In October ’21 we once again opened our virtual doors to host four wonderful artists for the British Council #NetWorkResidency. Abshar Platisza joined us from Indonesia, André Schütz and Wisrah Villefort partook from Brazil, and Kesara Ratnavibushana participated all the way from Sri Lanka.
#NetWorkResidency supports the artists through four weeks of reflection, research, practice, skills exchange and professional networking opportunities focused on digital artistic practices and technologies.
We are proud to exhibit the fruits of their labours in the Net//Work 2 online exhibition, which runs from 1/2/22 to 1/3/22 at http://dasnetworkresidency.com.
To celebrate their achievements you are invited to join us at Net//Work 2 @ DAS Online Exhibition Opening Event on Saturday the 5th of February from 12.30 to 2.30 pm (UK). In this informal event you will have the opportunity to view the artists’ works and chat to them about their projects or indeed anything that comes to mind.
Abshar presents ‘The Backdrops’, a video piece with an interactive walkthrough presentation, which examine traces of the relationship between humanity and nature from decayed man-made objects in his environs. With the help of a gaming engine, point clouds, and photogrammetry technology, he has captured objects and architecture in his local environment and generated them digitally. The Backdropsis a mash-up of scenery and props exploring and exposing what damage and harm we as humans are currently doing. With this walkthrough in the virtual space, Abshar aims to emulate the changing climate, the reasons behind this, and humanity’s relationship to the ecosystem.
Kesara’s explorations during the Net//Work residency expanding the series 'Ascent to Orbit' / ‘Alternate Realities of New Ceylon’. Largely architectural landscapes of his home city of Colombo, these images are transplanted with highly exaggerated elements - primarily from NASA's astrophotography archive. Initially presented with a textual commentary on the social, economic and political development of Sri Lanka, Kesara has deepened his explorations into an upending of these landscapes via a more macroscopic rumination on the 'Fluid Normal', involving themes of impermanence and inward reflection to investigate the fundamentals of contentment and ultimately what it is that makes us happy.
André will be presenting works as part of an on-going project ‘Cup of Salt Tears’ inspired by “The Disciple” by Oscar Wilde which tells the myth of Narcissus from the point of view of the pool, who contemplates its own beauty reflected in the hero's eyes.
It is from this allegory of the mirror as protagonist that the work attempts to address the lost corporeality in personal relationships mediated by cameras and screens. The video aesthetic becomes something akin to the imagery of The Rorschach Inkblot Test, alluring the audience to discover their own shapes within the movement and layering of the bodies.
Wisrah’s audio piece ‘Kind’ is derived from the practice of describing images of objects being sold on marketplaces located on the Global South, especially those made of synthetic polymers.
You will need to register on Eventbrite to join this Discord event at
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e...
Email catherine@digitalartsstudios.com with any queries.
In partnership with the British Council, Wysing Arts Centre and Golden Thread Gallery.
See you all there!