THE first exhibition of contemporary art at Barrow's new artist-led Art Gene gallery is by the venue's artistic directors and residents artists, Maddi Nicholson and Stuart Bastik.

Nicholson is known for her large-scale works cladding castles, London tower blocks, a Norwegian passenger ferry and double-decker buses; while Bastik's public art projects include a four-metre high galvanised steel toast rack complete with burnt toast.

Titled The First, their cutting-edge exhibition at Art Gene features three light boxes hanging from the gallery's ceiling with three hand-knitted teddies lying on dishes of leftover cafeteria food, and uses humour and word play to explore issues of artistic creation, genetic traits, hereditary need, innocence and accountability.

The exhibition at Art Gene, Bath Street, Barrow, runs until April 26.