Artists from the Tees Valley region are addressing themes of tension, disability, and activism through innovative exhibitions presented as part of Turner on Tees, a cultural initiative designed to boost arts and creativity in the area.

Performers Gillian and Adam have created works that confront physical limits and social issues through challenging, physical engagements. In one piece titled Present Tense, Gillian set up 500 mousetraps barefoot, an act that physically backed her into a corner and tested endurance. To prepare, both artists deliberately snapped mousetraps on their fingers to acclimate to the pain. Another performance, Au, involved Gillian reciting the Human Rights Act 1998 over four hours while holding a small gold nugget in her mouth, a difficult and painful task that underscored their critique of efforts to amend the legislation.

Both artists live with physical conditions that influence, but do not define, their art. Adam is hard of hearing, and Gillian has a degenerative bone condition called osteonecrosis. Despite physical challenges during performances such as Balance, which she undertook with fractured feet, Gillian rejects framing their work through a lens of disability or suffering. “You could replace me in this task and your attempt would be as valid as mine,” she said, emphasizing the universality of their artistic exploration. Adam noted that external factors could temporarily disable him, such as obstructed TV subtitles, but warned that focusing solely on disability risks limiting artists’ creative freedom.

In addition to the performance artists, local photographer Kev Howard is featured in a solo exhibition, From the Transitory, running at Redcar Palace until December 24. As a longtime resident of the area and photographic technician at Teesside University, Howard’s work covers a broad spectrum from early 1980s punk and goth culture portraits to more recent thematic explorations combining personal and social themes. His 2014 d-FORMED series documented his experiences with Arthrogryposis Multiplex Congenita, a joint condition he has had since childhood, and included powerful images reflective of disability.

Howard’s new series, Encased, depicts various foodstuffs frozen in ice, creating abstract and impressionistic images while highlighting ongoing challenges with food poverty and supply chain disruptions post-Brexit. Delays linked to border checks and labor shortages due to visa restrictions have left crops in fields longer than before, reducing their shelf life. The series was inspired by Howard’s experimentation with freezing flowers and eventually evolved to feature grapes, pears, and cucumbers.

Turner on Tees is supported by Arts Council England, Middlesbrough Institute of Modern Art (MIMA), and Teesside University. It forms part of The Next Wave: Creativity Rising strategy, aimed at fostering cultural growth and ambition throughout the Tees Valley. The launch coincides with Middlesbrough Art Week, which features exhibitions and performances across multiple local venues, highlighting the region's dynamic arts community.