C O L L E C T O R S'
P R E - S A L E

Smithson Projects presents When Other Worlds Whisper, a solo show from the British artist and printmaker Rosie Emerson. This exhibition is the manifestation of a period of research in which Emerson has carved out the time and space to experiment with new techniques, and follow new pathways guided by historical and ecological curiosity.

When Other Worlds Whisper offers the viewer glimpses into unseen worlds at many scales. Inspired by the opulent grottos of extravagant aristocrats, the flamboyant embodiment of microscopic life, the mysterious communication patterns of coral, and the secret drawers of ornate Victorian cabinets, Emerson uses her theatrical sensibility to create windows into hidden worlds.

Encompassing a whole range of traditional printmaking techniques, from monoprint, and photoetching, to cyanotype and screenprint, Emerson’s works are multi-layered and melded with organic materials and hand-finished flourishes. Embracing an unapologetically feminine aesthetic, her works shimmer and dance, adorned with flowers and embellished like a palace ballroom. In some works, ethereal figures take centre stage, and in others they. drift off into the distance or disappear completely. It is as if Emerson has breathed life into her works, which in their organic beauty, become living ecosystems in their own right.

When Other Worlds Whisper is curated by Smithson Projects, and hosted at 17 Midland Road in Bristol, where the artist will be in residence during the exhibition. Working in the studio upstairs, visitors are invited to peer behind the scenes of Emerson’s practice, glimpsing into the hidden world of the artist herself.

The exhibition opens on Thursday 19th September, and will be open for one week until Thursday 26th September 2024.