Residency Programme is a Dream Ticket for Digital Artists
A contemporary take on the pantheon of Hindu gods is launching a new international digital artist residency programme at the national Creation Centre in Cumbria.
Manchester-based, Sumit Sarkar (whose work is pictured), is the first artist to benefit from the pioneering programme created by one of the UK’s leading digital arts agencies, folly, and groundbreaking arts events company, Lanternhouse International.
The latter is based at the Creation Centre in Ulverston in picturesque South Lakeland and forged a dynamic partnership with folly, its near neighbour in Lancaster, to encourage and foster the development of internationally significant digital artists via the residency scheme.
Kathryn Lambert, Creative Director at folly, said: “We are thrilled that Sumit and his fascinating Ananta project, a re-imagining of Hindu gods and the mythology around them, marks the beginning of what will be a long-term residential programme that will see some of the best and the most innovative digital artists developing new, brilliant work here in the north west of England.
“We believe it is a landmark programme and its international aspirations are clearly signified by the success we have had in attracting almost 50 applications from all over the world.”
The lucky artists, who will benefit from the unique environment of the national Creation Centre which offers them residential accommodation, in 2008 come from the UK, Poland and Finland.
The residency programme was the brainchild of George Harris, Executive Director of Lanternhouse International, who said: “It was always the vision that the Creation Centre would play host to internationally important artists working with technology who were looking to develop their practice.
“The Creation Centre, which is an artist designed resource, is a truly inspirational building and, not surprisingly, it has proved a magnet to digital artists from across Europe. However, what makes the package all the more alluring is that folly will provide the all-important curatorial and technical support plus access to specialist networks and opportunities. It’s the dream ticket for digital artists.”
The artists who will form the vanguard of the programme in 2008 are:
Sumit Sarkar (Manchester)
Jon Cambeul (London)
Wojciech Kosma (Poland)
Andy Best and Merja Puustinen (Finland)
ENDS
Note: George Harris of Lanternhouse International is available for interview on 01229-581127. Kathryn Lambert is available on 01524-388550 and Sumit Sarkar can be contacted via Lanternhouse International on 01229-581127
For print quality copies of some of Sumit Sarkar's work, contact:
matt.wootton "at" folly.co.uk
Artist biographies:
Sumit Sarkar
Sumit Sarkar is a NorthWest based visual artist, whose character based artwork takes the form of digital paintings, canvas paintings, digital sculpture, and aerosol art. The content of work ranges from the fantastical characters of Sumit’s KrikSix world, to his modern interpretation of the Hindu gods.
Sumit Sarkar also works as a designer, illustrator and workshop leader, and is involved in various live art events around the UK.
He has exhibited in and around Manchester, with solo exhibitions at Cornerhouse, Contact Theatre and Creative Consultants Gallery & Art Lounge and joint exhibitions with various Manchester artists from Spearfish, Doodlebug, Sketch City and Ink Tank. He is currently the artist in residence at the Lanternhouse International with folly.
Jon Cambeul
In 2003 Jon Cambeul, media artist co founded the art collective Someth;ng, the artistic expression resulting from research and experimentation in interactive media and sound art. www.somethingonline.com Jon's main interests are new musical instrument interface design and performance using speech synthesis. Jon works as an architectural illustrator, and produces his acoustic art and design where he lives in London UK.
www.joncambeul.com
Whilst in residence at Lanternhouse with folly, Jon will develop and produce The Auto Confessional Network, an automatic and self-regulating installation of singing consumer desktop computers that reveal peoples cathartic anonymous online confessions.
Wojciech Kosma
Originally from Poland, Wojciech Kosma now lives between Berlin and London, working between art and composition.
His artworks and performances are often spatial, sonic, obliquely interactive and poetic, creating speculative aesthetic interventions in public and gallery space.
He has exhibited, undertaken commissions and residencies and performed widely in a variety of institutions and arts organisations, as well as informal networks of cultural producers. Most recently in CCA Zamek Ujazdowski in Warsaw, Whitney Museum of American Art in New York, La Friche in Marseille, Hedges & Butler in London, CAAC in Seville, Experimental TV Centre and Polish Sound Art Festival in China.
He is currently research student at Slade School of Fine Art in London. He has taught digital/interactive art or Talked at the Bauhaus University in Weimar, University of California San Diego, Academy of Music Cracow and UCA Buenos Aires.
Whilst in residence at Lanternhouse with folly he will work on a series of new pieces, experimenting with local communities, nature and Lanternhouse.
Andy Best and Merja Puustinen
Andy Best was born in the south of England, 1963. Since 1988 he has lived and worked in Helsinki, Finland. Merja Puustinen was born in Hamina, Finland, 1963. They have collaborated together since 1993. Both have a background in sculpture, video and installation art. They were amongst the first online web artists, and during the mid to late 1990’s worked with virtual multiuser 3D worlds on the internet. With their company Meetfactory they developed a 3D multiuser community platform and virtual pet or tamagotchi for mobile phones. They now concentrate their artistic activites on large scale installations and interactive works. Best and Puustinen also run the Digital Arts degree course at Turku University of Applied Sciences. Merja Puustinen is completing doctoral research at the Academy of Fine Arts, Helsinki.
Whilst in residence at Lanternhouse with folly, Andy Best and Merja Puustinen will be developing new work for folly's ambitious Portable Pixel Playground.
