Approved: 07.02.2017

Emily Tracy

Artist, Consultant, Gallery educator, Maker

Approved: 07.02.2017

My practice is primarily focused on social engagement. I make site-specific structures, installation and projects, which play with the architecture, history and stories of a place. I have created visual art projects for a wide range of outdoor and cultural environments with communities, schools and audiences over the last 20 years. 

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    Artist Statement

    My practice is primarily focused on social engagement. I make site-specific structures, installation and projects, which play with the architecture, history and stories of a place. I have created visual art projects for a wide range of outdoor and cultural environments with communities, schools and audiences over the last 20 years. 

    I use paper, fabric, everyday objects such as stationary, books, discarded materials. I use these simple materials to explore the environments we live in, with printmaking, drawing and shadow. The deliberate use of simple materials and techniques seek to lay bare the process of creation, and simultaneously harness a transformation from the ordinary to the special. 

    Creating artwork in a public space, which engages, amuses and re-interprets the space and place, is my main driving force of creativity. My work aims to allow participants to re view a familiar place or activity through the intervention of an artwork or transformation of space with event, participation, spectacle, and collaboration. My work has been commissioned by The British Museum, The Bloomsbury Festival, The Royal Shakespeare company and Arts NK amongst others. It has included lit sculpture, artworks which ask audiences to contribute and reflect on their feelings and place in the world, installation which use imaginary scenario to explore history or belief, and workshops which give audiences the means to make their own artworks.     

    I work on solo projects, and in collaboration with animator Elizabeth Hobbs, using moving image to create participatory projects under the name Tracy & Hobbs. Tracy and Hobbs have created award winning project for Up Projects, UK Film Council and Arts Council England. 

    I am currently engaged in using Lino and letterpress print, collage and artist’s books to create 2d and installation projects.

    CV & Education

    Curriculum Vitae:

     

    Education

    1992-1994      Slade school of Art, London. Post graduate. (Higher Diploma)

    1989-1992      Brighton Polytechnic. BA (Hons) Fine Art, Painting 2:1

    1988-1989      Central school of Art, London. Foundation.

     

    Exhibitions

     

    2023     Cut-Outs 195 Mare Street. Solo installation.

    2022    Finch Project. Joint exhibition Emily Tracy & Amanda Benson.

    2022     Womxn FairArtFair Curated II. Group exhibition.

    2021    ‘All Along’ Shuttleworth Gardens Gallery, Greensand Country festival. Solo exhibition.

    20/21  Mantle Arts ‘NW Leicestershire Voices’ Coalville, Leicestershire. Various locations.

    2018    Space Gallery. LCN London showcase.

    2016    Bow Open curated by Anj Smith

    2014    Tracy & Hobbs Akkigalleria video works, Jyväskylä, Finland. Live Herring Festival.

    2013    ‘Screen’, St Andrews, Heckington, Lincolnshire. Site-specific participatory ‘Altered’.

    2012    Lido Love, London fields Lido, Hackney. ‘Seedlings’ Light installation.

    2009    Shunt Lounge, Tracy & Hobbs Comings and Goings. Site-specific animated installation.

     

    Talks/media

    2022    SPACE talks. Online.

    2018    Bloomsbury Festival Panel member on Women’s Work

    2017    Metal (Peterborough) Future Networks, presentation of my work.

    2017    University of East London Detour ahead. Presentation of collaborative work of Tracy & Hobbs

    2016    Silent Symposium, Animate Projects, Derby University.

     

    Public participatory art commissions (selected)

    2023      Commission to explore The Leeds Archive of Vernacular Culture for The Dialect and           Heritage project University of Leeds

    2022/23 Artist in residence Portland Bird Observatory B-side Festival, Dorset

    2022     ‘Ilford Directory’ co-created billboard artwork, SPACE, Ilford, London.

    2022     What do we hold Dear? Permanent artwork, All saints View, Central Bedfordshire Council

    2022     Artist in Residence Hackney Historic Buildings Trust St Augustines Tower, London

    2021    ‘We are Woodberry Down’ Dallas- Pierce- Quintero, Hackney, London.

    2021    ‘Let’s Stick Together’ Arts Council England funded collaboration Library of Change,            Bromley By Bow Centre, creating collage and podcasts with older people during Covid.

    2021    The British Library Climate audiograms with Radio producer Sarah Cuddon.

    2021    Greensands Country residency. National Lottery Heritage project.

    2020    Museum of London Docklands Memories of London project for older adults with Dementia.

    2019    Make Club (ongoing). Set up weekly art project for young people and adults.

    2019    London Borough of Hackney, light installation and lantern workshops and procession.

    2019     Institute of Animal Spirit Guides, The End of the Road Festival.

    2019    ‘Isle of You’ Sky Arts 50 at The Barbican Gallery. Installation and participatory event with Window Wanderland.

    2018    Innovators Imaginarium Installation, Emergency Exit Arts and Output Arts.

    2018    ‘Kaleidoscope eyes’ hoarding and engagement commission for Tideway. King Georges Park, Wandsworth, London.

    2017    Clutter Bank for Planet B Festival, Metal Peterborough and PECT.

    2016/7 Royal Shakespeare Company, The Other Place. Installation with Julia Clarke.

    2016    Gateway, The British Museum Installation and workshops for Refugee Week.

    2016    Bureau of the unsaid, Chelsea Fringe Festival, Dalston Curve Garden interactive Installation exploring the language of flowers.

    2016    Bloomsbury Festival, Festival in a box artist book, taking the festival to local people with Dementia.

    2015    ‘Whitton Small Press’ Residency in Whitton Library funded by Arts Council England London Borough of Richmond Arts service and Richmond Library services.

    2014    ‘Bureau of Lost and Found’ Totally Thames festival with Up Projects. ?Tracy & Hobbs installation Floating Cinema.

    2014    The One Show BBC television. Giant drawing for The Campaign for Drawing made live during the One Show.

    2013    ‘Water Folk’ Tracy & Hobbs project, The Floating Cinema, Up Projects. Arts Council funded. Awarded ‘Best educational project’ by The Canal and Rivers Trust.

     

    Education projects (selected)

    2022    SPACE family workshop

    2021     The Foundling Museum, family workshops.

    2021     SPACE ‘Who Cares?’ participatory workshops, Ilford.

    2019    Artist, Bletchley Park, drawing project.

    2015    Dalston Curve Garden workshops exploring the garden using science and art.

    2015    Arts Awards Explore, Bow Arts After school project Newham primary schools.

    2015    Kettles Yard, Cambridge Circuit programme project with Tate Gallery.

    2015    Arts Prescription, Bromley by Bow Centre. Enabling adults experiencing anxiety and depression to explore visual arts.

    2013    Big Draw Queen Elizabeth Park Summer school Tracy & Hobbs workshop with Space  studios and London Legacy for transition year school groups.