Artist Research - Andy Holden and 'Cat-tharsis'

 


'Andy Holden lives and works in Bedfordshire, UK

Works can be found in the permanent collections of Tate Gallery, Leeds Art Gallery, Bristol Museum, Arts Council Collection and Zabludowicz Collection in the UK and various collections in Europe.' - andyholdenartist.com/andyholdencv 

I first saw Holden's work at the British Art Show 9 in Wolverhampton. I was totally enamoured of his 'Cat-tharsis' piece which is a huge collection of ceramic cats that belonged to his grandmother. They were displayed in glass cases and cabinets, plus there was a video where Holden was candidly talking about the collection, while different cats were shown on the screen. 
The audio of him talking gave the piece a more personal vibe, it didn't feel overly serious which created a relaxed atmosphere to the space. It felt honest and intimate.
Some of the display cases were shelves with glass doors, and there was also a display of cats on a plinth, protected by a glass box. The cabinets with doors had connotations of the domestic, and remind the viewer that the cats were once part of someone's home, and I found myself imagining my own Grandma's house full of these little cats. It also made me wonder what the story was behind each one, where it came from, and what it could have meant to Holden's Grandmother. The space was white, which I think was a good choice because it helped me to appreciate the array of colours and glazes on the ceramics. It was interesting to see these ornaments removed from the domestic space and curated in a museum-like way, where they were given an elevated sense of importance and value.
It made me want to start my own collection of vintage cats, but I wouldn't have space for them...

'Cat-tharsis' is really relevant to project in that it deals with ideas of kitsch, sentimentality, value and collecting. It is a deeply human piece and demonstrates how our minds can become so infatuated with specific things that appeal to us, to a point where it becomes like an addiction. 

These are some pencil and marker sketches of a few of the cats I did after the exhibition. I found it fun to draw from them because there are so many shapes, colours and patterns making each cat unique and quirky.








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