Lesley Halliwell: Hypotrochoids

13 September - 19 October 2008

Hive Gallery, Elsecar Heritage Centre, Barnsley

Over the last 6 years Lesley Halliwell has become known for her large scale, industrious Spirograph drawings. Using a child's simple Spirograph kit she has greedily drawn the same motif, over and over again, usually within circular or grid-like structures. The process produces moments of chance that have to be dealt with, yet, within all the works there is a planned sense of order which is allowed to continue until the system breaks down. For example, ink runs dry, pens slip or paper tears. The drawings are a celebration of process; a process which is, like a long distance walk, not only labour intensive but also tedious, banal and uncomfortable. Ironically the toy, with its origin in play, fun and games, has been subverted into an instrument of mental and physical torment. These large scale obsessive works are feats of endurance, titled by the length of time they took to make.