Four artists from our incredible Pervasive Media Studio community share works in progress exploring the future of technologies in our lives. Make faces with emotion-sensing software, build new worlds, meet future folk heroes - imagine what digital futures could look like.
What kind of futures do we want to live in and who will get to shape them?
Four artists invite you to explore the near future through playful interactive works in progress exploring the future of technologies in society, from residents of Pervasive Media Studio. From holograms and imagined worlds to emotion-sensing software and imagined folk heroes, this exhibition questions how technologies shape our lives.
Join us at the Launch Event on Thu 11 June 18:00-20:00 where you can hear from some of the artists and curatorial team, as they share the ideas, processes, and experiments behind the work. At Futures Now: A festival of futures in the making on Sat 20 Jun 11:00-19:00 you will also have the chance to engage with more related artworks, creative activities and discussions.
Rooted in social justice and collective imagination, these works centre marginalised experiences, bringing perspectives often left out into focus. They show us what more just digital futures could look like, inviting you to question, take part, re-imagine and play.
Developed during a residency alongside researchers at the University of Bristol’s ESRC Centre for Sociodigital Futures, the four artists are all exploring alternative socially just, digital futures.
An installation of posters, t-shirts and stickers introducing activist characters from 5 minutes into the future.
Alistair Gentry’s practice encompassed writing, live art, performance lectures, artistic interventions, digital installations, online and real-world participatory experiences and live role-playing games. He liked folklore, magic, silly costumes, museums, absurdity, the uncanny valley, doing things that help people think, and making machines and systems do things their creators wouldn’t approve of. He also worked as a researcher, producer and educator with a particular focus on environmental and social justice, and disabled people in the arts. Owing to Alistair’s untimely death of natural causes in March 2026, his project for Nowism has been completed following his detailed proposal by Sam Le Mort in collaboration with the other participating artists and in consultation with his loved ones.
A physical world-building model brought to life with audio stories from three muses from somewhere outside of time, exploring our need for meaning.
Annette Mees is an award-winning artist, director and dramaturg whose work spans theatre, immersive media, research and cultural strategy. She creates experiences that bring together storytelling, technology and participation. Annette started her career as co-artistic director of Coney and has worked for and with The Public Theatre, Royal Opera House, Google Creative Lab, The European Cultural Foundation and the Southbank Centre.
This interactive work asks us to consider what it means when technology tells us things about ourselves. Rearrange abstract shapes to make faces that tease emotion detection software.
Rachel Smith is an artist, creative technologist, and software engineer based in Bristol. She is known for performative installations featuring playful, often silly machines. Rachel has exhibited internationally at Science Gallery Melbourne, Ars Electronica Linz and Kunstverein Tiergarten Berlin and has an MFA in Media Art from Bauhaus Uni Weimar.
A visually rich transmedial (telling a story across multiple platforms and formats) world of Bristol in 2030, experienced through bespoke trading cards, holography and a fictional game manual.
Vincent Baidoo is a creative technologist from Bristol whose community-focused transmedia practice spans film, music, comics, anime and games. He combines practical engineering with inclusive storytelling to build holographic installations, hand-tracked demos and interactive learning experiences. Vincent’s work interrogates AI ethics and algorithmic bias through a Global Majority lens. An authorised Nintendo developer, Vincent spends his free time indulging in Nintendo Switch based creeping features.
This event features work in progress by residents of Pervasive Media Studio, Watershed’s creative technology making space. In this ongoing series of unfinished work, you're invited into the creative process. Join artists as they experiment with sharing something which is new to them as well as to you. Your feedback can make a real difference - expect early ideas and interesting surprises.
This exhibition is supported by MyWorld, a creative technology programme funded by UK Research and Innovation’s (UKRI) strength in Places Fund (SIPF).
The support of the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) is gratefully acknowledged. Grant reference ES/W002639/1
When you arrive at Nowism, a Gallery Assistant will welcome you into the gallery and give you an introduction to these work in progress artworks. Then you’re invited to experience the exhibition.
Meet the Folk Heroes of the Pre-Apocalypse through near-future Sci-Fi posters.
Step into Solar Punk Bristol, flop into a comfy chair and into a visually striking vision of the city in 2030, through bespoke trading cards, holograms and imagery.
In We Live in a World made of Gifts you listen through headphones to the muses’ stories of building and rebuilding a theatre for connection, ritual, care, and collective imagination.
Head to Over Head Pareidolia, where you can work alone or in groups to build faces out of abstract shapes under an overhead projector. Wait and see which emotions the connected computer thinks it perceives.
You can move through the space at your own pace, spending time where you like. It’s recommended to allow at least 30 minutes.
We would love to hear your feedback and are very curious about your experience of these unfinished artworks. There will be opportunities to talk to the Gallery Assistants about the work, write down your thoughts or give feedback in a way that suits you.
There are seats and benches available in the gallery, as well as spaces where you can lie down. Gallery Assistants are happy to help if you need extra seating.
When you arrive, you enter our welcome area, a Gallery Assistant will greet you, explain what to expect, and answer any questions.
At the end, we invite you to share your feedback and tell us how the exhibition felt for you.
Your ticket gives you access to the timed session you have booked for. It will show you the start and end time of your session. You are welcome to arrive at any point within this period, but we recommend you arrive at least half an hour before the end to give you time for the whole experience.
If we can do anything to make your visit to Undershed easier, please email us and we'll be happy to help.
Thu 11 June: 13:00-18:00
From Fri 12 - Sun 28 June:
Mon - Fri: 13:00-20:00
Sat: 11:00-20:00
Sun: 11:00-18:00
The time it takes to participate in the full experience, from arrival to departure, is variable depending on how much time you choose to spend with each work, but it’s recommended to allow at least 20-30 minutes.
If the gallery isn’t too busy, you can stay a little longer than your booked slot time, but we may ask you to leave when new arrivals join.
We recommend pre-booking in advance online, in person at Box Office or by phone on 0117 927 5100. Any unbooked slots are available for walk up customers to Box Office.
Tickets are priced on a sliding scale from £3-£8, based on a pay-what-you-can basis. Further details are on our booking pages.
Companion tickets are available.
In the welcome area of Undershed there are spaces to leave your belongings while you are inside the exhibition. A Gallery Assistant will be in this area at all times.
Yes. Babes in arms are welcome. There is limited space in the gallery for pushchairs / prams so these should ideally be left folded in the welcome area. Please make sure that any children who are mobile are carefully supervised at all times.
Please do not bring in outside food or drink into Undershed. Watershed Café & Bar is on the first floor for refreshments before and after your visit to Undershed.
You are welcome to use any of the toilet facilities in Watershed then come back into Undershed.
Photos & videos are allowed in Undershed, but please do not take or share images of people without permission whilst they are participating in the work.
Undershed Gallery is located on the ground floor of Watershed – the entrance is to the right of the Box Office desk.
If you haven't been to Watershed before, check out the Watershed Visit page for access, location and transport information.
Please ask the Gallery Assistant if you would like captions activated or a copy of the transcripts.
Anyone under 16 must be joined by a parent or guardian. Gallery Assistants cannot supervise children.
Benches and stools are available, as well as yoga mats and blankets on request if you need to lie down.
If you cannot find a seat and would like one, please speak to a Gallery Assistant.
We welcome resting at any point while you’re in Undershed.
You can breastfeed anywhere in Watershed. If you would like a bit more privacy, a Gallery Assistant can advise on spaces that may be available, though we cannot guarantee a private room.
Changing facilities are available in male, female, gender-neutral, and accessible toilets. Gallery Assistants are happy to help if you need any support during your visit.
All sessions have gentle lighting and ear defenders are available if you need them. Nowism exhibition is designed to be as inclusive and relaxed as possible.
If you would like a tour to familiarise yourself with the environment, then please contact the Undershed team to arrange this.
If we can do anything to make your visit to Undershed easier, or you have any questions or feedback please get in touch, we'll be happy to help.
We know there will be things we can improve on and adapt.
Find out more about general Undershed access
Overview
Nowism is a multi-media exhibition featuring works-in-progress by four artists. Themes explored include digital futures, art, activism, social justice, community, play and technology.
The space includes trading cards, an overhead projector to make faces with, posters, stickers, a model world, and audio to listen to using headphones provided.
Credit: Paul Blakemore
Undershed is a gallery for showing the best immersive and interactive artwork from all over the world. The first of its kind in Bristol and rare across the UK – this dedicated space will stage themed exhibitions that change every few months.
Undershed is a place to come together and experiment with new forms of storytelling. Come on in, keep an open mind and tell us what you think.
With thanks to our sponsor Redcliffe Imaging
Or call Box Office: 0117 927 5100
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