Polly Morgan | Katy Kirbach | Michael Armitage | Ben Ashton

Morgan’s taxidermy sculptures are transformative; taking animals out of their natural setting and placing them in a foreign context — a magpie on a telephone or a bird in a bell jar — she asked us to think differently about death; to recognize the exquisitiness of the corpse.

Ben Ashton’s precisely crafted paintings challenge us to scratch beyond the surface to explore the layers of a narcissistic performance, with the artist as the central focus: both artist and subject. ‘For me, Ascension is about the transformation of one thing to another, and that really relates to what I do,’ said Ashton. ‘I’m trying to bring something out that people haven’t seen before.’

Katy Kirbach’s paintings are constructed of rigidly formed patterns; each geometric shape breaking down into clumps of paint and thick, three-dimensional brush-strokes. ‘My art is a dialogue between vision and touch,’ she said. ‘I’m really curious to see the dialogue between my work and the space of St Barnabas House. It’s an exciting space in which to install the work.’

Michael Armitage’s paintings challenge the viewer to look more profoundly at what they were seeing through his use of traditional African tribal symbols, myths and legends in a westernized, contemporary context. ‘Immediately, assumptions are made about “African” art’ said Armitage, who encouraged us instead to engage with its sophistication and potency. ‘It’s about overcoming prejudice. There is tension between the two cultures, but there is also cohesion.’