PRESS RELEASE

Other Worlds - the final exhibition

Works by four artists and four servicemen exploring the world of the soldier

Rfn. Adam Davies Fran Donovan WO2 John Galletly

SAC Joe Heard

Richard Hoare C/Sgt. Barry John MBE* Prudence Maltby Jeff Walker

* Winner of the Armed Forces Art Society’s 2011 Templer Award

Salisbury Library & Galleries

Market Place

Salisbury SP1 1BL

Saturday 1 October to Saturday 26 November 2011

Open Monday 10-7, Tuesday, Wednesday & Friday 9-7,

Thursday & Saturday 9-5

SAC Joe Heard – Detail from ‘Block’

Other Worlds is an inspirational community arts project supported by the Heritage Lottery

Fund. The concept was originated with the intention of giving the general public an insight

into the little understood world of the men and women of our Armed Forces.

This unique show, marking the culmination of the project, is the result of a two-phase

programme designed for four volunteer servicemen. After six months of sessions in which

they explored and developed their foundation art skills, the servicemen were carefully

matched up on a one-to-one basis with four practising artists for mentoring sessions. These

are aimed at taking the particular artistic interests of each individual forward, and exploring

the artists’ and servicemen’s different experiences of conflict – both in its military sense and

in its wider meaning.

This exhibition throws light on the experience of the serving soldier in modern British

society and on the interface between military and civilian worlds by offering art created by

the servicemen in collaboration with their mentors, alongside the practising artists’ own

responses to the project. It tells the story, not so much of the direct experience of conflict

itself, as of the hidden facets of our servicemen’s physical and emotional lives, whether on

tour of duty or in civilian life. The result is one expressive, resounding voice concerned with

the many faces of conflict.

Showing will be up to 40 pieces of work exploring various mediums including oil on canvas,

drawing and sculpture.

The exhibition will tour in 2012.

The Other Worlds Project

Other Worlds started in July 2010. It has comprised a series of unique exhibitions by

practising artists exploring the theme of conflict; arts skills workshops and professional

mentoring for active service personnel; and a major schools project. With the war

continuing in Afghanistan, and many soldiers deployed on the frontline, this project has

served both to provide servicemen and women and their families with the opportunity to

use the visual arts to tell their story, leaving a permanent legacy for others to see; and to

provide the general public with a window on the world of our service personnel and a

greater understanding of their experiences.

Please visit the ‘Other Worlds’ blog for more information:

http://otherworldsproject.wordpress.com/

The ‘Other Worlds’ project is supported and led by:

The John Creasey Museum

Registered Charity 309535

For more information or images, or to arrange an interview with the artists and servicemen, please

contact Pru Maltby on 01722 341235, or by e mail: prudencemaltby@hotmail.co.uk.