BIOGRAPHY
BIOGRAPHY
Jacek Ludwig Scarso stretches theatrical experiences across live performance, video, photography and installation. His projects have been exhibited worldwide, including recent shows and commissions at MACRO Museo di Arte Contemporanea (Rome), the Science Museum, GV Art Gallery and InTRANSIT (London), Fotofever at Carrousel du Louvre, Pave D'Orsay and Cutlog (Paris), BAW and The Living Theater (New York), MIA (Milan), Photo Docks (Lyon), Vkunst (Frankfurt) and Kunstwerk Carlshütte (Budelsdorf) where his video-works are included in the Nord Art Collection. Jacek is represented by Romberg Arte Contemporanea (Italy), which hosted his latest solo show Little Man Saga. He is also the Artistic Director of the award-winning Elastic Theatre in London and leads the Theatre & Film programme at London Metropolitan University, where his artiistic research was awarded doctoral recognition.
STATEMENT
My work is a playful depiction of human fragility. My performance background has instilled in me a fascination for the composition of bodies in time and space: dramatic and visceral, these bodies are parts of complex stories told in stark minimal settings. I thrive on theatricality. I seek outlandish performative actions, twisted plotlines, tragicomic characters, absurd themes and an unmitigated voyeurism from the point of view of the spectator. I also thrive in ambiguity - hybrid ideas from often contrasting fields, like science, religion, sexuality and art itself. Theatricality and ambiguity are present in all my work and drive my creative process, stretched across the mediums of live performance, written word, voice, photography, video, and installation.
Born in Rome, 1979
Lives and works in London
Shows
2018
Solo Shows
Living Structures, Performing, project at Weissraum Gallery, Kyoto, Japan. In collaboration with Takaya Fujii
Precarious Balance/ Equilibrio Precario, Arte Spazio Tempo, Studio CS Rome, curated by B. Vincenzi (sculpture/installation)
Group Shows
London Art Fair: exhibition with Anise Gallery on the occasion of the 30th edition of the Fair, curated by J. Jubert
Selected for Streetplayer 2018: video exhibition curated by Chris Woodward with Axisweb
Projects/Commissions
Stage Director of Juliet of the Spirits, live adaptation of Federico Fellini's work. Sir John Cass School of Art, Architecture and Design, London.
Assessing the Interdisciplinary Voice, paper/workshop at Anglia Ruskin University
2017
Solo Shows
Precarious Balance/ Equilibrio Precario, Arte Spazio Tempo, Venice, during 57th Venice Biennale, curated by B. Vincenzi (sculpture/installation)
Group Shows
Venice Vending Machine, Giardini della Marinaressa and Palazzo Mora, during the 57th Venice Biennale, curated by M. Moreno
Controlled Realities, Anise Gallery, London alongside Rachel Hara and Charles Harrop-Griffiths, curated by J. Jubert (sculpture/installation)
Ikebana Annual Exhibition, Mount Street Mayfair, organised by Ohara School England Chapter
Love and Violence, Galleria Civica Cavour, Padua, curated by B. Cadogno and S. Prelz (installation/video)
Projects/Commissions
Curator for In the Dust of things Unsettled, Atrium Gallery, The Sir John Cass School of Art, Architecture and Design, London
Curator for DEN Festival at Shoreditch Town Hall, Theatre & Performance graduation show, The Sir John Cass School of Art, Architecture and Design
Collecting and Curating Sound, Tate Exchange at Tate Modern, TaPRA conference, presenting The Vocal Exhibit, curated by G. Guy and J. Linsley
Vocal Embodiment, ACLA Conference Utrecht University, presenting The Vocal Exhibit
Theatricality and the Arts Symposium at University of Lancaster, presenting Reframing the (post)dramatic in Contemporary Art
2016
Solo Shows
This may self-destruct, Studio CS, Rome
Group Shows
Visions in the Nunnery, Bow Arts, London, curated by C. Cremona
Venice Vending Machine, Hamburg Altonale, curated by M. Moreno
Transmission Art Festival, presented simultaneously in Athens and in Karlsruhe, Germany.
Projects/Commissions
Science Museum Lates exhibiting L’Entraineur and Santino (videos) and Swinging Swimmers (live installation), London
2015
Solo Shows
Little Man Saga, Romberg Arte Contemporanea Rome (video, photo, installation) curated by I. Bergantini and G. Conti
Group shows
MIA Milan (photo) with Romberg Arte Contemporanea, curated by I. Bergantini
Nord Art Budelsdorf (video) Kunstwerk Carlshütte, curated by W. Gramm
Vkunst Frankfurt (video) curated by C. von Löw and A. Greulich
Venice Vending Machine, Serra dei Giardini during 56th Venice Biennale, curated by M. Moreno
Projects/Commissions:
Toxic Monks for InTRANSIT London (performance) curated by O’Neill/Ross
Imagined Cities for Colourscape Music Festival London (performance) with composer A. Campkin
Strata music video direction for jazz composer Ivo Neame featured on The Guardian
2014
Solo shows
MIA Milan Image Art with Romberg Arte Contemporanea (photo, video) curated by I. Bergantini
Group shows
FotoFever, Carrousel du Louvre Paris with Romberg Arte Contemporanea (photo)
Docks Art Fair Lyon with Romberg Arte Contemporanea (photo)
Projects/Commissions
Toxic Monks for At Boiling Point London (performance) curated by Heritage Arts
2013
Solo shows
Icons & Idols MACRO Museo Arte Contemporanea di Roma (La Pelanda) Rome, (video, installation, performance) curated by B. Codogno
Group shows
Cutlog with Romberg Arte Contemporanea Paris (video)
Bosh Fest Republic of Macedonia (video)
The Ortus, Spitalfields Music Festival
GV Art Gallery London (video) curated by R. Devcic
White Cloth Gallery Leeds (video)
Projects/Commissions
Julius (part 2) funded by Wellcome Trust and Jerwood Charitable Foundation (video and performance)
2012
Group shows
Theatre of the Mind GV Art Gallery London (video, performance) curated by R. Devcic
Projects/Commissions
Julius (part 1) funded by Wellcome Trust and Jerwood Charitable Foundation (video and performance – with Elastic Theatre)
2011
Group shows
Greenwich + Docklands International Festival London (performance) curated by B. Hemmings
Projects/Commissions
Baroque Box, site-specific at Old Royal Naval College, funded by Wellcome Trust (performance with Elastic Theatre)
2010
Group shows
Tete a Tete Opera Festival at Riverside Studios (performance) curated by B. Bankes-Jones
Islington Exhibits London (installation) curated by L. Richardson
Projects/Commissions
Baroccata, supported by The Facility (performance with Elastic Theatre)
2009
Group shows
Tete a Tete Opera Festival at Riverside Studios (performance) curated by B. Bankes-Jones
Create at Arcola Theatre London (installation, performance)
Projects/Commissions
Medousa and The Passion of Sergius and Bacchus (performance with Elastic Theatre), supported by The Facility and BAW Paris
2008
Projects/Commissions
The Magdalene Mysteries (performance) supported by The Facility, co-produced with Southwark Playhouse, St James’s Piccadilly and Roma Teatro Festival
2007
Projects/Commissions
Medea Made Medea (performance with Elastic Theatre) supported by The Facility and Rencontres de Theatre Europeen Grenoble
2006
Projects/Commissions
Ophelia’s Song (performance with Elastic Theatre) supported by The Facility and Teatro Integrato Internazionale Rome
2005
Projects/Commissions
The Penny Gaffe Scandals (site-responsive performance with Elastic Theatre) in private locations across London
2004
Projects/Commissions
State Stating Statuses / Aqua: artistic residency at London Metropolitan University Performance Programme (performance with Elastic Theatre)
2003
Projects/Commissions
So does the Bubble Machine (performance with Elastic theatre) at Rudolf Steiner House and The Bull Art Centre, London
2002
Projects/Commissions
Cliché (performance with Elastic Theatre), Battersea Arts Centre and Bull Art Centre London
2001
Projects/Commissions
Urban Performance commission for Enzimi, Romaeuropa Festival, supported by the Council of Rome
Ongoing Roles
Arts Researcher and Course Leader in Theatre and Film, London Metropolitan University
Artistic Director of Elastic Theatre
Qualifications
Art-Research PhD (2014), London Metropolitan University
MA Voice Studies (2002) Royal Central School of Speech and Drama
BA Performing Arts (2001) First Class Honours, University of North London
Grants and Awards
Professional Award, London Metropolitan University (2015)
Arts Award for Public Engagement, Wellcome Trust (2012-13)
Fringe Report Award (2012)
Arts Award, Jerwood Charitable Foundation (2012)
Arts Award for Public Engagement, Wellcome Trust (2010-2011)
Greenwich+Docklands International Festival Commission (2011)
Research Funding Award, London Metropolitan University (2010)
Research Funding Award, London Metropolitan University (2009)
The Facility: Performance as Research Grant (2009)
The Facility: Performance as Research Grant (2007)
The Facility: Performance as Research Grant (2006)
RomaEuropa/Enzimi Commission (2001)
International Laboratories and Residencies
London Metropolitan University (ongoing residency)
Royal Opera House (London), 2012-2016
Circus Space (London), 2014- 2015
GV Art Gallery (London), Love Arts Festival (Leeds), Bosh Fest (Republic of Macedonia), 2013
Pavé D’Orsay (Paris) / Stuttgart Staatstheater, RESEO / Opera National de Lyon, Opera Europa, 2012
The Living Theatre (New York) / Noa Opera (Vilnius), 2011
Noa Opera (Vilnius), 2010
American University of Paris, 2009
London Contemporary Dance School, 2007-2009
Roma Teatro Festival, 2008
Rencontres du Jeune Théâtre Européen (Grenoble), 2007
Teatro Integrato Internazionale (Rome), 2004-2006
East 15 Acting School (London), 2002-2004
Press Features
The Times (London), Theatre Today (USA), Daily Telegraph (UK), Huffington Post (Italy), Style Magazine, Il Corriere della Sera (Italy), Wall Street Journal (Europe), Ecumenica Journal (USA), Fringe
Review (UK), Time Out (London), New Scientist (UK), IdeasTap Magazine (UK), Trebuchet Magazine (UK), Urban Time (UK) Prove Aperte (Italy) Arte Mondadori (Italy)
