Universals has at its centre the act of collecting. All of the artists included in the exhibition spend time gathering ideas, objects and images and present them in a variety of ways.

The term Universals, comes from the philosophical debate sometimes known as ‘The problem of Universals’. This metaphysical debate, that separated the Nominalists, and the Realists, regarded the existence of abstract characteristics or properties for categorising the world around us. Universals are terms for grouping and are present in many of the artists’ work. Stalls, Uprights, Sculptures, all of these titles regard the collection of images within, and are thus Universals.

Within the institutions of collecting (museums, archives, libraries etc), the photograph has become a key aspect of the recording process. The quality of the printed image, and now the digital image, is considered second to none in its ability to capture the objects, moments and people around us.

The images presented in Universals see the artists pushing the boundaries of how the photograph can be used when regarding collections. By not only collecting, but also collating their work, they each make a specific statement. Their work is a careful organisation of the various parts, and therefore goes further than the title Universals gives credit. These are not collections for the sake of collecting, but rather delicate expressions as part of the artists’ practice.

Universals includes work from the following:

Nigel Shafran
Owen Richards
Ruth Van Beek
Peter Doubleday
Claire Barrett
Lizzie Ridout
Thomas Albdorf
Oliver Griffin