Shape Open 2018: Collective Influence

The 2018 Shape Open, this year titled “Collective Influence”, is a group exhibition of artwork created by both disabled and non-disabled artists in response to provocations such as: what influences you? How does influence go further than inspiration? What power does influence have to provoke change, and what capacity does it have to affect society?

Showcasing work across a wide range of art forms by some of the UK’s most compelling emerging artists, and supported by Patron Yinka Shonibare MBE, Collective Influence investigates the interwoven influences of art, disability and the power of a collective voice. Questioning how the “collective” has the power to evoke and influence change, this exhibition is an examination of the role art plays in activating social developments, and vice versa.

This year’s exhibiting artists are: Aidan Moesby, Alice Rose Floyd, Amy Hutchings, Anahita Harding, Arjun Harrison-Mann, Arushee Suri, Ashokkumar Mistry, Attia Rashid, Brendan O’Neill, DYSPLA, Eleanor Johnson, Elinor Clare Rowlands, Ellie Collins, Esmeralda Kosmatopoulos, Fae Kilburn, Grace Leigh Igoe, Helen Jones, Jack Haslam, Justin Levesque, Justin Piccirilli, Ker Wallwork, Mary Rouncefield, MH Sarkis, Mohammad Barrangi Fashtami, Nina Thomas, Oaklee Thiele, Rah Petherbridge, Ray Kathryn Radnell, Sally Booth, Sarah Carpenter, Signkid, Steph Harrison, and Susan Elaine Jones.

A winning artist, selected by a small panel including Shape Open Patron Yinka Shonibare MBE, will be awarded £1,000 at the Private View; a second artist will receive the People’s Choice Award of £250, as voted for by attendees of the Open throughout its duration. The People’s Choice Award is kindly supported by Crucial Colour.

Collective Influence will take place at The Art Pavilion, Mile End, London from Thursday 22 March until Thursday 5 April 2018, and will be open from 10am to 6pm every day except Mondays and Easter Sunday. 

Private View: 6.30 to 8.30pm, Thursday 22 March, open to the public: www.facebook.com/events/155248175253753

The Art Pavilion, Mile End is located within Mile End Park at Clinton Rd, London E3 4QY; nearest Underground station: Mile End.

This event is fully wheelchair accessible, including toilets, and has Audio Description provision. The Private View will also have BSL provision. Please email [email protected] or call 020 7424 7330 with any event or access queries.

Click here to support the Shape Open and help open up discourse around disability within contemporary art!

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Banner image: Justin Levesque – ‘Proxy’ [video still], 2017

The Shape Open is an annual exhibition, produced and curated by disability-led arts organisation Shape Arts, of artwork created in response to a disability-centred theme. Held in high-profile, artist-led spaces such as Open Patron Yinka Shonibare MBE's Guest Projects, Bow Arts' Nunnery Gallery, Portobello Gallery, and Shape’s own pop-up galleries, The Open provides a space where disabled and non-disabled artists can discuss views and ideas about issues and topics which are often sidelined within artistic debate.