Exhibitions

Old Big School & The Tunnel Gallery

Two major exhibitions take place at Old Big School Gallery during the year;  mid January and mid September. Between these times there are wall based exhibitions that take into account the space’s additional use for student exams.

The Tunnel Gallery holds up to 10 exhibitions per year and, during the first two school terms, is home to the Tunnel Gallery Artist in Residence. 

Exhibitions explore particular themes or provide a showcase for individual artists. They often include objects that are not traditionally thought of as ‘art’ and may thereby entice their audience to re-examine their preconceptions about what art can be. OBS Gallery provides a space for enquiry and reflection.

About the exhibition

Chinwe Russell, a Nigerian-British artist is deeply fascinated by people, cultures, history, and the stories that connect us. Chinwe’s paintings in Lives, Lands and Legacies are a vibrant investigation of humanity’s past and its enduring impact on our present. Her work draws inspiration from the rich tapestry of global history, cultures, and traditions.   

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Private View

A private viewing from 6.30-8pm, with artist Chinwe Russell bringing paintings to life with a short performance. 

Family 'Drop-In' Workshops

 'Drop in' 12-4pm, Sunday 9 February, with gallery educator, sculptor Caroline Bugby. 

Art Talk

An Art Talk with Chinwe Russell from 7-8pm, Thursday 13 February with the gallery open to view from 6.30pm.

Chinwe Russell is deeply fascinated by people, cultures, history, and the stories that connect us.  This body was of work loosely inspired by her reading of Ken Follett’s Fall of Giants – a captivating novel of ambition, love and revolution set against the backdrop of a world undergoing profound change.  The novel sparked a new curiosity in her, awakening an interest in history, myth, and folklore.  It led Chinwe on a journey to explore how the events of the past have shaped our present lives, influencing the way we see the world and live within it today. Secure your free ticket via the EM Forster Theatre website.

Artist Public Performance 

Chinwe Russell will be in on Sunday 09 March at 4-5pm, the final day of the exhibition. Secure your free tickets in advance: www.emftheatre.com. This performative lecture brings the paintings to life through a series of readings.

School Weekday Visits 

Free guided tours with Gallery Educator, Caroline Bugby or self-guided with gallery trails can be booked via the Gallery Administrator, claire.hartwhite@tonbridge-school.org

About the exhibition

A touring exhibition from Llantarnam Grange, Cwmbran's centre for contemporary Art and Craft.

Fibre Artist in Sound and Weave, Alastair Duncan brings Interactive Tapestry Weaving exhibition to Old Big School Gallery in the new year.

Working across fibre, photography and sound, Alastair Duncan brings craft and technology together in an exhibition of interactive tapestries that respond to proximity and touch. Through weaving soundscapes into his pieces, Alastair shows his enjoyment of their shared traits; texture and rhythm.

About the exhibition

A Hayward Gallery Touring Exhibition from the Southbank Centre, London is coming to the OBS Gallery in September. 

Karl Blossfeldt: Art Forms in Nature is an exhibition of close-up images of plants and flora by German photographer Karl Blossfeldt.  An original portfolio of 40 photogravures from 1932, entitled 'Wundergarten der Natur', it is an exemplary example of his botanical photography.  Blossfeldt developed homemade cameras and lenses which enabled him to magnify his subjects by up to 30 times, capturing the 'microcosmic aesthetic' of his specimens and revealing the underlying structures of nature.