Monday 4 October
10.30pm – 4.30pm
Nottingham Contemporary
Ellen Angus will help us to reflect on the many different iterations of an artist statement, a ‘piece of writing’ that often uncomfortably pins down our practice. Constantly shifting, an artist statement takes on different shapes, masks, performances over time.
The artist statement is something that can be understood as both performative (as creating an explanation of practice) and soul bearing. It can change depending on context and use (e.g., how does a statement look for a funding bid, project proposal or university application). Some artist statements seem to take on a life of their own, going rogue, reeling in the surreal or the fictive.
‘I have followed a variety of rabbits down different rabbit warrens, at times, thinking I have found a context that my practice sits comfortably under, until an artwork rebels and becomes tyrannical setting up camp elsewhere causing everything to shift.’
Together we will look at the ways in which the process of writing an artist statement can be transformative, perplexing, and exciting. How can we use this act to really look, reflect and examine the work, its purpose, and your reasons for making it?
This event is part of the NMG Development Programme (2021 – 2022) and delivered in partnership with Nottingham Contemporary‘s 1525 Collective, through Future of Futures, an immersive year-long research, engagement and artistic project led by young people.
Due to capacity this event is exclusively for NMG associates and 1525 Collective Members, but resources will be shared on NMG’s website following the event.
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
Ellen Angus (UK) began her studies at Chelsea College of Art (2013) where she began to work collaboratively with Ellie Bradford and Shali Lui under the guise of LEAK. In 2015 she began her MFA at Umeå Academy of Fine Art, upon graduation she was awarded the Kungl. Skytteanska Samfundet Prize as well as the Verklighten Prize. On March 29th 2019 she exhibited the solo exhibition ‘A Brexit/No I Mean a Break Up’ at Växjö Konsthall, Sweden. During her time in Scandinavia, she travelled to the Arctic, (Abisko Scientific Research Centre) for the project ‘Meetings Between Art and Science’ with The Royal Academy of Art Stockholm.
She was a founding member of the collective Not So Popular (London) and has previous experience working at the documentary television company Century Films (London.) Her work has been published in Let’s Start a Pussy Riot (Rough Trade, London.) In 2021 she was appointed to be a director of One Thoresby Street an artist studio and gallery in Nottingham. She is currently working towards her first solo show in the UK at Four/Four, Nottingham.
