19 August - 7 October
Jo Coupe
Give and Take
The stunning scientific artwork of Jo Coupe comes to firstsite later this year.
Having already proved herself capable of creating the very best in art science Jo will bring her installation Give and Take to the leading contemporary art gallery.
Coupe is a master of Heath Robinson fascination. Her works are little miracles of interest that provoke childish enthusiasm and genuine enthralment.
Recent works have included Enough Rope: a work in which a pile of fruit is left to rot on a table.
The fruit is connected to an electric circuit. Coupe makes use of the little known phenomenon of acidic fruit creating an electric current. The fruit create a charge, this in turn powers motors strapped to the table legs. Each motor has a blade that cuts into the table leg.
As the fruit decays it powers the destruction of its support which ultimately crumbles and breaks beneath it.
The work appeared on the front cover of AN magazine when it was exhibited at Baltic last year as part of the group show You Shall Know Our Velocity.
The work at firstsite is entitled Give and Take and follows Coupe’s interest in all things scientific, fascinating and beautiful.
This new presentation of Give and Take sees roses placed in several tanks of metallic – copper - solution. A current passing through the tank means the flowers are slowly electroplated.
This principle – electroplating – is common in the creation of everything from cutlery to coinage. In Give and Take copper pipes are placed in the solution with a positive charge – the roses are placed in with a negative charge. The copper solution begins to settle on the roses which are slowly, and beautifully entombed in a growing accumulation of copper.
Coupe, 31, graduated from the University of Newcastle and obtained her MA last year from Goldsmiths College London. Earlier this year she had a solo exhibition at the Station Gallery Bristol. She has joined group exhibitions throughout the UK.
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