Pete Ellis

Studio B2

Pete Ellis works with everyday stuff, exploring ironic and formal relationships between the functions of objects and images, their histories and metaphoric shadows. His practice includes object based sculpture, kinetics, installation, casting, text, drawing, photography and film.

Recently Pete has been using still and moving images. He transforms mundane ‘found’ things using photographic methods. Many of his ‘films’ place images into a filmic timeline and then use transitions to create movement, which creates and becomes the narrative content. He plays with the latent absurdity of the very slightest of things, such as plastic insect toys, cheap religious iconography, and the qualities of miscellaneous sweets/toffees. Ambiguously nebulous forms emerge in dreamlike spaces, amplified by considered, scaled projection.

The resulting filmic structures are created as responses to ideas related to the Duchampian notion of the “Infrathin” that explores separative difference in objects and images. The “Infrathin" is not stationary or standardised. It reflects, transforms and is at play. It is always in motion and demonstrates qualities of change, which includes considerations of chance, serendipity, and happenstance. It also leaves openings for poetic and humourous spaces to be explored.

Recent exhibitions and projects include: Entraptions, & Model Gallery, Leeds (2017); Summer Group Show, Left Bank Gallery, Leeds. Podcast with Harry Meadley, Tetley, Leeds (2018); Light Night, Nottingham (2019); Light Night, Nottingham (2020); Small is Beautiful, Summer Edition, Flowers Gallery, London (2020). Extended Studio Project, Paragon Studios, Belfast and Primary, Nottingham (2019). Pete is a key member of Film Free and Easy, Nottingham, and has participated in sixteen events (2016 - 2020).