Date/Time: 17 October 2019

Venue: Centre for Bacterial Cell Biology

Summary 

The art on display is a selection of current paintings by Derek Hill, accompanied by his interactive film work with Dr Richard Daniel, demonstrating many months of collaboration between Derek’s studio and the labs at the Centre for Bacterial Cell Biology (CBCB). This interaction has provided an opportunity to synergise the development of the work from two diverse perspectives. The films are intended for AV, and large-screen presentations and certain aspects of these films will form part of a multi-media installation for public viewing and participation.  

‘Shifting Worlds’, with its focus on the construction of art for public engagement, presents an exciting new challenge for everyone concerned and coincides with the 10^th anniversary of the inception of the CBCB at Newcastle University.

About the Artist 

Since leaving the RCA in 1982 Derek Hill has spent his time aligning his art practice with developing projects in the public domain. The most notable has been founding and establishing the Art Studio, Sunderland 1986-2012. The collaboration with the CBCB materialised through an unusual set of circumstances, including a brush with death! This illuminated a need to identify with one of life’s mysteries, and, in doing so, nurture a greater understanding of what painting and drawing represent to himself and others.

“I want my work with the CBCB to evoke a sense of the mystery and intrigue that makes us wonder about the future and how we see ourselves in the next generations. It’s thrilling to feel a part of the CBCB community and to be absorbed by certain aspects of microbiology that’s both integral to the development of my artwork, and to human development. My entire output with Richard in the labs, including the films we make, reflects a special interest in the social and behavioural aspect of microbes while continuing to nurture the substance of my painting and general practice.

 I’ve arrived at a point where I visualise colonies of microbes on a plate in the same way I visualise paint on a canvas - as live interactive material, with multi-dimensional properties. As with each passing frame in a sequence of paintings, I can explore the narrative through the language of a material such as film, and how it could also translate into other formats, materials and processes. This has also influenced the way I envision presenting them along with my paintings as future installations for public viewing and participation”. (see inserts)

About the CBCB

The Centre for Bacterial Cell Biology (CBCB) is a world-leading research centre focused on fundamental studies of bacterial cells. Bacteria are tiny – individual cells are invisible without powerful microscopes. Despite this, they are immensely complicated and sophisticated and come together to form colonies and communities with remarkable organised behaviour patterns. CBCB researchers study how the cells grow, how they replicate their DNA, how genes are turned on and off, creating all of the structures needed for cellular life. Our work underpins an understanding of how bacterial pathogens can infect us, leading to debilitating and sometimes lethal disease. It is also critical for efforts to find new antibiotics, which are desperately needed to protect us from the scourge of antibiotic-resistant bacteria.

 Further information 

• Derek’s site (https://www.derekhill.co.uk/about/) 
• Linked-IN - Derek Hill (https://www.linkedin.com/in/derek-hill-0913b1b2) 
• Centre for Bacterial Cell Biology (https://www.ncl.ac.uk/cbcb/about/)