Artist Bio & Statement
Nikkita Morgan is an Irish political textile artist currently undertaking a yearlong artist-in-residence programme at George Watson’s College. Prior to this she completed a yearlong Textile artist-in-residence programme at The Edinburgh College of Art in 2015. Morgan received her Master’s in Textile Design in 2014 from Norwich University of the Arts and was a recipient of the Arts and Humanity Research Council Award for her course of study (AHRC). Before embarking on postgraduate study, Morgan was an undergraduate student at University of Wales: Trinity Saint David: Coleg Sir Gar studying a BA (Hons) in Textile, Art, Design & Craft (2010-13). On completion of her degree she received the Textile Student of the Year Award.
The inspiration for Morgan’s practice derives from her on-going passion and interest in the North of Ireland’s troubling landscape. Delving into the historic, contemporary, religious and socio-political outlook of the struggle, this is a continuation of her previous BA and MA degree research into these areas.
Morgan creates a fusion of art, design and craft approaches to communicate Ireland’s troubled environment through figurative visual narratives. She uses a range of textile and non-textile materials, processes and techniques that are selected by relevance, through their relationship to her subject matter, their meaning and how they symbolise the message she wants to portray within her work. Materials includes: fabric, paper, digital projections, embroidery, drawing, laser cutting, screen/mono-printing and fabric & digital manipulation: juxtaposing traditional craft with technology, and consequently introducing new ways of thinking about materials and textiles.
Colour, stitch, texture, research, imagery and text are key elements used within the designing and making of her work: analysing and combining historic techniques with contemporary design ideas to create unique textile artworks. Morgan uses needlework to capture complex and intricate stories: emblematically unravelling and re-working aspects of Ireland’s past and present struggles.
Morgan makes her artwork for the public, exhibiting her work internationally, enabling audiences to grasp and understand her version of conflict through the medium of textiles.
Education
MA Degree in Textile Design: Norwich University of the Arts (2013-14)
BA (Hons) Degree in Textile, Art, Design, Craft: University of Wales; Trinity Saint David : Coleg Sir Gar (2010-13)
Foundation diploma in Art & Design: Southern Regional Collage (2009-10)
Achievements (Grants, Awards, Residencies)
Travel Award for my Textile Art & Literature Community Project: Arts Council of NI [2017]
Highly Commended for series of works: Annual Awards for Art About Big Global Issues or Concerns 2017: Redline Artworks. [February 2017]
Guest Studio Residency Program: The Art Cube Artists’ Studio, Jerusalem [Feb 2017] - As part of my stay at the Art Cube Artist’s Studios, I proposed to explore and represent my own interpretation and my vision of the conflict in Jerusalem, unraveling and examining communal links (if any) between Ireland and Israel through the mediums of textiles and digital art.
Artist-in-Residence: George Watson College, Edinburgh [August 2016- August 17] - As part of my residency, I helped assist teach the children from primary 4 up to S5, working closely with the staff members to help organise and set up series of workshops/lessons.
Gallery Artist-in-Residence (part of A-I-R 15/16 group exhibition): St. Margaret’s House Gallery 1, Edinburgh [August 2016]
NI Young Artist of the Year Runner-up: won a community arts commission from Mid And East Antrim Council taking place in 2017 [2016]
Textile Artist-in-Residence: Edinburgh College of Art [Sep 2015 – Aug 16] - My roles at ECA included: help assist teach the students in the textile and laser cutter department and to give one-to-one tutorials when needed. I also worked closely with the staff members on various textile projects both in and outside of the university.
Norfolk Arts Project Fund: Norfolk County Council / Ideastap Wrap-Up Fund Brief / The Split Infinitive Trust Grant [2015] / The Eaton Fund Grant [2014]
Arts and Humanities Research Council Award (AHRC) [2013]
Shortlisted for the Textile Study Group Graduate of the Year Award: New Designers, London. [2013]
Textile Student of the Year Award: University of Wales, Trinity Saint David: Coleg Sir Gar [2013]
Exhibition record
Current:
RedLine Artworks, Digital Exhibition: http://www.redlineartworks.org/gallery_532987.html
Upcoming:
Needlework Development Scheme Exhibition: Edinburgh College of Art, Edinburgh
Past 2017:
Locality Group Exhibition: DOK Artist Space, Edinburgh
Éire Intransition : Solo Exhibition: St. Margaret’s House, Gallery 2, Edinburgh
A-I-R Exhibition: George Watson College, Edinburgh
Guest Studio Residency, Solo Exhibition: Art Cube Artist’s Studio’s, Jerusalem
Past 2016:
Materials, Meaning & Messages: R-Space Gallery, Lisburn, Co.Down
The SSA 119th annual exhibition, The Royal Scottish Academy, Edinburgh
RedLine Artworks, Digital Exhibition: http://www.redlineartworks.org/gallery_532987.html
The Locale Group Exhibition: The Old Hairdressers, Glasgow
NSK Folk Art Rising 1916-2016: Burren College of Art, Co,Clare
Stitchery; the myriad possibilities of needle & thread: Top Floor Art Gallery, Co, Down
A-I-R 15/16 Exhibition: St. Margaret’s House Gallery 1, Edinburgh
A-I-R 15/16 Exhibition: Tent Gallery, Edinburgh College of Art, Edinburgh
Art of Craft Exhibition: Market Place Gallery, Armagh
NI Young Artist of the Year Finalists Exhibition: The Braid Arts Centre, Ballymena
Cause and Effect: Pentland Fine Art Gallery, Aberdeen
2015:
NN Open Exhibition: NN Contmeporary Art Gallery, Northampton
The Gallery Listoke, Winter Exhibition: Drogheda, Ireland
100 under 100, 3rd on 3rd Gallery: Jamestown, New York
Window of Eden: St.Monica’s, Dublin
Artists@WAR digital exhibition: http://www.galleryELL.com
Platform Open Annual Art Exhibition: Morphets of Harrogate, Yorkshire
The Locale Group Exhibition: McCune Smith Café, Glasgow
Convergence 15: Stew Gallery, Norwich. Supported by Norfolk County Council
River Waveney Sculpture Trail: River Waveney Study Centre, Bungay
Electric Open 2015 Art Exhibition: Electric Picture House, Cheshire
One year on: Stew Gallery, Norwich. Supported by Norfolk County Council
The North and Beyond: Grassington Festival, Yorkshire
Summer Salon 2015: Islington Art Factory, London
Open Weekend: Dove street studios, Norwich
UNA gallery May exhibition: Fabric warehouse, Norwich
Rising Stars 2015 exhibition: New Ashgate Gallery, Farnham
UNA gallery February exhibition: Fabric Warehouse, Norwich
2014:
MA Degree Show: Norwich University of the Arts, Norwich
Place, Space & Negotiated Territories Norwich University of the Arts, Norwich
2013:
New Designers: Islington, London
BA Degree Show: Coleg Sir Gar, Carmarthen, Wales
Professional experience
2017:
Textile Art & Literature Community Project (voluntary): Middle East. [upcoming Oct 2017] 2-week Textile Art & Literature Project, working with groups of young teenagers and women to produce two final quilts in repsonse to conflict. Supported by the Travel Award Scheme from Arts Council of NI
Artist Commission: George Watson’s College. Design & construct an Embroidered Sampler Wall-hanging to be used as a learning aid for primary and secondary school pupils.
Research Assistant: The Needlework Development Scheme (NDS): University of Edinburgh [Jun – Dec 2017] - Roles include: stitch workshops with female prisoners at HM Prison Edinburgh and students at Forrester High School; archiving NDS collection, recording and photographing workshops, writing up stitch sessions, assisting with exhibition set up and event preparation
Artist Talk 'Conflicting Textiles': Art Cube Artist’s Studio’s, Jerusalem
Online taught textile workshops for children: Art+International Art Education Center: China (2015 – Current) - I plan, organise and run a series of Textile/Embroidery workshops for Chinese children age 7 – 12 via Art+798’s online software. The workshops include: learn basic hand embroidery skills, learn about colour & colour palettes.
2016:
Artist Talk: Materials, Meaning & Messages Exhibition: R-Space Gallery, Lisburn, Co.Down
A-I-R 15/16: Lead artist in co-ordinating, organising & curating A-I-R 15/16 group exhibition
Artist Commission: design & construct campaign banner for Educational Institute of Scotland, commissioned by the Joint Union Liaison Committee at Edinburgh University
Artist Talk: Glasgow Artist Guild, Saramago Café: Glasgow
2015:
Artist Talk: Meet Your Maker, Maklab: Glasgow
Artist Presentation, Edinburgh College of Art, Edinburgh
Guest lecturer, Paston Sixth Form College, Norfolk
Gallery Invigilator, Gallery 133: Yarmouth
One Year On: Symposium Team: part of the selection panel in co-ordinating and organising the exhibition, Norwich.
Artist workshop and volunteer for the Arts Recovery Program, working with vulnerable adults, Thetford. Certificates in: Challenging behaviourand Safeguarding of vulnerable adults.
Waveney & Blyth Arts exhibition planning & management course. Symposium team: helped curate and organise the art sculpture trail: Bungay.
Environment Project Commission: collaborative project working with local artists and scientists from the University of East Angelina to design & construct a 3D info graphic sculpture that represented the storm surge damage surrounding the Norfolk coast: Norwich.
2014:
Dialogues 2014: Space, Place and Negotiated Territories, Symposium Team: part of the selection panel and helped to organise the conference: Norwich University of the Arts.
Wall mural commission: Spurs Restaurant: Newry & Belfast (2007-08)
Selected Publications
Wotisart? #4 Magazine: Featured Artwork, July 2017, Available at: http://wotisart.bigcartel.com/product/wotisart-4-july
Average Art Magazine: Featured Artwork, July 2017, Available at: http://averagearts.bigcartel.com/product/average-art-july
A5 Magazine: Featured Artwork, June 2017, Available at: http://www.afive.co.uk/
Average Art 8 Magazine: Featured artwork, March 2017, Available at: http://averageart.co.uk/magazine.html
Art Reveal Magazine: 22nd Issue, Artist Interview (page 76-81), November 2016, Available at: http://www.artrevealmagazine.com/22nd-issue/
eSharp issue 24: belonging & inclusion, Spring 2016, Available at: http://www.gla.ac.uk/research/az/esharp/issues/24spring2016-belongingandinclusion/
The Arts Show: Episode 2, Art of Craft Exhibition [Featured Artwork], BBC2 NI (26/05/2016) Available at: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b07d3fdd
Window2eden, Embroidered Landscape | Nikkita Morgan, November 2015, Available at: https://windowtoeden.wordpress.com/2015/11/11/embroidered-landscapes-nikkita-morgan/
Little Performance Online Magazine, issues #4, September 2015, Available at: http://www.littleperformance.com/page20.htm
Art Habens Art Review 5th Edition, An Interview with Nikkita Morgan, August 2015, Available at: http://issuu.com/arthabens/docs/art_habens_art_review_specialed.201
