SPARK #29: Minute to Midnight

Adele Jordan

Adele’s work focuses upon the extractive, linear, global systems, underpinned by cheap oil, which enable mass production to produce maximum profits. Levels of such production create irreparable environmental damage and rely upon an exploited labour force, creating mountains of waste. She explicitly presents our anthropogenic impact upon the planet, with her practice straddling textiles, film, sculpture, infographics and the growing of flax, raising awareness of issues to encourage behavioural change.

Adele recently undertook a week’s residency on the island of Rathlin as part of an AHRC-funded project through Queen’s University Belfast, where 24 practitioners from multidisciplinary backgrounds joined academics to collectively discuss and visualise circular systems.

In 2022 Adele completed an MA in Textiles at MMU. Prior to that she taught printmaking over 9 years at FE and HE, spent 5 years at the workers’ owned co-operative Unicorn Grocery, and set up and ran a social enterprise, Cracking Good Food, teaching vital skills needed for communities to connect, grow, cook and socially engage with local food.

Rae Story

Rae’s practice is fundamentally about connection. Using drawing, painting, photography and sound recording she creates opportunity for relationship; with self, others and nature/environment. She is particularly interested in how we can improve the urban environment to support health and wellness and has worked in arts and health in Manchester for 25 years.

Her multi-disciplinary work seeks to inspire others to find their own means of self expression, employing creativity as a tool for exploration and playfulness. Often this activity culminates in ‘meta’ works: bringing together work from many contributors to form a larger whole that goes beyond what could be achieved individually.