Whiteout By Jill Rock

Art & Culture

Christmas is getting far too close for my liking and if, like me, you're tired of sitting around waiting for Amazon to pull their finger out with your Christmas shopping, why not head down to the Hundred Years Gallery to catch a glimpse of Jill Rock's 'WHITEOUT' exhibition.

Rock has given a new meaning to the phrase White Christmas (I know, sorry…) with her residency at the Hundred Years Gallery exploring the relationships of various artists with WHITE. The idea comes across as a bit arsey when described as "In times when all points of reference are being eroded things are known by their shadow – the whiter the white the darker the shadow" on the official website, yet the idea of approaching a single concept in all manner of ways (social, psychological, mythical, religious, etc.) is definitely intriguing. There will always be a certain level of pretention surrounding exhibitions like this but it's usually worth checking out, even if you ignore the pamphlets.

There are all sorts of attractions to be seen, heard, and consumed until January 23rd; including the gallery's 2nd birthday event 'Saturnalia' on December 21st which is described as 'masks, music, and chaos' as well as the following day's version of Mesopotamian epic 'Gilgamesh', interpreted by Richard Cardew and read by the curator herself alongside Nicky Heinen on flute.

As for the gallery, it's nice to see a relatively small amount of space being put to good use. Presenting over 20 exhibitions in just 2 years, the Hundred Years Gallery instills a sense of communal pride while helping to give both local and internation artists a chance to present their work to a brand new audience.

So rather than ironing wrapper so you can use it again or putting your teaspoon into an almost empty bottle of champagne (it keeps it bubbly apparently), to explore WHITEOUT. It promises to be an interesting installation, though don't blame me if you find it a little lacking in colour.

Have a peek at the WHITEOUT page on the Hundred Years Gallery website.

Ciaran Steward