On the 8th November I came to visit Chester Library in St Helens. Here I had the opportunity to view a lovely little exhibition.
On display for the public, was Paul Hartfleets Artwork. Paul Hartfleet is an artist, writer and designer. His exhibition was titled The Pansy Project and consisted of a small range of dainty expressive paintings. His artwork provided the viewer with an outlook into his personal life journey and how he began by planting pansies to mark his own experience with homophobic abuse in the streets of Manchester. He finds the closest source of soil where the attack happened and plants one pansy. Some pansies will flourish and some will wilt in the urban hedgerows. Paul now plants pansies for others and has planted them globally. His most recent gesture of pansy planting was in New York. To date, Paul has planted almost 300 individual pansies at sites of homophobia.
I was thoroughly fond of this exhibition. I found it was a very moving experience, to be taken on a journey through his life story and see his emotional messages interpreted into his artwork. The exhibition had some intriguing detailed artwork. Some pieces on display showed the urban areas in which the artist had planted pansies to mark the site of where an homophobic attack had occurred. Also displayed was an image of a vibrant lilac pansy combined with a dazzling gold leaf background, the effect of lilac and gold contrasting together was brilliant. This painting caught my eye more than any of the paintings within the exhibition.
For me The Pansy Project exhibition did have some beautiful artwork and without a doubt captured my heart, however I felt it had a lack of artwork throughout its display. I feel it would have been a much better experience during the visit if I was able to have seen more of Pauls Artwork.
Subsequently to viewing the Paul Hartfleets exhibition, I was really moved with compassion through seeing his work, I really feel the message that homophobia needs to be addressed and it makes me happy to see that small actions like Pauls can make a big change by creating the much needed awareness.
From this experience I have gained insight on the effects of how homophobia can affect an individual discovered. I have learned that stories like Paul Hartfleets can help to educate todays society on these issues and help educate people how important it is that sexual idendity becomes accepted more. I discovered that arts such as paul can help create fundamendal awareness, with just such a small quiet act that can then gesture such a strong message of resilience.
Over all I really enjoyed this experience, my visit here was splendid. The artwork I was able to see was beautiful and the story behind the work is truly inspiring, I am glad I had the opportunity to be offered a different educated outlook on todays homophobia and stereotyping issues. I think many other members of the public would have a fantastic experience here too. I hope to visit more exhibitions as interesting as these here at Chester Lane, St Helens.
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