The works on display have an aura of dislocation and unease. Not There At All 2, 2005. © Conroy/Sanderson

Karen Phair headed west to have her perceptions firmly challenged...

The PM gallery in Ealing is the venue for a provocative display of contemporary art. The Here We Are exhibition runs until June 19 2005, and aims to examine our very perceptions of the world around us.

The work on display is by acclaimed artists Lesley Conroy and Neil Sanderson, who use a variety of media resources to cleverly, and at times disturbingly, play with convention, illustrating how environment and identity are often at odds with each other.

The images on show aim to evoke feelings of homeliness, while mingling in an aura of dislocation and unease, thus making us examine many of our own prejudices and insecurities. Placing it within the grandeur of Pitzhanger Manor House really adds to the issues addressed.

At Arm's Length, 2004. © Conroy/Sanderson

Arts Project curator Reema Rathod explained the concept behind the images: “Reaction to the work has been very positive, and people have been very complimentary, it’s been great to see people appreciating the themes, and really connecting with the work.”

The most intriguing thing with a lot of the images is that the identity of those in the pictures has been hidden, or tampered with, disturbing the balance of power between the viewer and the viewed. When you don’t see a face, do you immediately think negatively of the subject? However this is challenged in other pictures.

A prime example of this is in the piece of work Modified where the faces are clearly visible, but the eyes are covered with sticking plasters. With eyes drawn on them they hint at the idea that we can see and be judgmental, but these subjects cannot really see us, and therefore will take us on the strength of our character alone. There are many pieces of work on display that are equally as powerful.

The gallery's main installation, Visitors, evokes a feeling of vulnerability. Photo courtesy PM Gallery

The main display, Visitors, draws a parallel with the 2005 Museum and Galleries Month’s very own theme - collection. Images of visitors to the gallery have been organized into a composite display of faces, miniaturized onto tiny matchstick easels and placed randomly on a laser-etched plan of the house.

It is a major focal point, placed directly in the centre of the gallery and benefiting from the building’s natural light with its ornate glass roof, and also draws the visitor in, evoking a feeling of vulnerability, with an almost childlike innocence.

The focus is also on the eyes, the dozens of pairs of eyes that have all come to look at the work here, captured as part of the display to a hypnotic perfection. This is an ongoing project, with more images to be added.

Have Always Touched the Ground Before, 2005. © Conroy/Sanderson

Reema explained: “It’s great the way it has aligned with the theme of the Museums and Galleries Month. This is not merely a collection of objects, it is a collection of people.”

The exhibition continues into the house, where you are confronted with images of the artists in pyjamas, in seemingly unexpected scenarios. This again adds to the feeling of displacement, but then forces you to examine your reasons - after all the subjects are clothed, not naked, so why the problem?

One of my personal favourites is Absentee, displayed above a sumptuous old bed and showing an unidentified homeless man, sleeping rough. It is an image that contrasts sharply with the cosiness of the room, and indeed the emptiness of the house - a man without a bed, and a bed that will never be slept in.

Absentee, 2004. © Conroy/Sanderson

“Many visitors feel very moved by that image, and it makes people think not everything is as homely as it appears,” said Reema.

She also added that the timing of the exhibition was very topical: “With more people questioning accepted values and boundaries, and thinking about their own identity, and the world around them, its great to see an exhibition that to a certain extent makes us think about issues that we may otherwise not want to acknowledge.”

I’m no expert when it comes to contemporary art, but this exhibition truly made me think, and it was great to see some of the themes brought so boldly to life. The PM gallery shows us how the new and the old can come together to stunning effect.

Karen Phair is participating in the 24 Hour Museum/ MGM Arts Writing Prize 2005.