Penelope Payne
Penelope Payne’s artistic practice is rooted in the exploration of social history. She explores female narratives, particularly the often overlooked and unrecorded stories of the working class and ‘women’s work’. From her studio in Cullercoats, North Tyneside, she creates sculptural pieces, site-specific installations, and performative moments. Works are often situated within non-gallery settings using the history of place to layer the work with significance. She has been the curator of the North East Open Call since 2023.
Payne’s Horizons Performance (2022) explored the female condition through the lens of place with a historical representation of the fish wife community. Filmed on Cullercoats Beach, the work features over 60 volunteers who, at sunrise, obscure the horizon with hand-sewn banners. The performance became a significant moment in the history of Cullercoats. It was covered by the BBC and went on to be featured on Bloomberg Connects and as part of the National Gallery lecture programme. The banners were integrated into Sonia’s Boyce’s work In The Castle of My Skin, MIMA and at The Factory, Iceland.