Artist Statement
Concepts/ideas/themes
For some time I have investigating the problematics of intercultural dialogue, with particular reference to nationalism and the politics of language. Employing live art for its directness and its high risk of embarrassment, this inquiry initially took the form of a six-year collaborative project in a range of countries (Speech 2002-20077). Speech acknowledges, and then utilises, different cultural experiences, urgencies and intentions. It is not based on consensus. One of my collaborators described the work as opening up situations of mutual vulnerability. It has lead to the publication of So communication… translating each other’s words, co edited with Katrin Kivimaa, in which issues of language are considered by an international selection of writers, artists and academics pondering themes drawn form the performances. Word Exchange involves swapping stories with the public about language(s) and pleasure, and about subjective attraction to specific words (Fresh Festival Hastings UK; Humbermouth Literature Festival, UK). In the process I have built up an evolving collection of brief recordings of individuals’ linguistic loves (in Kurdish, Somali, Cornish, Swedish, Portuguese, Taiwanese, English, Cantonese, Mandarin, French, German, Chinese, Japanese, Welsh, Russian, Icelandic, Arabic, Estonian etc). These recordings are made and held on simple yellow record/playback units (see http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lsedlf1w_4Y ) which were activated in a performance at Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Brazil. In Misunderstandings, another ongoing project, other’s firsthand verbal accounts of misunderstandings (cultural, linguistic, behavioural, technological etc.) are pitted against each other. As anecdotes they become a means of verbalising understandings and interpretations, as well as a process of laughing at the flaws, pitfalls and general unreliability of communication. Some of these stories have been told many times and polished in the process so that they better represent the teller’s worldview. Sometimes they reveal assumptions, prejudices or fears. At other times they point towards romantic imaginings about the other. There is much comedy in misunderstanding, and the teller often recounts in a humorous way, laughing as they do so. The laughter can be directed towards themselves who may be revealing an act of ignorance, naivety or stupidity. In these cases the telling of the story is often an act of generosity on the part of the narrator. Immigrants’ experiences are often rich in misunderstandings, both as misunderstander and misunderstandee. However, although misunderstandings are can be generated by difference it is also important to recognise that the phenomena of misunderstanding is universal, and gather material from as many sectors and in as many languages as possible. Exhibited together in a database, these parallel stories will build a grand and complex narrative about the process of forging meaning in incomprehensible situations – an activity that can evidence great creativity and ingenuity
Career
Research Fellow in art Media, University of Lincoln
Senior Lecturer in Fine Art, Leeds Metropolitan University
CV & Education
Solo exhibitions
2008 - The Language lesson (100 teachers and 1 pupil), UFMG, Belo Horizinte, Brazil
2008 - Word Exchange, Fresh Festival, Coastal Currents, Hastings
2008 - Word Exchange, Special commission, Humbermouth Literature Festival
2007 - Exhibition and performance, Hobusepea Gallerii, Tallinn Estonia.
2007 - The Gift of Tongues, , Leeds Metropolitan University Gallery, Leeds
2007 - Vashon; performance with Ronni Ahmmed, The Bengal Gallery , Dhaka, Bangladesh
2005 - Performance with Françoise Vincent, Perspective Antarctique, Galerie ÉOF, Paris
2005 - Performances with Anat Pick , Performance Art Platform, Tel Aviv, Israel
2003 - Taxi Gallery, Cambridge
1998 - Iniva Library and Archive, London
1998 - Muscles (Collaboration with Lisa Watts), Leeds City Art Gallery
1998 - Petrikapelle Dom-Brandenburg, Germany
1997 - Castleford Gallery, Manchester
1997 - Leeds Metropoliton Gallery
1994 - Collaboration with Performance Artist Lisa Watts-Ponds, Forge Leisure Complex, Sheffield.
1993 - City Racing, London
1993 - Metropolitan Galleries, Manchester
Group exhibitions
2007 - Kõne/Speech, Our Voices. Le French Mai Festival, Hong Kong
2007 - performance with Adalet Garminary, Arbil University, Kurdistan/Iraq
2007 - Sobre Macau; Performance with Wen Yau , Oxewarehouse, Macau . , Do Dao Festival China
2006 - Exhibition and performance with Bryndís Ragnarsdóttir , The Living Art Museum , Reykjavik, Iceland
2006 - Performance with Tanja Frank , Casino Luxembourg Forum d’Art Contemporain, Luxembourg
2005 - Performance with Mererid Hopwood , National Eisteddfod, Caernarfon
2005 - Performance with Shu Yang , Transborder Language, 2nd Dashanzui International art Festival , Beijing China
2004 - Parnu Fideofest ja Rael Artel Esitlevad, Estonia
2004 - Poland – Cumbria live art exchange, Tullie House, Cumbria
2004 - Zamek Wyobrazni - Castle of the Imagination Utska, Slupsk & Krakov, Poland
2003 - Alternator Gallery, British Columbia, Canada
2003 - Floating Gallery, Winnipeg, Canada
2003 - ‘Look to this Day’ , Castlefield Gallery, Manchester
2003 - Fuero do Campo. XI Muestra Internacional de Performance, Ex Teresa Arte Actual, Mexico
2003 - Naprosty Navrat Pameti Cesta 9th Arts Festival on International Interdisclipinary collaborations, Tábor, Czech Republic
2002 - 'Aorta Gallery', Moldova
2002 - 'Kana Nahk', Live Art Festival, Estonia
2002 - 'Wax for your Ears', Underwood Audio, Underwood Gallery, London
2001 - Day of the Unread, House Gallery, London
2001 - 'East of Eden', Spacex Gallery, Exeter
2001 - 'Egzotika', Contemporary Art Gallery, Uilmus, Lithuania
2000 - 'Girl', New Museum, Walsall, Angel Row Gallery, Nottingham (touring)
2000 - Mobile Library
1999 - 'Anotomicum', Tartu, Estonia
1998 - Talinn International Sculpture Exhibition, Estonia
1997 - Travel Light, Birmingham Arts Trust
1994 - Photographers Gallery, London
1993 - Two Person, Whitechapel Gallery