Catherine Bertola

Catherine Bertola (born 1976) is a British artist. Based in Newcastle upon Tyne, her works consist of drawings, objects and installations which often draw upon history, collections and people. Bertola studied Fine Art at Newcastle University before going on to work on multiple commissions and exhibitions both nationally and internationally.

Style and themes History Bertola follows in the tradition of British artists such as Cornelia Parker and Rachel Whiteread “who excavate the landscape and narratives of the past and present, exploring histories through objects, place and recordings.” Bertola's site specific artworks look beyond the surface of everyday objects and buildings to uncover forgotten and invisible histories of places and people. She is particularly interested in the traces left behind and often incorporates these in new ways in to her works.

Time The passing of time is central to her works, and through using mundane everyday objects, Bertola explores how time becomes inscribed and materialised through the things around us. Whether temporary or permanent, Bertola's works themselves are always transient due to the nature of the materials used, meaning that over time her works too will fade and decay.

The Role of Women A following theme found in a number of Bertola's works is the historic role of women in society, their craft production and labour. Bertola frequently uses these 'found' objects to indicate a particular era, sometimes this is achieved by using them to form a design from a certain period.

Works One of Bertola's earliest well known works is Hearth (1999), an installation found at the Locomotive Works in Newcastle-upon-Tyne. Using the dust and debris she collected from the floor and walls of the former office of 19th Century engineer George Stephenson, she traced the decorative pattern and outline of a Victorian hearth rug. In the days when Temple Newsam was home to aristocratic dynasties salt had been considered a status symbol because of its great value. Once the installation was over, some of the salt was used to develop photographic prints of the work - capturing lasting images of the fleeting installation. In 18th Century England working-class women received little if any education, and daughters of wealthy families were educated at the whims of their fathers. Needlework, dancing and music were considered proper 'studies' for women. Each of Bertola's drawings is named after one of the original members of this society. The work creates a juxtaposition between this pioneering circle of women and their working class contemporaries who produced their undergarments. The production of lace is rooted in anonymous female labour and the material itself has become characteristically feminine, domestic and sexualised through time. Bluestockings was shown at Bertola's solo exhibition Unseen by all but me alone at Workplace Gateshead from 10 October - 7 November 2009. The exhibition drew on the historic role of women and craft production.

Solo exhibitions 2005: Domestic Landscapes, International 3, Manchester 2006: The Property of Two Gentlemen, Firstsite, Colchester 2007: Prickings, Nottingham Castle Museum and Art Gallery, and Fabrica, Brighton in 2006 2008: Over the Teacups, M R Fricke, Berlin 2009: Unseen By all But Me Alone, Workplace Gallery, Gateshead 2009: Out of the Ordinary: Spectacular Craft, Millennium Gallery, Sheffield 2010: Scion, Beacon Art Project, Brighton Court, Somerset 2011: To be Forever Known, Brontë Parsonage Museum, Haworth 2012: Swept Away: Dust, Ashes and Dirt in Contemporary Art and Design, Museum of Arts and Design, New York 2013: Sad Bones, Workplace Gallery, Gateshed 2013: Flicker, Gawthorpe Hall, Lancashire 2015: Invisible Cities, Hatton Gallery, Newcastle Upon Tyne 2015: Acts of Making, The Shipley Art Gallery, Gateshead 2015: Invisible Cities, Hatton Gallery, Newcastle Upon Tyne

Collections A number of Bertola's works belong to the collections of: Leeds Art Gallery, Laing Art Gallery, Whitworth Art Gallery, Simmons & Simmons, London and various private collections in Europe, America and Canada.

Commissions Bertola has worked on a number of temporary and permanent commissions including work for: V&A (London, UK), National Museum Wales (Cardiff, UK), Government Art Collection (UK), The National Trust and National Trust for Scotland (UK), Vital Arts (London, UK), Leeds City Art Gallery Collection (Leeds, UK) and Locus+ (Newcastle upon Tyne, UK).