the process is slow and there are still thousands of outstanding claims.
In recent years Bristol has seen the colonial narrative challenged, Jasmine Coe’s vision for the gallery is in “Contributing towards Aboriginal artists regaining control of their narrative and how their stories are told” [1]. Jasmine’s practice as an artist changed after connecting with her father in Australia after many years apart, she had the opportunity to connect with the land and learn more about her heritage.
As a result of this her practice changed to reflect and embed what she had learnt and, as a Wiradjuri-British artist, acts as a way “of harmonising internal conflicts that arise from having two lines of heritage, which together hold a traumatic history” [1]. The exhibition was supported by Bridging Histories.
[1] THEBRISTOLMAG.CO.UK – July 2022 – Art of Connection Pg. 33
Note: The information in this blog is based upon the Coe Galleries supporting texts for the exhibition & part of an article taken from the National Museum of Australia.
In July the Vestibules was proud to host The Coe Gallery’s stunning exhibition featuring paintings by Aboriginal artists, focusing on land and the natural world. The Coe gallery is the UK’s first Aboriginal owned and artist led gallery, founded and curated by Jasmine Coe, a Wiradjuri-British artist and daughter of Paul Coe. Paul Coe is […]
We’re delighted to have finally installed spotlights to our Gallery ceiling and are extremely grateful to the generous donation from artist Luke Jerram who kindly funded the work. Luke came along to the recent ‘Fragile’ exhibition by Ben Anthony to view the paintings and see the spotlights in action. Following the restoration work on the […]
Ever wondered how Artspace Lifespace and The Island started in Bristol? Well now you get to delve further Invisible Circus: No Dress Rehearsal (Feature documentary by Naomi Smyth) was a massive four-year documentary undertaking. It was originally screened at The Brewery Theatre which is sadly now no more, but The Island is still going strong! […]
With great sadness, we announce that our wonderful centre manager Jane Hartoch is leaving the Island after 6 years of incarceration in the Old Bridewell Police Station. We are now seeking a new ISLAND CENTRE MANAGER. We are also looking for Duty Managers for The Arts Mansion. Flexible 3-10 hour shifts – £9.90 per hour. […]
Update – April 22 As of 1st April, free universal testing in England comes to an end. Check-in to venues ended in February of this year. Visit England’s Good to Go Industry standard is to close, In England, face coverings are no longer required by law. Most of the remaining Covid restrictions in the UK […]
Invisible Circus Directors and Artspace Lifespace founders Wim Penhaul and Doug Francis and Trinity Community Arts CEO Emma Harvey urge other arts organisations to get behind the campaign. The Invisible Circus, Artspace Lifespace and Trinity Community Arts have committed to buying £1000 of shares in the Stokes Croft Land Trust to support the purchase of […]
Artspace Ashton Court welcomes an experimental new sculpture by artist Luke Jerram in the grounds of Ashton Court in Bristol. Situated beside the Courtyard Café of Ashton Court with stunning vistas over Bristol and the iconic Grade I listed mansion sits a giant wooden seed, a sculpture which will slowly be transformed by members of the […]
Join the first instalment of this Performance Art Workshop Series. Creatives Jo Chalkblack, Kevin D’Orso and Jasper D’Orso lead this first installement as we are guided through a day of experimentation on themes of deep ecology through their workshop Second Body.
As of 24 February 2022, most of the remaining COVID-19 guidance in England has ended. You are no longer required to check in to your venue using the NHS COVID-19 or Tested.me app. However COVID-19 has not gone away, please take steps to protect yourselves, others and the NHS Please stay home if you are […]
The UK has always held a firm ‘at arms length’ stance on the arts and heritage sector. Our diversity is our greatest strength. It is the job of cultural charities to reflect on our past and enrich this heritage through recontextualising in the present day. The presentation of narratives counter to those that we may […]
We hope you have safe and happy holidays but not everybody looks forwards to the festive season. With thanks to Rehab 4 Addiction, a UK-based addiction helpline for sharing this infographic with us. It visually illustrates the reasons why people may be negatively impacted by Christmas, and it also illustrates ways people can avoid or […]
Reflections on 2021 It has been a year of reflection and challenges for Artspace Lifespace. Looking back on the past year at our AGM at the beginning of December, and seeing the amazing artists and activity that was supported during such a challenging time reinforces just how essential the arts and grassroots organisations are. Next […]
Writer Carina Andrews and photographer Tina Gue sat down with Ella O’Loughlin to discuss their collaborative project: Invisible Army. Their work aims to educate people on the real lives of carers in and around Bristol, and, importantly, uplift them. Invisible Army will be sharing carers’ stories and photographs at The Vestibules in their exhibition “Stories […]
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the fourth Annual General Meeting of Artspace Lifespace will be held via zoom at 17:30 on Thursday the 2nd December to transact the following business. The AGM will be recorded for minute taking. You can keep your camera off but please use your full name rather than an alias when […]
Artspace Lifespace a Bristol Charity that provides creative solutions for properties is working with Trinity Bristol to understand how Trinity can increase community engagement through the activities and programmes it offers. As well as helping shape Trinity’s future, by completing this survey you can enter a prize draw to be in with a chance to WIN a fantastic #MiniRig […]
At Home With The Smyths – Ashton Court Mansion Eastenders has the Mitchells, Bristol had the Smyths. On June 25-27, Show of Strength brought us on a journey where we met characters from the dynasty that gave us Ashton Court Mansion. Impostors, buried treasure, a lost ring and it’s even better than a soap opera […]
Restrictions might be about to go away, but Covid has not We published the Roadmap out of Lockdown in March 2021 at which time we stated that the capacity of events will be limited until we have evidence it is safe for us to lift them. The announcement of the lifting of most remaining Covid-19 restrictions in […]
Words are more than conveyors of meaning – when used enough, when repeated like a mantra, when held by consensus, they can create cognitive boundaries between subjects and their objects. They can wall off the human from the humane. From the Book of Trespass: Crossing the Lines that Divide Us by Nick Hayes In 2020 […]
Last month, Saskia Collyns and Maxine Sircana – the duo that make up Inspiral – held a Residency with us in our Circus Training Space. Here’s what we learnt about the adventurous pair. We are currently working on our first show as a company, ‘Interlaced’. We work with narrative-based circus using Aerial Straps, Aerial Hoop, […]
Artspace Lifespace is among more than 2,700 recipients to benefit from the latest round of awards from the £1.57 billion Culture Recovery Fund This award will primarily cover the charities overheads but will also provide some support for core staff costs. Artspace Lifespace has received a grant of £45,500 from the Government’s £1.57 billion Culture […]
As part of our continuing series profiling the brilliant people to make The Island tick, we sat down with Chloe from NotNow Studios for a (virtual) chat. Here’s what we found out… Tell us about your work? My studio is called Not Now Studio. I am a hand pulled screen printer. I share the space […]
It should not take a case of extreme violence for us to see that male violence permeates throughout our society – in our Government, our police, our workplaces, our nights out, and our individual actions. Throughout all these levels we need to make changes, so that no one feels the threat or result of male […]
In May 2018, Artpace Lifespace took over the meanwhile use management of Ashton Court Mansion, with the support of Bristol City Council, and with thanks to pro-bono support from Womble Bond Dickinson. Since taking on the Mansion, Artspace has been operating Ashton Court as an Arts Venue – the Arts Mansion. In 2019 we ran […]
2020 was not a normal year by any stretch of the imagination. The adaptability, tenacity, and extreme talent shown by each of our tenants was amazing to witness. In 2020 we moved to a digital format. You can look back at our online open studios event with a virtual tour of the building or check […]
From March 8th some of our team who have been furloughed will be able to return to work. Restrictions requiring staff to work from home where possible will however remain in place and we urge those who can stay at home to do so. From March 29th outdoor sport and leisure facilities will be permitted, […]
In October, FixX bikes bikes began a six-month residency of our Electric Cargo Bike. FixX bikes are a social enterprise based in Hartcliffe who pre-pandemic were delivering bike mechanic workshops to young people in the area. At the start of the pandemic, FixX bikes began delivering meals in partnership with Heart of BS13 to residents […]
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the third Annual General Meeting of Artspace Lifespace will be held via zoom at 19:00 on Wednesday the 10th February to transact the following business. The AGM will be recorded for minute taking. You can keep your camera off but please use your full name rather than an alias when […]
The Island is based on the site where the Central Police Station used to be. Also known as the Bridewell, it is a historic building on Nelson Street, Broadmead, Bristol, England. It was built in 1928 by Ivor Jones and Percy Thomas and opened as a police station in November 1930 near the site of […]
An outdoor tour of Ashton Court which gives you some background into the history of the architecture on the West and South Front of Ashton Court Mansion.
Our stunning Gallery Space is back and ready for you to exhibit your work.