An abstract look at Norwich Market and Norwich Cathedral feature alongside films about Venice and China in a new exhibition that has opened ahead of this year's Norfolk and Norwich Festival.

Eastern Daily Press: A video still from Cathedral by Tim Davies, which is being shown as part of the 2014 Norfolk and Norwich Festival.A video still from Cathedral by Tim Davies, which is being shown as part of the 2014 Norfolk and Norwich Festival. (Image: Tim Davies)

Within by Tim Davies is one of three visual arts projects being commissioned for the May festival and is now on show at The Gallery at Norwich University of the Arts.

Eastern Daily Press: Tim Davies, who has an exhibition called Within in the 2014 Norfolk and Norwich Festival.Tim Davies, who has an exhibition called Within in the 2014 Norfolk and Norwich Festival. (Image: submitted)

It is called Within because the whole exhibition - which combines film and other art forms - is about being within spaces and people's relationships with place, and central to the exhibition are two films specific to Norwich.

'I am interested in how we negotiate ourselves through architecture. Architecture is bricks, stone, glass, steel, from ancient to modern that create spaces through which we carry out our daily lives,' said Mr Davies, who lives in Swansea and in 1990 graduated with a fine art degree from the then Norwich School of Art.

'I was in Norwich four weeks ago and came away with two pieces, one called Cathedral and one called Market Notes.

'I recorded sounds from the market in the daytime - chatter, laughter, walking, people making cups of tea, and then the images are taken from the early evening once the market has closed. It's a fusion between shots of the empty avenues with selected audio on top. I also ran through the market with a camera capturing blurred fragments that blurred notes of colour and form.'

He said for Cathedral he captured images of the historic building on film and combined that with layers of 'secular sounds' and fragments of a choral piece.

'It's done with reverence but it is also questioning - what does this building mean today?'

Also being screened at the exhibition are two of Mr Davies' earlier films from Venice and China.

He said: 'Drift is about the notion of gliding through various canals in Venice with the camera show reflections of Venetian buildings while my hand nonchalantly plays with the water or hovers above. That simple action is about how we negotiate a place as iconic as Venice.

'Market 8 contemplates the market place in Xiamen in south east China. It's all about the relationship between the land and the kitchen table.'

William Galinsky, the Norfolk and Norwich Festival's artistic director, said: 'We always strive to bring the very best art to Norfolk and I'm pleased to welcome Within to the festival and the county.'

• Within is at The Gallery at Norwich University of the Arts until Saturday, May 24. The exhibition is open Tuesday to Saturday 12pm-5pm. Admission is free. Mr Davies will talk about his work at The Gallery on Friday, May 9 at 5.30pm.

• Norfolk and Norwich Festival is May 9 to 25. Visit www.nnfestival.org.uk