Symbiosis -  an art and ecology research project

​https://www.artbombfestival.com/symbiosis
https://www.artbombfestival.com/

I was so delighted to be invited recently to take part in the Symbiosis project taking place in Doncaster this summer.  It comprises of a series of residencies, training, meetings with experts, outings to the river, discussion, artlabs, etc and is part of a larger Artbomb project running in tandem and culminating in a free festival in Doncaster city centre 11th to 14th August. It'll be headline-grabbing with international, national and regional artists and scientists all coming together to think about the challenges of the future. Check it out - there will be events you can get involved in in the run-up to the festival.  Tackling climate change, pollution, ecosystems and the way we live now, it promises to be truly thought-provoking, informative, creative, experimental, serious, fun, celebratory and challenging for all. 

I am so pleased to be working  on a project with asylum seekers in Doncaster. The project kicks off this week with the delivery of clay packs with tools and materials to particpants. You can find out more about the project here: https://doncastercreates.org/

I’ve wanted to work with Asylum Seekers in Doncaster for some time, so when the Birdsong commissions came along it seemed like the perfect opportunity. It strikes me that the added trauma of a global pandemic to the situation of seeking asylum must be deeply unsettling. I know how therapeutic working in clay can be, how universal it is - literally being the ground beneath our feet that unites us all - and how it can release people to talk about their emotions.

The idea of the project is to deliver stand alone “Making Kits” (ie a mini workstation with tools and materials) to participants, accompanied by instructions on how to work with clay and ideas of what to make. All pieces will be hand sized. Participants will be asked to record their thoughts about the process in drawings, writings or recording. The pieces will then be fired in my studio and I will make work in response to their creations and recordings.

I hope to find a venue in Doncaster to exhibit the finished pieces and celebrate this global contribution to local culture.

I am very grateful to Denise Cann of the Doncaster Conversation Club for putting me in touch with enthusiastic participants.