6 ‘Ways of Seeing’ Exhibition at the House of Manannan

A new exhibition featuring the work of 6 contemporary local artists opens at the House of Manannan on Sunday 16 February 2025.

6 ‘Ways of Seeing’ features the work of Ellie Baker, Sally Black, Helen Faragher, Petrina Kent, Ella Magee, and Ongky Wijana and shows their own unique response to the island through a broad range of media including ink, painting and stone carving. The works are diverse, allowing visitors to feel a familiar sense of place in some works and observe alternative ‘ways of seeing’ and feeling Manx identity in others.

The exhibition is part of the Manx National Heritage You Exhibit programme, which gives artists and community groups the opportunity to propose exhibitions in Manx National Heritage’s temporary exhibition spaces.

Exhibition curator, Nicola Tooms, said:

“Our exhibition programme promotes Manx identity and community, through staging exhibitions that examine and celebrate our natural and cultural heritage. This exhibition contains six very different ‘ways of seeing’ the island. Each artist’s body of work shows their own personal reflections of the natural and cultural landscape of the island.”

6 ‘Ways of Seeing’ opens on Sunday 16 February until Sunday 27 April 2025 at the House of Manannan, where artworks will be available to purchase in the exhibition gallery. Meet the artists from 12pm until 4pm on Sunday in the exhibition gallery. Admission free, donations welcome.

ENDS

About the Artists

Petrina Kent

Petrina’s paintings are a heartfelt response to her experiences. She has a long working process, building in layers of paint until the paintings glow with light. Her use of colour has become more vibrant as the years pass, and she finds herself as much inspired by the working process as she is by her surroundings. When she paints her heart sings!

Sally Black

Sally started her art career as a textile designer and scientific illustrator in New York in the 1980’s. On returning to the Isle of Man in the 90’s, she started painting in oils. At first tentatively exploring the medium with small scale portraits, she ventured into a variety of large scale subjects, often fish, rendering them with her signature vibrant textiles and patterns.

Helen Faragher

Following her degree, Helen travelled the globe as a stylist working alongside eminent photographers and art directors for editorial and branding agencies. She returned to the island in 1995 and recently resumed her deep-rooted passion for painting. Using mainly acrylic, she captures the effects of the often-violent weather on the Manx landscape.

Ongky Wijana

Ongky was born into a stone-carving family in Silakarang, Bali and began learning carving from his father and brothers at twelve. He has spent years developing his skills, resulting in commissions and awards worldwide. After marrying into a Manx family and travelling more in Europe, he began bringing Western influences into his work, and now living on the Island has deepened his East/West style.

Ella Magee

Ella has spent time studying and working in the UK, US, Portugal, Cyprus and Southeast Asia and is known for her ethnographic and anthropological artwork. She produces work in a variety of media, inspired and in response to the environment and extensive research. Her work can be both observational and allegorical.

Ellie Baker

The eye is drawn to tiny, unexpected flashes of colour in Ellie Baker’s semi abstract landscapes. We are guided by these to stop and consider her work further, to notice what we didn’t before. Imagination retells scenes through blocks of colour, fragmented lines and repeated marks. Ellie holds a Foundation Diploma in Fine Art and has been painting for twenty years.