Pyramid artist, Ria Lake, has been named as One To Watch in Sunny Bank Mills’ newest exhibition.
Pyramid is a Holbeck-based organisation that invests in people with a learning disability, autism, or both, through the discovery, development and disruption of the arts. Its goal is to help people discover the arts and develop their talents to become world-class artists by disrupting the social and institutional barriers that prevent them from being recognised, supported and celebrated.
The multimedia artist is exhibiting her piece, Integrated Society, which was inspired by the Morley-based converted textile mill she lives in. It combines research, photography and screen printing on a fabric banner and was influenced by Ria’s experience as an artist with a learning disability.
Ria said:
“I find the word ‘integrated’ very interesting. I like the idea of lots of different people living together and everyone being equal. For this artwork, I’m thinking about integration where I live, as well as in society as a whole.
“Textile mills have always been places of integration, where disabled people worked alongside others. This might not have been taken into account by mill owners of the past, or by the companies which renovated my building, but still integration continues.”
James Hill, Director of Pyramid, said:
“We’re incredibly proud of Ria for being selected for Sunny Bank Mills Ones to Watch. This is a fantastic achievement and a real testament to her dedication and hard work. Ria has been a member of Pyramid for over a decade and, alongside developing her own artistic practice, she generously supports the organisation through volunteering at art markets and helping with fundraising.
“Ria has long enjoyed visiting exhibitions at Sunny Bank Mills, so having her own work displayed there is especially meaningful, particularly as part of a showcase alongside other emerging artists from across Yorkshire.”
Anna Turzynski, Arts Director at Sunny Bank Mills said:
“Ria’s work stood out immediately when we started reviewing the applications for this year’s Ones To Watch exhibition. The judges and I were struck by the innovative use of colour and imagery of mills featured in the piece. The Gallery is located in the old cloth warehouse of a textile mill and couldn’t be a better curatorial backdrop for Ria’s piece. I love the scale of the work and recommend visiting the exhibition to see it in person.”
Integrated Society was originally shown in Leeds Industrial Museum as part of the ‘Any Work That Wanted Doing’ exhibition which took place for Leeds 2023, commissioned by Pyramid trustee, Gill Crawshaw. Ones To Watch 2026 showcases some of the most exciting emerging talent Yorkshire has to offer, combining work by artists across multiple disciplines. The exhibition runs from 10 January to 29 March 2026 in the Gallery at Sunny Bank Mills in Farsley.
This post is based on a press release issued by Pyramid
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