Artist Statement
I am interested in how any thing – an object, an action or an idea – is made.
As a multidisciplinary artist, I produce sculpture, performances, installations, text and conceptual works in diverse mediums to explore the similarities, differences and interrelationships between acts of labour and art work/artwork.
At heart I create playful investigations into systems and relationships: I have ‘written’ a sculpture, put shelves (and myself) up the outside wall of an art school, sent real invoices for £0, placed imaginary books in 3 libraries, and combined two stairlifts in motion timed according to cicada breeding cycles.
Shelves, benches and other everyday objects feature within my practice as literal and metaphorical platforms for the development of an analytical, poetic ontology of making. I consider my works strictly as documentation of their making process.
Motivated by a fascination with process and structure, I have a passionate belief that the role of maker requires readdressing, specifically as a challenge to the contentious notion that deskilling is ubiquitous: I consider ‘making’ to be a universal defining human preoccupation – expressed through the panoply of forms we create.
I also teach at university level, and provide technical, strategic and creative consultation to artists and arts organisations.
Some of my work is invisible. Given the chance, I would make works the size of nations.
CV
Solo Exhibitions
2023 – Filler – Rogue Artists’ Studios Platform Gallery, Manchester
2017 – X≠Y: How to put up a shelf (V) – Curator’s Choice series, Leeds Arts University
2016 – (8 off) – &Model Gallery, Leeds
2016 – Deus Ex Machina – &Model North, Leeds
Group Exhibitions (selection)
2024 – Ventriloquism [forthcoming] – Whitaker Museum, Rossendale
2022 – BAS 9 – A Modest Show – Rogue Open Studios, Manchester
2019 – MA/MFA Degree Show – HOME, Manchester
2019 – Each Toward The Other – Bury Sculpture Centre
2019 – Manifestation – Rogue Artists’ Studios, Manchester
2019 – This Land is Our Land – PAPER, Manchester
2019 – INTER-SECTION – The Market Gallery, Huddersfield
2019 – Left Bank Leeds Arts Prize 2019 – Left Bank, Leeds
2019 – All Work and All Play – AIR Gallery, Altrincham
2018 – PLACE, SPACE, ACTION – The Market Gallery, Huddersfield
2017 – FIX – ICW… (In Collaboration With…), Blackpool
2017 – MAKE//SHIFT – AIR Gallery, Altrincham, Manchester
2017 – Internal Structures – Manifest Festival, Artwork Atelier, Salford
2016 – Progress / Manchester Histories Festival – Rogue Studios, Manchester
2015 – Phoenix Exhibition – Glasgow School of Art
2015 – New Scottish Artists – The Fleming Collection, London
2015 – RSA New Contemporaries 2015 – Royal Scottish Academy, Edinburgh
2014 – Looking at the reflection of reality – Mark Devereux Projects, Manchester
2014 – eX – blip blip blip, Leeds
2014 – Part Seen, Imagined Part: GSA in Dunoon – Dunoon Burgh Hall
2014 – Undergraduate Showcase – Glasgow School of Art
Education
2018-19 – MA Fine Art – Distinction – Manchester School of Art
2010-14 – BA(Hons) Sculpture and Environmental Art – First Class Honours – Glasgow School of Art
2012 – Exchange programme – School of the Art Institute of Chicago, U.S.A.
2009-10 – Foundation Diploma in Fine Art – Distinction – Leeds College of Art
Current Projects
Ventriloquism – investigation into dislocated speaking-action through sculpture, drawing, writing and performance
Drawing Instruments – using original stencils to explore social authorship, shared drawing practice and control.
Ladder Works – sculptural & performative investigation into ladders as trans-dimensional objects.
A Vector Model of Making – practice-based research developing theoretical models of making.
(8 off) – Stage 2 – distributed network of 8 benches functioning as sites of making, recording the stories of their use upon their surface.
Repair – extended practice and research based project considering ‘repair’ as a form of making.
How to put up a shelf – ongoing series of works exploring the ontology of a shelf as an object and phenomenological construct.
Residencies
2024 – Individual writing development [forthcoming] New York, USA – self organised one-month solo residency
2017 – ICW… (In Collaboration With…), Blackpool – ‘FIX’ – one-month residency & exhibition with artist Nicola Ellis
2016 – &Model Gallery, Leeds – four-month solo residency
2014-15 – Castlefield Gallery New Art Spaces, Federation House, Manchester – five-month residency
Publications
2023 – How to put up a shelf (I) – text work in Soanyway Magazine
2019 – What Do I Do? – artist essay for Axisweb feature
2015 – What A Week – catalogue essay for Phoenix Exhibition, Glasgow
2013 – Cataphote, or, Beauty Is In The I of the Beholder – artist book, Leeds / Glasgow / Chicago, U.S.A.
2011 – Artist interview – in Catalogue Available by Alex Farrar, Leeds
Awards / Bursaries
2016 – Arts Council England Individual Grants for the Arts
‘Repair’: 9-month project investigating ‘repair’ as a social form of making using sculpture, workshops, live events and exhibition during a residency at & Model Gallery, Leeds.
2014 – Phoenix Bursary
Studio provision at Leeds Arts University & mentoring in support following the 2014 Glasgow School of Art Mackintosh Building fire that destroyed my degree show.
2010 – Harry Meadley Prize: 1st place
Cash prize and group exhibition, awarded for No Reflection On Me.
Reviews & Media
2021 – Axisweb – ‘Five2Watch: Work and Labour’ – X≠Y: How to put up a shelf (V)
2019 – Corridor8 – feature review by Derek Horton – Each Toward The Other
2019 – Axisweb – Artist of the Month (July)
2019 – Axisweb – New Art Highlights selection – Ladder Work Four [maquette]
2018 – Axisweb – New Art Highlights selection – How to put up a shelf (I)
2018 – Axisweb – Category of the week: Live Art – (8 off)
2018 – Axisweb – Category of the week: Exhibition – Catawampus
2018 – Axisweb – Category of the week: Residency – (8 off)
2017 – Axisweb – Category of the week: Practice-based research – (8 off)
2017 – ASAP/Journal, Johns Hopkins University – feature review by Catriona McAra – & Model Gallery Sumer Residency 2016
2017 – Axisweb – Category of the Week: Sculpture, selected by Rebecca Senior (Axisweb / MMU / Corridor 8) – How to put up a shelf (IV)
2017 – Axisweb – Five To Watch selected by Thomas Dukes of Open Eye Gallery, Liverpool – X≠Y
2017 – Axisweb – Category of the Week: Intervention – selected artist – How to put up a shelf (IV)
2017 – Corridor8 – feature review by Karen Tobias Green – X≠Y
2017 – Axisweb – New Art Highlights selection – How to put up a shelf (IV)
2016 – Axisweb – Five To Watch selection – Deus Ex Machina
2016 – a-n – review by Bob Dickinson – Progress / Manchester Histories Festival – The Work As A Result
2015 – The Skinny – review by Adam Benmakhlouf – RSA New Contemporaries exhibition – Deus Ex Machina
2015 – Arts Press – review by Tim Cornwell – RSA New Contemporaries exhibition – Deus Ex Machina
2014 – The Skinny – review by Adam Benmakhlouf – GSA Degree Show – Anthorn
Teaching
2022-23 – Manchester School of Art – Tutor Worker, BA(Hons) Fine Art
2016-18 – University of Huddersfield – Associate Lecturer, BA(Hons) Contemporary Art & Illustration
2016 – Leeds Arts University – Associate Lecturer, BA(Hons) Fine Art
2016 – Leeds Beckett University – Visiting Artist
2016 – Leeds Beckett University – Visiting Tutor
2015 – Glasgow School of Art – Workshop Instructor
Conference Presentations
2017 – New Modes of Art Writing Event 2: Conversation with a future sculpture – Manchester Metropolitan University
Talks (selection)
2019 – In Conversation: Each Toward the Other, with Derek Horton – Bury Sculpture Centre
2016 – artist talk & Q+A – University of Huddersfield
2016 – artist talk & Q+A – & Model North, Leeds
2016 – artist talk & Q+A – Leeds Beckett University
2016 – artist talk: Repair project – Leeds Arts University
2015 – artist talk: Creative Conversations series – Royal Scottish Academy, Edinburgh
Collections
Private collections in New York (USA), Glasgow, Leeds and Manchester.
School of the Art Institute, Chicago – Joan Flasch Artists’ Book Collection
Glasgow School of Art – Artists’ Book Collection
Leeds Arts University – Artists’ Book Collection
Professional Activity (selection)
2020- (ongoing) – Freelance roles across creative & technical consultancy, project management, creative development, marketing strategy, production & fabrication etc. Various freelance engagements working with commercial briefs/clients on projects from £10k-£700k. Activities have included exhibition design; production streamlining; campaign design; creative brief design copywriting; technical fabrication consultation; health and safety & risk assessment reviews… and much more.
2020 – Lime Arts, Manchester – Project Manager (freelance)
Technical consultancy, exhibition design, fabrication, installation, risk assessment, design, liaison and programming
Coordinated a large-scale public art exhibition & live art festival within active clinical areas of Manchester hospitals.
2019 – Ruskin School of Art – Technical Consultant (freelance)
Oversaw installation of MFA degree show, providing project management, safety, technical and planning guidance.
2018 – AIR Gallery, Altrincham – Selector
Invited to select artists for PLAY, an open-call group show.
2018 – AIR Gallery, Altrincham – Selector
Invited to select recipients of Platform, a publicly funded artist award providing mentoring & exhibition.
2017 – Leeds City Council / Leeds Arts University – Consultant – Female Public Sculpture [commissioned public artwork]
Technical consultation and guidance on commissioning process, specification & artist relationship management.
2015-16 – Salford University / Engine Productions – Technical Project Manager – Engels’ Beard [£90k public sculpture]
Oversaw creative production process of a large outdoor public sculpture/bouldering wall. Technical production management, fabrication, artistic liaison, relationship management, site management, logistics and costing.
2015 – Darren Nixon, Salford / Manchester – Technical Consultant & Trainer – The Awkward Ambassador
Technical instruction and fabrication.
2010-2014 – team leader & installer for undergraduate and postgraduate degree shows at Glasgow School of Art & School of the Art Institute, Chicago, USA.
Fabrication
Consultation / Design / Fabrication for
…artists:
David Alker / Touchstones Gallery, Rochdale (2023); Mark Kennard, Manchester (2022); Steve Oliver, Manchester (2022); Helena Tomalin, Manchester (2020); Hannah Leighton-Boyce, Manchester (2018); Brass Art, Manchester (2017); Ian Jackson, London (2017); Darren Nixon, Manchester (2017); Nicola Dale, Manchester (2016-17); Maurice Carlin, Salford (2016); Lisa Stansbie, Leeds (2015)
…galleries:
University of Huddersfield / Temporary Contemporary: Design & build of new art gallery within historic building. (2018)
The Turnpike, Leigh (2020): Exhibition construction & installation.
Rogue Artists Studios, Manchester (2022- ongoing): Exhibition design, construction & installation.
…other:
Company Chameleon, Manchester (2022-23): Construction, design and fabrication of bespoke technical and spatial equipment and installations.
Engine Productions Ltd / EP Climbing, Salford / Kelbrook (2015-16)
– see under Professional Activity for details.