Nikki MitchellStill and moving models, live performances and light installations – a new innovative day long workshop for artists to experience new ways of interpreting life drawing is to be the first of its kind in York.
Bar Lane Studios will be hosting the event where drawers will be given the opportunity to portray traditional static nude forms along with moving models with individuality to facilitate their own specific purposes.
Kiran Tanna model and gallery supervisor at Bar Lane says the idea came from a discussion between himself and the studio’s creative director, Ben Clowes. He explains Ben had put on life drawing workshops in the past in York, and wanted to reinvent them with an inventive twist making the most of the space at Bar Lane.
“York needs people with fresh ideas and hopefully that’s what this will do – bring people of arts in York together. That’s what Bar Lane is about.
“It is more like what a big gallery like the Tate Modern would put on. It’s more of a gallery feel than a class,” Kiran says.
There will be four life models, two male and two female, taking place in the workshop, from a range of ages; Kiran Tanna, Mercedes Cragg, Vicky Sharples and Rob Oldfield.
The performances have been designed to loop so artists can observe before they capture the models or make adjustments if they have been missed. And Ben will be on hand to supervise or offer professional creative feedback if participants feel they would benefit from it.
Kiran who has been posing nude in workshops for a year is excited about performing at the Bar Lane event. He explains he started modelling when he stood in for a friend a life drawing class in London.
“I had already been a nude performer on stage before, so I was more nervous about keeping still and being a good model than I was about being naked,” he adds.
The day will end with a live dance performance from Kiran and his girlfriend Mercedes called [W]EV[‘]E . Kiran says they are comfortable working professionally together as they have both posed nude before.
He explains the dance is to be fully integrated into the day and has been choreographed and tailor made to be drawn by the artists attending the workshop.
The life drawing workshop will run on Saturday 27 October from 10am to 4.30pm and is £65 per person for the day. For more information or to book a place contact Bar Lane on enquiries@barelanestudios.com or 01904 635 563.
