Following an open call for our Winter Residencies programme we’re excited to introduce the three recipient artists. Responding to the theme of ‘Making the World Differently’, their ideas span living costumes made from local plants, an online zine exploring the link between attention and effective climate action and an interactive poetry machine that tells possible futures.

“The ultimate, hidden truth of the world is that it is something that we make, and could just as easily make differently.” David Graeber, 2015

Watershed’s annual Winter Residencies programme is an opportunity for artists to develop incredible ideas at the Pervasive Media Studio, Watershed’s creative technologies research space. In response to our theme, ‘Making the World Differently’ this years’ artists will explore community ownership, the attention economy, and how we might think differently about ourselves in this world.

Say hello to the Residency Artists:

A photo of Bacterial Soundscape Vinyl Record on a record player

Photo credit: Kexin Liu

First up is Kexin Liu, a multidisciplinary artist and researcher who has a keen interest in exploring the different aspects of “human relations”. During this residency, Kexin will examine our misplaced attention when faced with climate change issues through an interactive web-based zine. She will explore how the wealth of information we receive every day, affects our attention and undermines our ability to tackle climate change.

Kexin says:

"The initial idea stemmed from my frustration with our current model of disruptive/ineffective climate change activism. This, coupled with my experience of creating generative artwork on social relations and technology, led me to realize that the attention economy undermines our ability to act strategically when dealing with complex global issues. During this residency, I hope to develop an interactive web-based zine that examines our current information environment and reimagines more productive ways to engage people in social movements.”

 

A photo of a hydroponic costume made of grass standing in a park.

Our second recipient is Ashley Peevor a multidisciplinary artist who uses mysticism, absurdity, living costumes (suits grown from local plants) and hydroponics (the art of growing plants in a chemical solution), to reimagine our relationship with nature. Ashley will develop a portable Living Costume Kit and invite communities worldwide to create locally grown suits and performances. Collectively, the work will share local-global perspectives on our rapidly changing world.

Ashley says:

“I am so grateful for the opportunity to push the development of my Living Costume kits forward and get them to the stage where they can be shipped internationally. Introducing the opportunity to creative communities across the globe to grow their own costumes from indigenous plants and create their own performances using their own performers and ideas that matter to them is exciting. I am interested in disrupting dominant systems of sharing art that parachutes work into communities or uses a community as a workforce to complete an already existing idea. I hope this project will allow participants to literally grow the idea from the bottom up."

 

A photo of Deanna Rodger wearing a yellow coat standing against a white background

Photo credit: Jade Anouka

Our third recipient is Deanna Rodger, an established poet with a keen interest in creative technology. Deanna intends to smash these pursuits together, to create a Poetic Fortune Telling Machine that challenges those who happen upon it to think differently about themselves in this world.

Deanna says:

"This is an opportunity for me to actualise an idea with a studio which welcomes failure and surprise and to reposition myself as an artist whose works stems from poetry becoming tangible objects for people to interact and reflect with.

I’m looking forward to taking the first steps towards developing a Poetic Fortune Telling machine - a physical object which interrupts the commutes of the public and welcomes them to see themselves and the power they hold in their hands.”

Victoria Tillotson, Watershed’s Talent Development Lead, says:

“At Watershed we believe that art gives space to imagine that something different to what we know now could be possible. Kexin, Ashley and Deanna’s playful Winter Residency projects will examine timely themes of social movements, community action and individual deeds. Using hope and critique to envision alternate paths that could be paved. We cannot wait to welcome them to the Pervasive Media Studio and share the fantastic work that will unfold.”

The three residencies will run between February to March 2023. The artists will receive financial, critical and technical support from Watershed and will share their progress via blogs and conversations on the Pervasive Media Studio website. We’re also planning to host a free public showcase event towards the end of March. More details coming soon!

Inspired by the work of Jerwood Arts, this year we tested the use of random selection in our Winter Residency open call process. Read more about why and how we did this here.

Watershed’s Winter Residencies Programme is made possible with the support of Arts Council England.