‘For Our Pleasure?’ Exhibiton and panel discussion

‘For Our Pleasure?‘:  An Exhibition examining our relationship with AnimalsAN INVITATION TO THE PANEL DISCUSSIONSunday18th November  2:00pm – 4:00pmHackney Picturehouse, 270 Mare Street, E8 1HEExhibition runs until 28th November 2012 The Panel Discussion to accompany the Exhibition ‘For Our Pleasure?’ takes place this Sunday 18th November at Hackney Picturehouse from 2pm.Speakers  are Photographers Martin Usborne and Alex Grace,  Lighting Designer and Taxidermist Alex Randall, and  Lisa Blackman, author of  ‘Hearing Voices: Embodiment and Experience’  and ‘Mass Hysteria: Critical Psychology and Media Studies’.    Chairing the panel will be artist and writer Damian Owen-Board. Panel Discussion: 18th November, 2:00 – 4:00pmMEET IN THE PICTUREHOUSE GALLERY AT 2PM FOR A GUIDED TOUR OF THE SHOW.  PANEL DISCUSSION WILL THEN TAKE PLACE UPSTAIRS IN THE ATTIC FROM 2:20PM (ish).Alex Grace has brought together the photographers Daniel Kukla, Martin Usborne and Adrien Ehrhardt to create the thought provoking Exhibition ‘ For Our Pleasure?‘ which combining photography and taxidermy examines the weird relationship we have with animals.Discussion will touch upon the issues raised by the diverse work featured in the show and look at how each photographer spotlights different aspects of our interaction with animals.Alex Randall will also be exhibiting some of her taxidermy lights at the discussion.Guest speakers on Sunday are: ALEX RANDALL is a British lighting designer and artist. She is probably best known for her use of unconventional materials in large-scale chandeliers such as taxidermy rawhide and salvaged materials.In 2008 Randall started working in the controversial medium of taxidermy. She took the ethical stance to work only with already dead or culled animals and so has worked a lot with vermin. Works in this vein range from The Carriers to the Rat Swarm Lamp ‘The most nightmarish lamp ever produced’ and Squirrel Wall Lights. Alex has just finished working with Thames and Hudson on a taxidermy book due to be released in April 2013.Author and psychologist Dr LISA BLACKMAN works at the intersection of critical psychology and cultural theory and is particularly interested in subjectivity affect the body and embodiment.Photographer MARTIN USBORNE is interested in the ever-curious and often disturbing relationship between humans and other animals.Martin says of his “CRUFTS: Extraordinary dogs ordinary people” project:  “Crufts the world’s biggest dog show that takes place in Birmingham each year was under intense scrutiny a few years ago when a secret TV documentary argued that dog inbreeding was essentially unhealthy and cruel. As a dog-lover and a pedigree owner I thought I had better see what it was all about.” ALEX GRACE is a commercial and fine art Photographer working with animals.Alex says of her “Factory” project: “I am interested in the Factory Farming process.  I think many people choose to ignore where their food comes from and just see the shiny shelves and the nice supermarket packaging when they think of their food.  My aim is to confront the viewer and make them consider the process.”Artist and writer DAMIAN OWEN-BOARD is a lecturer in Photography at Goldsmiths University of London.  Damian also works on the picture desk of the Financial Times.BIG THANK YOU to THE HUNGER MAGAZINE for supporting and arranging the Exhibition printing.”