Opening
times: Tue-Fri 12-5pm; Sat & Sun 11am -4pm;
Closed
Monday
An exhibition of photographs that chart the extraordinary
changes that have taken place in order to convert Oxford
Prison and Castle into a brand new heritage and leisure
quarter will form the inaugural exhibition at the new
03 Gallery, right in the heart of Oxford Castle.
Throughout
the transition and re-forming of the ancient site into
a vibrant modern destination and hotel Jude Wall was
commissioned by Oxford Castle Ltd. to document the
process of change, whilst reflecting with an artist's
eye upon this. The resulting exhibition and publication
is as much about aesthetics as it is about architecture.
Within the images reside the memories or traces of
an era long gone - a place of unimaginable hardship
and cruelty, replaced now with smart restaurants and
immaculately preserved heritage.
Jude Wall is a freelance
photographer and lecturer with many years experience
in both industry and academia. Having graduated from
the University of Brighton with a degree in Editorial
Photography, she went on to develop her own practice
whilst teaching photography at various colleges and
Universities. She has undertaken various projects and
commissions, although the commission to photograph
the Oxford site represents her largest commission to
date.
Reflecting on the time she spent on site at the Castle, Jude commented 'the first
day on site five years ago I remember walking around
alone - it was eerie and quite frightening. Now its
lovely - beautifully done and it doesn't ignore what
it was.' Throughout the commission Jude has been in
the unique position of witnessing this historical transformation
from the inside, given un-paralleled access to all
areas of the site.
The exhibition marks a number of 'firsts' - the 03 Gallery opens for the first
time with this show, which appropriately relates directly
to the environs of Oxford Castle. The gallery has been
developed by Oxford Castle and is presented in partnership
with OVADA, Oxfordshire's Visual Arts Development Agency.
And that partnership is believed to be a first as well
- the first partnership (possibly ever) between a public
agency and private developer, to create a gallery that
will generate opportunities and funding for the visual
arts in Oxfordshire. Oxford Castle Chair Trevor Osborne
is delighted with the new space, the last piece of
the project to be completed. Trevor says "The O3 Gallery
will fill a gap in the Oxford arts scene and it is
fitting that the first exhibition is by a talented
young photographer, evidencing through a discerning
lens, the transformation of the Oxford Gaol to Oxford's
Castle of acclaim."
For OVADA, who run the substantial public gallery at Gloucester Green, this new
space represents an important part of the visual arts infrastructure in Oxford
- according to Development Director Janine Charles its 'the icing on the cake!
This new space provides another piece in the jigsaw - a small but high quality
selling space for art, right where we hope lots of people will be interested
in buying it.' All profits from the sale of works will go towards supporting
the development of visual arts locally.
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