Visual Arts

The accompanying exhibition text remarked on Coopey’s "post-abstract, post-minimal aesthetic". Ten Magazine however alluded to the romantic origins of his work; referring to the inspiration he gets from the natural world, filming and photographing flowerbeds, hedgerows and the weather, for source material.

'Hidden Sums' (2008), Coopey's own contribution to 'Urchin Eater' starts from an abstraction of a country scene and then elaborates through multi-media and movement to produce what a Guardian critic describes as "a graceful combination of video projection, fans and inflatables".

'Untitled (Contingents)' (2004) which won Coopey the BT Digital Media Award in 2004 – a year-long residency for outstanding practice in the field – starts from nature, from the hot pinks and fresh greens of a flower arrangement, but goes on to produce something completely different by breaking down photographs into the sum of their pigments.

Coopey's choice of medium is always carefully considered, but incorporates a disparate array of materials: ‘Into the Fold’ (2003) involves paper, MDF and Perspex. His 'Print Errors' series (2008 – 2009), most recently exhibited at the Hayward Gallery, tested the medium’s limits, creating A4 works from the technology errors of colour inkjet printers.

Exhibiting regularly in London and beyond, Coopey has been applauded in media as wide-ranging as Architects' Journal, Saatchi Online, Ten, The Guardian and a-n magazine.

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“Sound is everywhere” he says, “I like to harness it and to introduce it into unexpected places.” Press comment about his work constantly uses phrases like ‘crossing boundaries’, ‘investigating a wide variety of musical systems’, ‘fusing hybrid aural cultures’, and so forth.

He’s fascinated by sound whether it’s made intentionally or unintentionally and his compositions often make use of both by employing improvisation and noise elements together.

Further, as per a recent Deptford X project involving voices ‘collected’ from locals on market days, he’s interested in creating artworks and installations that set up possibilities for public and community interaction and ‘social engagement’ – he has a two year residency at Acme Studios in East London in this context.

Another project includes the use of sound and music to not only introduce primary school children to the potential of sound but also to experience it as part of the learning process.

Jan, based in Lewisham, is a graduate of the Royal College of Music, holds an M.A. in Sound Art from  LCC (University of the Arts) and the spread of his experience is well evidenced from having worked with musicians as diverse as Ornette Coleman and the BBC Concert Orchestra and various projects in territories as far afield as Gambia and Gaza, Tanzania and Thailand.

His performances have also featured in such notable movies as ‘Apocalypto’, ‘Chocolat’ and the ‘Lord of the Rings’ trilogy.

He will, like all the Showcase’s featured artists, be exhibiting at Bearspace on March 31 onwards.

So, if you hear a seductive noise you can’t quite fathom and which ‘Siren-like’ impels you to investigate...!

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