As the title suggests, ‘Nothing to Read Here’ played with concepts of viewing and reading, fundamental to Yvette Hawkins’ work. Whilst her beautiful book sculptures cannot be read, they were presented as objects to be viewed, interacted with and experienced.

The exhibition took place in the empty Adams store in the middle of Keel Row shopping centre in the Northumbrian coastal port of Blyth.  Building upon the ‘CRUNCH!’ Show at Monument Mall, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, the project was the next stage of Globe’s ongoing series of creating temporary contemporary art venues in empty shops and derelict spaces around the region.

Reopening a retail premise as a temporary art installation space redefines the rules, creating a different type of ‘public’ space focusing on engagement and interaction rather than consumption. At Globe, we have always believed that truly accessible and engaging contemporary art can be taken out of the gallery and displaced into any location, whilst still retaining its meaning.

‘Nothing to Read Here’ was accompanied by a series of open workshops for local residents who got the chance to work with Yvette and devise their own book sculpture.