In 2005, Delaine Le Bas was introduced to photographer Tara Darby at Room, her first solo exhibition at Transition. Over the years the two have developed a strong creative, working partnership, which is celebrated here for this seminal collaborative exhibition. Displaying a series of performative images, the show Portrait, encompasses elements of Kabuki, Lindsey Kemp and punk. You’ll find a psychological exploration of the physical exploitation of the artist as object. Full of music, photography, installation and costuming, the gallery becomes an immersive theatre representing the many facets of the artist’s personality.

‘I used to be called Kate Bush and witch at school,’ writes Delaine. ‘Lately I have been thinking about Poly Sterene, X-Ray Spex, listening to John Peel, going to jumble sales, being a member of CND, and Dikiomengro Tan at Chapter where I first did the Kabuki make-up after being taught by a friend from West Sussex College of Design who was part of the Kemp Company. But going to Poland recently was huge in my re-discovering of why I had gone to art school in the first place – my access to this world that I wanted to be part of.’

Tonight, there is a private viewing at 6pm and on Thursday the 10th July at 6pm, Delaine Le Bas and Tara Darby will be in conversation with Alex Michon, talking about their collaborative project; their influences, working practices and on the importance of costuming in the work of Delaine Le Bas.

transitiongallery.co.uk