Elpida Hadzi-Vasileva and Lorna Johnson each approach the material world through opposing yet complementary lenses: one rooted in the organic, the other in the synthetic. In this two-person show, they turn their attention to the symbolism, texture, and seduction of gold.

Elpida is internationally renowned for her sculptural installations using organic matter, including animal membranes and biodegradable materials, which bring a sensitivity to transformation, ritual, and decay. In recent years, her delicate use of gold leaf has added a layer of reverence and contradiction — the precious applied to the perishable. Her work often engages with questions of sanctuary, displacement, and endurance, shimmering with both vulnerability and resilience.

Lorna’s practice explores the artificial through materials that mimic the natural. She probes the tension between authenticity and illusion, creating works that are both dazzling and at times unsettling. Her use of gold — often synthetic, shimmering, and knowingly decorative — raises questions about surface, value, and the line between beauty and artifice. Through precise construction and bold visual language, she explores how materials can seduce, deceive, and reveal.

Together, the artists examine what it means to glorify, to preserve, and to fake, questioning whether gold is a symbol of permanence or pretence.

This exhibition is presented by The Art Court in collaboration with Eye Room, Leeds and supported with funds from Leeds City Council. 

An online catalogue will be available via: www.theartcourt.co.uk/exhibitions