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In Therapy with North Sea

Visitors to Humber Street Gallery are invited to an unconventional encounter with the North Sea and an exploration of our coexistence. The exhibition from interdisciplinary artist Solmaz Farhang, was co-commissioned by the University of Hull and Humber Street Gallery and runs from 14 February to 18 May.

Let’s meet up with the North Sea; sit together, breathe together, and reflect on our relationship: the love and affection we share, the anger and frustrations we face.

Dr Ed Brookes of the Energy and Environment Institute was involved in the commission process and facilitated Solmaz’s contact with Hull academics, including Prof Tom Coulthard and Dr Andrew Want, and members of coastal communities along Yorkshire’s East Coast.

Dr Brookes said: “Through community workshops we were able to expose Solmaz to people’s challenges around coastal erosion and climate change, as well as exploring their relationships with the sea.”

I’m excited to see the exhibition and how visitors respond to Solmaz’s engagement with the North Sea.

Dr Ed Brookes

Energy and Environment Institute

The exhibition marks the first in Climate Public Response – an annual series addressing environmental and coastal challenges across the Humber and North Sea region in partnership with Humber St Gallery.

Selected through an open call in late 2024, Solmaz is a London-based interdisciplinary artist whose work spans and expands upon different disciplines including photography, video art, drawing, and multimedia installations. In Therapy in North Sea has woven together artistic innovation, academic research, and community narratives to create a witty and thought-provoking body of work. The exhibition will include a range of films and interactive installations inspired by the challenges and resilience of the Humber region’s coastal communities.

Solmaz said: “I’ve loved working with the team at Humber Street Gallery and the University of Hull on this new project. Both organisations have a reputation for highlighting the real damage that is being done to our environment in ways that are meaningful to audiences and communities and I’m excited to be the first artist participating in the Climate Public Response project.”

Climate Call Out Ed B image

Marianne Lewsley-Stier, Creative Director said: “Climate change and environmental challenges are issues that affect us all in different ways. We have a history of working with artists to explore this topic from the global to the hyper-local. Because of our unique geography in the Humber region, we see many of the impacts of these changes first hand and we’re keen to explore how we, as communities can evolve with our changing geography and climate to work with nature and mitigate further harm.”

Professor Briony McDonagh of the Energy and Environment Institute said: “We’re delighted to be working with Solmaz to explore challenges and opportunities encountered by coastal and estuarine communities at the forefront of the UK climate transition. The collaboration builds on our previous successful projects with colleagues at Absolutely Cultured, including our 2021 commission FloodLights, and forms part of our new UKRI and DEFRA-funded Coast-R Network which is coordinating and championing the Resilient Coastal Communities and Seas Programme.”

Exhibition dates: 14 February to 18 May 2025. Preview: 13 February 6-9pm.

Visit the Humber St Gallery website for more details.

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