Working on my recent commission for Lumiere projects: a light festival in Durham. I am collaborating with the University of Durham Earth Scientists on this, and will be using some of their Lidar scans of local geological formations as part of the work. I will also be making drawings of beautiful coral fossils found in the local limestone, because – can you believe it – the geology of Durham was once a tropical sea! So happy to have this wonderful folly as the place where the work will be shown in November.
entangled
Excited to be working on a new commission for Lancaster University responding to their research on environmental modelling.
Liverpool Biennial
My Liverpool Biennial, a-n (Artists Newsletter) and OpenCulture bursary project at Yorkshire Sculpture Park, hosted by the wonder Invisible Flock is now completed. A huge thank you to Klavs Kurpnieks at Invisible Flock for his support with the technical equipment, they couldn’t have been made without him! The films of my experiments with Lidar mapping and Photogrammetry are now on the LB website and can be accessed here: https://www.biennial.com/blog/2021/06/24/lb-x-an-artist-bursaries-_2 Some clips below:
‘wateriness 1’ night projection‘wateriness 2’ Lidar footage clip
New animation
My new animation ‘in the same breath’ has been launched. It was commissioned for the ‘I’m Only Human’ project in spring 2020 and responds to the context of the pandemic. You can see it here:
Still from ‘in the same breath’Still from ‘in the same breath’
On line workshops
Over the last month or so, I have been running online workshops for King’s College, London and Imperial College, London. They’ve been really interesting, I’ve learnt new skills and enjoyed speaking to students and researchers.
Here is a recent one
Good news!
in these challenging times… Wonderful to hear that University of Dundee is buying 18 prints from my ‘Misprints’ series for their permanent collection! Busy packing them ready for delivery next week.
Animation clip
Here is a short clip from my ‘in the same breath’ animation, created by using a combination of hand drawing and creative coding by Chris Ball.
‘in the same breath’ animation clip
Animation drawings
It’s been a busy month but I am almost there with the animation and its looking great! Here are a few of the drawings from ‘in the same breath’, watch this space for news about release which will be in October.
Animation commission
Excited to be working on a new commission for Animate Projects, exploring what it means to be human in the context of Covid-19.
My ideas have evolved by thinking about how we’ve become more acutely aware of our bodies during lockdown. It’s become a dangerous place. Everyday things like food, exercise or touch have become big things to negotiate. We’re more emotionally vulnerable – crying unexpectedly, feeling intensely lonely, bored or stressed. Everything is magnified and experienced through body sensations.
The animation will focus upon the internal body, with a bodily soundtrack of heartbeats, breathing, swallowing etc. It will merge analogue drawings inspired by bio-medical imagery with creative coding to animate the drawings in response to the soundtrack data. The coding and data seem particularly relevant for this project because the pandemic is made sense of through data and by using algorithms to model and predict future outbreaks. I’ll be working with creative coder Chris Ball, and the working title for the animation is: ‘In the Same Breath’ Here’s a first drawing
King’s video
A short video by filmmaker Gemma Riggs of my residency at King’s College. Watch this space for more videos about student workshops, and a final performance at King’s of a hybrid human figure constructed using prints and drawings from Life Science and Anatomy collections.
momentum
Active [Drawing] Matter video selected for screening at Coachworks
Brian Cox Prize
Delighted to learn that we have won the University of Dundee Brian Cox Prize for Public Engagement with Research for the ‘Misprints’ project!!
I will be showing a recent video ‘Active [Drawing] Matter’ in the accompanying exhibition ‘Drawn to Investigate’ and presenting my ‘Misprints’ project during the conference. Really looking forward to hearing from a very exciting and dynamic group of artists who will be presenting on the day.
King’s lab
Just back from a few days at King’s College, London, setting up my space in the labs for my residency this academic year. Had a wonderful time in the Life Science museum making prints and in the anatomy labs setting up my space with help from Frank the technician. I will be adding new images as the work progresses next year..
My display cabinet in the labs with Takuhon prints. Nov 2019My corner in the lab
Textile Biennial
Last few days of British Textile Biennial at Queen St Mill (closes 2 Nov). Some installation pics by Richard Tymon below.
MISPRINTS @ DCA
Just back from the opening of ‘Misprints’, an interactive event at DCA (Dundee Contemporary Arts). It was the outcome of my residency at Life Science, University of Dundee, with Prof Miratul Muqit who is researching Parkinson’s Disease. Scientists participated in the event by ‘performing’ their research using my artwork as a stimulus for dialogue with visitors. Their conversations revolved around ‘what I see in this … ’ and ‘what do you see in this … ?’. The prints were produced from ‘mutations’ in my original drawings. After speaking with scientists, visitors placed their chosen print within an installation.
I will be presenting the project during the Drawing Conversations 3 Drawing Talking to the Sciences at The Ruskin, Lancaster University, on 17th January 2020.
Thanks to all the scientists who took part, to photographer Erika Stevenson (www.erikascamera.co.uk ), and to DCA Print for their support. The project was supported by the Wellcome Institutional Strategic Support Fund awarded to the University of Dundee.
British Textile Biennial
It’s the final stage of making new work for the upcoming British Textile Biennial, at Queen St Mill, Burley, which opens on October 3rd. I am drawing with coloured threads upon cotton fabric, which has been printed with images of female workers in textile/garment factories across China, Thailand, India and Bali (see below). And looking forward to installing another new work – gold thread woven intricately around a very large loom which was previously used for producing gold braid. Watch out for installation pics in upcoming weeks!
Embroidery in progress for British Textile Biennial, Queen St Mill.Embroidery in progress for British Textile Biennial, Queen St Mill.gold thread installation upon a ribbon loom which was once used to produce gold braids
Kings College Residency
Looking forward very much to my upcoming artist residency at Kings College, London. Watch this space for more news!
Festival of Making
One day to go before the festival! Here are some tasters of the work, hope you can make it to the festival on 15th and 16th June in Blackburn, it will be packed full of free events, talks, exhibitions and more! Link to a video: https://youtu.be/YQBDhTPi-aE and images below
Dundee workshops
Just returned from Dundee, running arts workshops with Parkinson’s patients at the wonderful Maggies centre. I was also making some test prints at DCA print. Looking forward very much to my return visit in mid June when I will be spending 2 weeks at DCA Print making the final work.
Photographs below by Erika Stevenson, courtesy of University of Dundee
Myself and Dr. Muqit at Maggies centre, Dundee
Workshop for people with Parkinson’s, DundeeWorkshop for people with Parkinson’s, Dundee
Blackburn
Work is progressing nicely in Blackburn, few weeks to go before installation week!
Active [Drawing] Matter
Just back from University of Bristol developing new work with the Applied Maths dept. The work comprises of a circular blackboard with speakers attached to its underside. When sounds of starling murmurations are played at a specific frequency, the blackboard vibrates causing the chalks placed upon it to move in active matter formations. The artwork is inspired by the concept of Active Matter and mathematicians’ use of blackboards as a collaborative thinking space. Active Matter systems are composed of patterns of collective motion typically demonstrated by large numbers of active agents. They can be microscopic, such as cell division and the movement of micro particles, or macroscopic such as flocks of starlings or shoals of fish.
AMAZING time in Baroda with Artcore! Some images and a video below:
Kaipo Che!
I am looking forward very much to my upcoming ‘Kaiypo Che’ residency in Vadodara, India, which is part of Artcore’s program during January 2019. We will be four UK-based artists and six India-based artists working together, plus some researchers. It will be a stimulating and exciting process!
Dundee lab drawings
First drawings produced after my week-long residency in the labs at Dundee University Life Science. Looking forward to my next visit in spring when I will be in the print rooms at DCA taking drawings into etching processes.
Upcoming research residency Dundee
Looking forward very much to my upcoming residency with Dr Miratul Muqit at University of Dundee who is researching Parkinson’s Disease. We have successfully gained funding for an extended project that involves a residency in the labs and in the DCA print room, workshops with patients and a final exhibition in 2019. Watch this space!
Biorhythmic Drawing @ Watermans
Upcoming solo show comprising of a new series of etchings, an interactive bio-sensor installation and a large scale wall drawing at Watermans Art Centre, London. Please see details below:
Gallery Tour and exhibition launch: Wednesday 13th June, 6.30-8.30pm
ACA BEYOND residency
A wonderful few days up in Northumberland for the BEYOND (star gazing) residency at Allenheads Contemporary Arts. Here are some images from my time in their lovely gallery space, playing with ideas connecting to mapping, light projections, drawing with light, seeing and not seeing.
Art/science drawing workshops
Some images from a recent drawing research project I delivered working with medical students and patients exploring the theme of skin. They took place at Salford Royal Hospital and Manchester Museum. Fantastic conversations, stimulating ideas and wonderful drawings!
V&A Noise+Signal event
A very busy and hugely enjoyable day at the V&A, here are some images:
V&A event 24th March
Excited to be taking ‘Noise+Signal’ to Victoria & Albert Museum’s ‘Digital Design Drop In’ event on Saturday March 24th. We will be in the sculpture gallery 1-4pm: come along to this participatory drawing event that responds to your own bio-sensor data. Here are some images from the Manchester Science Festival event to give you a glimpse of what to expect!
Very happy to reveal that I have just passed my viva examination (with minor corrections), project title:
THE CONCEPT OF NOISE IN MEDICAL VISUALISATIONS PERCEIVED THROUGH A CONTEMPORARY DRAWING PRACTICE
Images from my exhibition below
AA2A
Great day in the print room at Chester University testing out different etching processes. Here are some first samples:
ING Drawing bursary
Great evening at Mall galleries – very pleased to be a part of it!
A Grand Exposition
Wonderful show @cornbrookcrt the Noise+Signal drawing event was extremely popular with visitors! Live signals from biosensors worn by participants were projected on the screen upon which they traced their very own unique bio-drawing – see the images below:
FAFF animation festival
Fantastic programme of animations showing Sat 7th Oct @ FAFF festival, London:
A couple of images from my current work ‘Pani’ at the Horniman Museum, London. They are of people searching out the drawings hidden in the large print, which merges satellite imagery, embroidery and drawings of flora and fauna. They are not easy to find!
Suite@Horsefall
Delighted to be part of the Suite Studios exhibition ‘Suite@Horsefall’, part of Manifest Arts celebration of contemporary art in the North West.
‘Pani’ opening night
Just back from London, wonderful evening at Horniman, late night opening with lots of events across the museum including opening of Pani exhibition.
Work is progressing nicely, here are some test images of part of the installation ‘Pani’, a hybrid map, that combines satellite imagery, drawing and embroidery.
LifeSpace Gallery Dundee
Delighted to be exhibiting at LifeSpace, a science and art research gallery in Dundee. The solo show is comprised of drawings, prints and new animation.
Exhibition dates: 11 January – 1 April 2017
http://lifespace.dundee.ac.uk/exhibitions
Dundee LifeSpace gallery 2017
Dundee LifeSpace Gallery, 2017
Dundee LifeSpace Gallery, 2017
Dundee LifeSpace Gallery, 2017
New Animation
Just completed a new animation called ‘All of a sudden, something popped’ in response to art/science award at University of Manchester. It will be on Vimeo in May 2017 after being submitted to animation/film festivals, but meanwhile here are some stills.
Horniman Museum
New commission for the Horniman Museum, London! Watch this space for images in the New Year.
Art Gemini Prize
Selected for Art Gemini Prize 2016, exhibition at Asia House Gallery, London opens 22 Sept
Drawings chosen as best of May/June 2016 entry for ICAC (International Confederation of Art Critics) prize and featured in American Arts news: http://americanartnews.org/june-icac-art-contest
Women Artists: From 1861 to 2015
My drawings from the permanent collections at Touchstones Rochdale to feature in new show of work by women artists.
I have been invited to present at the Silent Signal symposium, at the University of Derby on 26th February. There is a wonderful line up of speakers; looking forward very much to a stimulating and thought provoking day! For further details about how to attend, please see link below:
New drawing ‘Lost in K Space’ in upcoming group show ‘Paper, Table, Wall and After’ at the National Taiwan University of Arts, Taipei (Nov-Dec 2015).
National Brain Appeal
Very pleased to see that the artwork donated to the National Brain Appeal 2015 has sold! The exhibition @OXO, London, invited artists to respond visually to a journey that they have experienced: whether emotional, psychological, real or imagined – using a simple envelope as their starting point. The aim of the exhibition was to raise awareness of neurological conditions through artistic questioning as patients at The National Hospital embark on their own personal journeys. All sales donated to fund advances in neurology and neurosurgery:
Solo show of new drawings and prints ‘Noisy Bodies’ opens on 1 October 2015 at the historic John Rylands Library, Deansgate, Manchester. The exhibition is the outcome of an art and science collaboration residency funded by the University of Manchester.
The John Rylands Library, Historic Reading Room, 150 Deansgate, Manchester M3 3EH
Exhibition:
1 October – 20 December 2015
Artist/Scientist talk:
29th October 6pm – 7.30pm
AND festival
Wonderful two days taking part in the ‘Night of the Living Deadwood’ workshop (http://www.andfestival.org.uk/events/night-of-the-living-deadwood/) led by Dr Rod Dillon and Dr Jackie Parry from Lancaster University at Grizedale forest. Watch this space for projects evolving out of the event in future!
Animation funding
Awarded Arts Science funding from University of Manchester to produce new animation responding to experiences of stroke. The animation will be screened in November 2016 at The Whitworth gallery, Manchester as part of a symposium. Still images of drawings below:
New Commission for MOSI
Working on new commission for MOSI (Museum of Science and Industry, Manchester) for ‘Cravings’ exhibition opening October 20th
Public Collections
Three drawings (Memoria series) purchased by Touchstones Rochdale!
Art/Science Residency
Awarded funding for an Art & Science collaborative project at University of Manchester beginning in January 2015 working with Professor Rebecca Elliott and Dr Alexandra Morgan. Daksha will undertake residencies in brain and lung imaging and experiment with drawing methods that respond to concepts of noise and signal in biomedical imaging. The project explores how science and art construct knowledge, and the relationship between biomedical images and perceptions about the human body. The residency will culminate in an exhibition ‘Noisy Bodies’ at the John Ryland’s Library, Deansgate in October 2015. It will be supported by talks during Manchester Science Festival, and workshops in local schools combining arts and science components.
Guardian weekend
Bodytopos exhibition featured in the Weekend Guardian December 2014
New show at Touchstones gallery, Rochdale Preview Friday 12th December 6-8pm
Touchstones Rochdale
The Esplanade
Rochdale
Lancs
OL16 1AQ
Exhibition continues 13 December 2014 – 7 March 2015
Triennial City Book Launch
Featuring artwork and text by Daksha Patel
Cornerhouse, 23 July 6-8pm. All Welcome!
http://www.cornerhouse.org/bookstore/product/triennial-city-localising-asian-art-asia-triennial-manchester-2011
‘Diffusion’ drawing featured in Drawing Paper 5, a newspaper based publication concerned solely with drawing, curated, designed and published in Liverpool UK by Mike Carney and Jon Barraclough.
