ISABEL YOUNG

Isabel Young’s work surfaces from a fascination with the underwater world and the animal kingdom since they are separate and remote to our own environment and our experience as humans.  The work exhibited in Half-Life presents a series of miniature portraits of animals mounted in antique frames. Limnings flourished in Britain for almost 400 years and played an important role in society. This intimate and intense genre, traditionally given as symbols of loyalty, love, or power, have almost always been used to attribute the sitter with some degree of status, importance, wealth power or authority. Young’s portraits likewise give her sitters status, and significantly grant them personhood. The plaques that are exhibited with the miniatures add a fictional chronicle to each individual and link each sitter to powerful and often ruthless

Education 2000 - 2002        Royal College of Art, London, Masters in Fine Art 1996 - 1999        University of Wales Institute, Cardiff, BA (hons) Fine Art (First Class Honours) 1995 - 1996        Cheltenham and Gloucester College of Higher Education        BTEC Foundation Studies in Art and Design Selected Exhibitions April 2006               Between Worlds, Sartorial Contemporary Art, London March 2006            England’s Dreaming, Bedford Row, London Feb 2006                 The Gilchrist Fisher Award, The Rebecca Hossack Gallery, London Dec 2005                ‘Maji-Yabai!!’  ‘Fuckin’ Brilliant!!’, Tokyo Wondersite, Japan Nov 2005                 ArtFutures 2005, Bloomberg Space, London. Curated by The Contemporary Art Society Nov 2005                 Acid Drops and Sugar Candy, Transition Gallery and Foster Art, London Sept 2005                The Unlimited Dream Company, The Biscuit Factory, Newcastle, Curated by Alistair Robinson Sept 2005                Shortlisted BOC Emerging Artist Award Exhibition, BOC Headquarters, Surrey July 2005                 Heaven and Earth, Hackney Empire Theatre May 2005                Into the White, Hat Factory Gallery, University of Luton March/April 2005    Pocket-Scopic, Sartorial Contemporary Art, London March/April 2005    Under The Bridge, Castleford, Sponsored by Channel 4. Curated by Stephen Denton and Blue Wilson Nov/Dec 2004         If you go Down to the Woods Today, Rockwell, London, Curated by Robin Mason Oct/Nov 2004          The Horizon of Expectation, The Empire Gallery, London, Curated by Caroline List Oct 2004                  Zoo Art Fair, London Sept/Nov 2004        John Moores 23, The Walker, National Museums Liverpool Jan 2004                  Rising Tides, Rosy Wilde Gallery, London (Solo show) Dec 2003                 Snow, Transition Gallery London, Curated by Stella Vine Sept/Oct 2003         A Tiny New Nation London, Bowieart.com Curated by Beth Mears and Sam Dargan Sept/Oct 2003         Vaguely Romantic, Rosy Wilde Gallery, London May/June 2003       Rockwell, London Nov 2002                  The Discerning Eye, The Mall Galleries, London March/July 2002      Art Projects London 2002 (ongoing)        Carry on Drawing, A travelling Show of Works on Paper, Curated by Avantika Bawa May 01/July 02        Eurostar London Oct/Nov 1999          Clean Slate Cardiff, Curated by Paul Beauchamp & Sean O’Reilly, With assistance from Wales Arts International,              The British Council, Arts Council for Wales, Centre for Visual Arts Cardiff and UWIC July 1998                  Sherman Gallery Cardiff Forthcoming Exhibitions June/July 06            Half Life, Fieldgate Gallery, London 2007                        Laing Solo, Laing Art Gallery, Newcastle (Solo Show) 2007                        England’s Dreaming, Chelsea Gallery, US Articles/Publications 2006        The Gilchrist-Fisher Award 2006, Catalogue 2005        Fresh, The Biscuit Factory, Autumn 2005, Issue 11 “The Unlimited Dream Company.” P 12 2005        Heaven And Earth, catalogue 2005         Turps-Banana John Moores 23 at the Walker Art Gallery, Liverpool. Issue 1, p48 Article by Alistair Robinson. 2005         The Guardian G2, “Pick of the Week Exhibitions”. Article by Jessica Lack. April 4 2004 2005         The Basil H Alkazzi Foundation A celebration of twenty years association between the Foundation and the Royal College of Art 2005         Fash N Riot Fluff and Anti-Fluff, Issue 3, 2005 Edited by Anne Hardy and Fiona McLean 2004         John Moores 23, Catalogue John Moores 23 at the Walker Art Gallery, Liverpool 2004         Mix Magazine, Spring 2004 Artist Run Culture, Isabel Young, Rising Tides 2003         Fash N Riot Kunst Chaos Kraft, Issue 2, 2003 Edited by Anne Hardy and Fiona McLean 2003         ArtReview, Volume LIV. July/August 2003 Friends In High Places by Jessica Lack, Photography by Rob Carter Oct 2001        RCA Painting, Interim Show Catalogue Oct 1999      Clean Slate Catalogue The European Artists Network Conference With assistance from Wales Arts International, The British Council, Arts Council for Wales, Centre for Visual Arts Cardiff and UWIC Awards and Bursaries Jan 2006        Winner: The Gilchrist Fisher Award July 2005        Shortlisted BOC Emerging Artist Award July 2002        The Gordon Luton Award for Fine Art The Worshipful Company of Painter-Stainers Sept 2001       Basel H. Alkazzi Travel Scholarship to New York

click on image for larger view

figures in history. Reference to the historical use of animals in the human world, and the sometimes
clumsy integration of them into society, is inherent in the work. They act as memorials to past times and to
forgotten individuals from non-human species.  The work in Half-Life continues Young’s long term
exploration of the nature and behaviour of animals, and the staged (or controlled) meetings between
civilisation and nature so intrinsic to contemporary life. Above all the work seeks to emphasize the
importance of animals and to promote an enriched relationship and communication between humankind
and animals.