On the 6 December, hidden in the upstairs room of The Adelphi was an eclectic mix of art in an intimately provocative atmosphere of a turn of the last century Parisian boudoir- onthestair’s first offering to the Leeds art scene.
onthestair’s first art party was everything that it promised to be; an informal event that brought together a diverse range of artists from in and around Leeds. The art work was casually displayed, hanging on the walls, propped up against a disused upright piano and intermingled with Christmas decorations on the mantelpiece making the work approachable. onthestair’s key charm lay in this approachability that allowed you to look at the work without feeling the need to make serious and clever ‘arty’ remarks about the work! There were certainly a number of paintings that I thought would look great in my bedroom!
Many of the artists were around to discuss their work, or for you to just to sit down and have a drink with, as I did with Rachel Savage. Rachel was full of praise for Nick and Kel’s ingenuity in creating onthestair. ‘The comfortable atmosphere brings in people who wouldn’t normally come,’ commented Rachel, ‘and it’s nice for the artists too!’ Rachel explained to me how difficult it was for the artist, in our very commercial society, to maintain the intimacy of their art while selling their work in corporate sponsored art exhibitions. ‘I can’t stand the ‘this is art because I say it is art’ attitude that goes with most big art exhibitions,’ said Rachel.
I was particularly impressed by Jay Mawson’s photography, and amazed when he told me that he had only brought his first camera a year ago! Jay’s prodigious talent has already taken him to the Tate Britain, ‘But this is a crowd and a scene I have never been involved with,’ explained Jay. The informality of onthestair’s style of showcasing artist’s work seemed much more Jay’s style, especially at the end of a 9-5 week. Jay, like many of the other artists onthestair found, has a ‘normal’ job as well as being an artist.
The personal nature of creating works of art was poignantly reflected in the informality of the evening. onthestair’s art parties seem to have discovered the solution to the sanitised corporate art world, putting the personal, the magic and the unexpected back into art. onthestair are still Leeds’ new hidden gem; everyone who I spoke to at the event was somehow connected to one of the artists. But the positive response that I got from everyone I spoke to makes me confident that onthestair’s renown will only increase.
onthestair’s next party is provisionally planned for next April. And Nick and Kel will be rooting out another mix of interesting art work to be displayed in another secret attic somewhere in Leeds.
