Join us for a free Artist Showcase event to experience the work in progress created by Watershed’s Winter Artists in Residence – Kexin Liu, Ashley Peevor and Deanna Rodger.

Responding to the theme of ‘Making the World Differently’, our Winter Artists in Residence's ideas span; a living costume made from local plants, an online zine exploring the link between attention and effective climate action and an interactive poetry machine that draws attention to how we perceive fortune.

In this celebratory event, Deanna, Kexin and Ashley will share some short project films and introduce their work and ideas. There’ll also be a chance to experience their ideas in progress and chat with them about their learning and process. Drinks and nibbles will be provided.

Book your free ticket here.

If you can’t make it to Watershed in-person but are interested in learning more, we will also release the project films on Watershed’s YouTube Channel during the event, so you can tune in to find out what they have been up to.

Here’s a bit more about our Winter Residency artists and their projects:

Kexin Liu

Kexin Liu is a multidisciplinary artist and researcher who has a keen interest in exploring different aspects of human relations. Kexin has been examining how the wealth of information we receive every day, affects our attention and undermines our ability to tackle climate change and other complex global issues. Kexin has been developing an interactive web-based zine that examines our current information environment and reimagines more productive ways to engage people in social movements. Come along to hear more about the research and this playful publication.

Ashley Peevor

Ashley Peevor is 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 has been developing a portable Living Costume Kit and thinking about ways to invite communities worldwide to create locally grown suits and performances. Ashley is 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. Come along to learn how this project hopes to invite participants to literally grow the idea from the bottom up.

Deanna Rodger

Deanna Rodger is an established poet with a keen interest in creative technology. Bringing these interests together, she has begun development of a ‘Poetic Fortune Machine’, a window onto the world that challenges those who happen upon it to think differently about their fortune and the power they hold in their hands. Come along to hear more and explore your own fortune.

About Watershed’s Residency Programmes:

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. The programme supports creative practitioners from varied disciplines, career stages and backgrounds, who have ideas for projects that blend art and technology. This year our artists responded to the theme of ‘Making the World Differently’.

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

We believe that to create a sustainable future, we need to change how we think about growth, wealth, consumerism and progress; and that creativity can play a vital role in reimagining existing constructs. This year, we invited artists to join us in thinking about this. We would love for you to join us too.

We will be releasing an open call for our next round of residencies later in the year. The theme may evolve, but we remain committed to making space for artists to imagine possibilities.

Watershed's Winter Residency programme is made possible with support from Arts Council England.

Winter Residencies Artists Showcase

Date: Thursday 13 April

Time: 1800 – 2000

Book your free tickets here.

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