Four Women in Metalwork
(L-R) Iona Ogilvy-Stuart, Lily Honey-Doyle, Rosaline Zipporah, Lucy Young
Down in the gloomy half light at the rear of the basement hangs a massive stylised bat constructed in stainless steel. Its hinged wings give the impression that it could take flight at any moment. It is a work that feels light despite its size. This could be seen as a metaphor for the artist, Lily Honey-Doyle, an under-graduate of Leeds Arts University, whose practice awaits the opportunity to unfold its wings and take flight.
At the point of writing this essay Lily, and two of her three colleagues involved in the ‘Tensile Strength’ exhibition, have their work awaiting assessment as they reach the end of their Bachelor degree’s in Fine Art. But for all involved in this project there is no sense of waiting around for things to happen. Educationally there may be an enforced pause, as the hand-in date places a comma between the three years of work leading to this point and the final stage -the degree show, but for these three young ‘women in metalwork’ it is a period of self-reflection, a narrow passage in which they try to place themselves and their achievements in the context of the real-world’.
Alongside Lily”s work hangs that of Rosaline Zipporah whose work evokes a feeling of craftsmanship craftswomanship that harkens back to a bygone era; the kind of wrought-ironwork that would have for example formed part of property boundaries back when aesthetics where considered a vital part of life. In the case of Ros’ ornamental wrought iron bracket though there is what appears at first to be a sinster twist; the addition of a set of, what appears to be, anti-pigeon spikes. Although, on the last day of the exhibition, we are completely disabused of the notion that this work is in any way sinister and it instead becomes a peaceful aid to a form of almost guided meditation.
Lucy Young, the third of the three undergraduate artists involved in this show is represented by a piece of kinetic sculpture. Lucy’s work involves self-portraiture in patinated metal constructions that periodically jump into action, often startling the unwary. During the course of the exhibition as I sit working at the kitchen table I am periodically reminded of the work downstairs by a loud clacking noise as this work comes to life and jumps around on the floor its legs swinging from side-to-side.
In the front exhibition space each artist is represented by a second piece. In the case of Lucy another self-portrait, only this time silenced and immobile by being attached to a plinth. Here a museum like aura is created for a work that elsewhere would spin between the head of a cow and the face of the artist.
Ros’ work was inspired by an earlier visit to ‘The Basement’ when looking at the plethora of garage signs in the streets of South Leeds that spin in the wind. Lily’s work once again scales up the natural world with a huge insectoid creation called ‘Embrace’. There is definitely the feeling of a creature of Interzone in this piece.
The first work that you encounter at the foot of the stairs as you enter ‘The Basement’ is that of the only post-graduate artist (2025) in the show; Iona Ogilvy-Stuart, whose work is peppered throughout ‘Tensile Strength’ like patinated bronze way-markers to the future. A series of lost wax castings that feel like anatomical drawings from medical text books rendered in metal, Iona’s work feels scientific, and in a way it is. An often unacknowledged aspect of artistic practice is its exploration of other areas of life and our understanding of it.
And it is that final point about exploration that continues to guide the existence of BasementArtsProject, fifteen years down the line since we first opened our doors and invited the public in to experience the fruits of artists labours. Experience is key to personal growth and the power of art must not be underestimated in this area.
The opening night for ‘Tensile Strength, the first exhibition of 2026, featured DJ sets and an electronic musician in the garden, and a performance art duo outside by ’Jacob’s Ladder’. This opening event felt not just like a launch for the exhibition but a significant launch into the second half of our second decade as an arts venue. On the final day of the show, as has become tradition over the last ten years we held the Lunchtime Conversation. On this occasion we removed Ros’ wrought iron bracket from the show and fixed it above the table with added candles for the meal. As the meal came to a close before we headed downstairs for a tour of the show Ros lit the candles and provided a silent contemplative ten minutes. The perfect close for a fantastic show.