EVERYTHING IS RUBBISH AND NOTHING EVER HAPPENS - PHOTOGRAPHY & VIDEO BY ROB THOMPSON Extra date Sat 15th July Location: 237-238 Berwick Avenue, Slough. Open 10am to 4pm. Free entry.
	Gallery 435's first exhibition showcases the work of contemporary local photographer Rob Thompson. In his collection "Everything is rubbish and nothing ever happens" Thompson has focused on items which have been abandoned by the owner in desolate and inappropriate surroundings. Thompson explores ecological issues in this work as we draw a contrast between the manmade objects and the natural surroundings they have been abandoned to. More significantly, however, Thompson explores themes of abandonment in the face of diminishing value. Using a shallow depth of field to concentrate our attention on the subject of each piece the artist reinforces the notion of their isolation. The colour blend of foreground and background, created as a consequence, emphasises the murky, dirty colours of the brown field sites on which many of these items have been left and the dirty, murky act of their abandonment.
Thompson's intimate camera angles seem somewhat incongruous for the subject matter. By approaching the objects from a low angle we are confronted with items which normally only exist in our peripheral vision. Not only does this force us to pay attention to items which once discarded are normally ignored by society, he also gives them an energy and vitality by bringing us face to face with them. Many of the items have been photographed in the late afternoon sun. The resultant warm glow surrounding the objects suggests the artist's empathy for the pieces and his invitation for us to feel the same way. A parallel may be drawn between the end of the day and the end of these objects' lives, and we are left with a sense of sadness. Perhaps we may go further and draw comparisons to our own life and our sense of mortality. Rob has exhibited previously in London galleries including the Old Truman Brewery on a number of occasions. This is his first solo exhibition. Supported by:

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