East International 2007

‘East International’, a publicaly funded annual exhibition conceived and curated by Lynda Morris (Norwich Gallery, Norwich School of Art and Design, and director of EAST International), is considered to be the UK’s premier open submission exhibition and is one of England’s largest displays of contemporary art. It is recognised internationally as a launch pad for emerging talent.

The 2007 show consisted of 27 artists from Europe, North America and Britain selected by artist and curator Matthew Higgs and artist Marc Chaimowicz. It was described in a review by Martin Herbert in Art Monthly as ‘easily the strongest of the last decade’. It explored themes and myths of urban history in painting, sculpture and film. ‘EAST 07’ also included four off-site projects ‘EASTwork’. The selectors’ choice reflected their experience of looking at more than 11,000 slides of artists work from more than 300 countries. The ‘EASTdiscourse,’ held between the selection and the exhibition opening, brought all the artists together so they were as fully informed as the selectors and the curator about the context and location. Many pieces of work were site-specific.

The artists selected represented different generations and included David Hepher, Rose Wylie, Luke Fowler, Tasha Amini, Jeffrey Dennis, Josh Blackwell, Alexandre Singh and Karin Ruggaber.

Reid produced a site-specific wall installation of 35 A0 inkjet prints on metallic foil paper. In his review in Art Monthly, Herbert notes the level of intensity in her work and describes the work ‘as tapping a vein of resentment’.

There is a fully illustrated catalogue and a book on all the EAST exhibitions since 1991.