OBSCURE SECURE
Obscure Secure is an artist-led collaborative project focusing on work by 20th century women artists, initiated in 2013 by Claudia Böse, Hayley Field and Jacqueline Utley with a practice based research exploring the visibility of women artists in collections. A meeting with Ipswich curator Emma Roodhouse in 2013 brought an opportunity to look at the work made by women in the collection at Christchurch Mansion, Ipswich. Red Studio Enquiry was a research and development project exploring the work of Mary Potter when they were able to spend research time working in Potter’s home and studio before sharing their findings on the 'Obscure Secure' website. This was followed in 2017 by researching the artist Kathleen Walne, whose work is included in the collections of Towner Gallery, Eastbourne; Salford Museum and Art Gallery, Peel Park, Salford and The Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki, Auckland, New Zealand. An exhibition of the selected artists from the collection alongside work by the 'Obscure Secure' artists took place in the Wolsey Gallery at Christchurch Mansion (September 2014-January 2015) and their publication, 'Listening to Kathleen Walne', was launched in September 2022 with their projects being funded by Arts Council England National Lottery Project Grants. The name Obscure Secure was taken from one of The Hawstead Panels at Christchurch Mansion in Ipswich, most available writing about the panels say they were painted by Lady Drury in 1610. The panel ‘Obscure Secure’ has an image of a bear in a cave with the text beneath it and decided to use this title because the words and image resonated with working with collections, where work is often hidden but kept safe.
Website: https://www.obscuresecure.co.uk