AN artist taking part in a new exhibition at The Bowes Museum came up with an unusual way of interacting with visitors.
Ceramicist Judy DiBiase made 200 cups which she offered in exchange for a postcard describing a memory or story triggered by the visitor’s trip to the museum. Ms DiBiase is one of the artists taking part in this year’s #Untitled10 exhibition and more than half the cups had been snapped up within the first couple of days of the display.
“All my work is about objects and memory and how objects hold memories for people,” she explained.
She said founders John and Josephine Bowes had set up the museum with the intention that it should be for the people and it was in that spirit she had come up with the idea of trading cups for memories. Ms DiBiase said she had made numerous drawings prior to making the cups, which were adorned with quotes taken from the museum’s archives. Those who have taken a cup were asked by Ms DiBiase to let her know on social media where they ended up.
“I am not sure what I am going to do with the postcards. I would quite like to display them here,” she said.
#Untitled10 features the work of ten artists who were chosen through a competitive open commissioning call by The Bowes Centre for Art, Craft and Design. They were challenged to come up with a new piece of work inspired by the museum, its founders or its surrounding. Running for the second year, it features everything from woodwork and ceramics to textiles, paperwork and performance.
