This residency is a juggling act. This project is formed of three people. All acting in equal ways. Myself, Nikki and Jo Kimber.

This residency has been different to the ones I have done before where I alone am responsible for the whole project. Because this project is being ambitious and stretches further that what we alone can make, this has been a challenging time and one where i’m learning a lot about myself. And that is what this residency is about. To test, to try and stumble.

What has happened. 

As a group we are all juggling jobs that take up a lot of headspace but also time. I am also preparing for 2 shows I am having in Paris in the middle of next month and i’m in the middle of organising an exchange and exhibition with a group of artists in Hannover. 

Jo has been producing the text that will be transferred into audio content for the work in the coming weeks. And Nikki has produced music to be placed within intervals within the experience as well as a basic app structure so people can find the objects in the city of Bristol. 

Nikki is really talented at making music, her works give me good goosebumps. She has created some test tracks that we will play within the app.

I worked on the image that has now been used to represent not only the project but the residency within the watershed website and within cinemas, which is very exciting. Ive also been working within my making studio at BV Studios on an object that we will be showing on the 13th of march based on a manhole cover within Saint Nicolas market. Ive been focusing in on an object we’ve called “the dial” which will be a physical way to interact with your phone to access the audio content of the app. This has led be to parts of the internet consisting of faraday cages and conductive felt. 

Jo has had time to make drafts of the audio content of the work, weaving in stories from the lgbt+ community and fictional narratives. There is some really exciting parts that tie everything together. We have also decided on the name of the work...... drum roll please.... "Short, Back & Sides"

Last week we had a mid residency showcase. We showed the studio community what we had so far. We introduced an image (mentioned above) I had worked on as well as a possible route. we also introduced jo as our writer and she told the group about the story she had been working on.  Part of this event we had to share what we were worried about and what aspect we needed help with. One particular aspect was that we were in two minds about the nature of the app. Will it be a one off event or a permanent part of Bristol’s city.  

Meeting as a group is basic but important. Through meeting up with each other, we have made some important decisions but have also come at loggerheads. By meeting we’ve decided on the route that the experience will take and the points in which the story will take clues from the location within the route. This helps jo with story writing as well as me in terms of the objects to draw and make in the future. 

We are still in two minds as to the reach of the experience. Will it be an event where there would be timed tickets for instance within a festival like Bristol’s LGBT History month or Pride? Or will it be an app that people can download and do as and when they want.

As the residency moves forward an event that showcases our progress is coming up fast. This is an exciting moment were we can show the community what we hope to make in the coming months and let them test what we’ve created so far.