Sleep (Path) (2005)

Catherine Yass is an important British artist known for her use of experimental photographic and film techniques. Her use of analogue photography using negative images and overlaid transparencies creates a distinctive solarising effect: ‘Space and time are distorted to disorientating effect, pulling you in and out of the image and suggesting different psychological, spatial and temporal dimensions. The image is de-familiarised, asking us to re-position ourselves and re-think how we are in the world.’

In common with much of her work, Sleep (path) has a disturbing psychological quality. As early as 2002 Yass began exploring the crossover between sleep and wakefulness, trying to capture a sense of how the unconscious mind shapes our perception of everyday reality. Paths, stairs and corridors are recurrent motifs in her work and images of pathways through trees have re-emerged in her most recent work.

The Atkinson prioritises the acquisition of work by leading contemporary female artists. Recent additions to the permanent collection include digital work by Tracey Emin, mixed media pieces by Cornelia Parker and Laura Ford and a suite of etchings by Rachel Whiteread. Catherine Yass’s Sleep (path) will be seen in the context of other photographic works in the collection, including works by Yevgenia Arbugaeva from the ‘Tiksi’ series, and experimental photography by Paul Kenny as well as Boyd & Evans.

The Atkinson has programmed an exhibition exploring the imagery of trees for 2022. Sleep (path) will be exhibited alongside major historical works from our permanent collection such as Paul Nash’s Vimy Ridge, John Piper’s Ruin, Dentdale and The Vineyard by Vanessa Bell.

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