CLOSED: Call for UK Artists: Impossible Perspectives Lab

Thu 06 Jan 2022

An XR talent development residency exploring new visions, exchanges and experiences of heritage at Tatton Park, 14th – 18th March 2022.

THIS OPPORTUNITY HAS NOW CLOSED

Abandon Normal Devices (AND) are excited to launch Impossible Perspectives Lab, a collaborative XR talent development residency supporting new visions, exchanges and experiences of heritage. Developed in collaboration with Cheshire East Council as part of SHIFT and Tatton Park, and collaborating with experts, artists and technologists from SODA Labs (School of Digital Arts, Manchester Metropolitan University) and HTC. The programme is inspired by Tatton Park’s landscape and the works of Italian painter Canaletto. The Lab will welcome six artists to a week-long residential programme to develop their practice and proposals towards immersive artworks for Tatton Park.

\\ ABOUT THE OPPORTUNITY

In Spring 2022 (14th – 18th March) six artists will be invited to a residential lab exploring the visionary potential of XR (extended reality) technologies at Tatton Park, Knutsford, Cheshire, UK.

This new collaboration will take inspiration from Tatton Park’s rich landscape, collection and connection to Canaletto, whose paintings are part of the National Trust’s collection in Tatton’s mansion. Canaletto’s paintings are renowned for their immersive qualities of imaginary architectural views (referred to as capricci), creating ‘impossible perspectives’ considered to be fledgling versions of current virtual reality.

The five-day site-specific programme will be an opportunity to spend time in the landscape and collections, bringing together emerging artists with curators and researchers from Tatton Park and the National Trust, alongside experts and technologists from HTC and SODA Labs. The programme will provide workshops to experiment with emerging technologies, such as augmented, virtual, and mixed reality technologies (XR) and be a space to consider; How can new technologies of seeing allow us to question landscapes, histories and architecture in the present? How can augmented realities challenge and excite public experiences of collections? How can art change our perspectives on power, wealth and histories?

The residency will culminate in a series of proposals for new digital artworks, site-specific immersive experiences and XR public art under the banner of ‘Impossible Perspectives’. One, or a number of the proposals from participating artists, may be considered for inclusion in a proposed site-wide exhibition at Tatton Park.

We invite applications from early career UK based artists, collectives and/or studios, working across artistic disciplines (art, architecture, performance, new cinema, sonic art, research, writing and beyond). A cohort of six artists, studios or collectives will participate in the residential Lab. The programme is intended to support and expand artists’ practice in scale and technologies of production, therefore applicants who haven’t already worked with AR, VR or wider XR technology based artforms are welcome to apply. We are particularly interested in inviting applications from artists with a practice that progressively addresses architecture, landscape, and archive.

What this opportunity includes:

  • Fully-funded five day residential talent development programme
  • Workshops and guest talks from leading industry figures and artists
  • New technology demonstrations from leading technology partners
  • Support and collaboration with Tatton Park and National Trust curators 
  • An opportunity to meet and connect with a new group of artists, technologists, producers and researchers 
  • Support from the Abandon Normal Devices Producer 
  • Travel to and from Tatton Park and other partner sites 
  • Private accommodation on-site at Tatton Park 
  • £500 honorarium per artist / collective

\\ HOW TO APPLY

If you would like to be considered for this opportunity, please submit your application by noon on 31st January 2022 according to the below instructions: 

  • Applications should be made on the Zealous.co platform: please use this link
  • Applicants will be required to create a free account on Zealous
  • If you have any issues registering on the platform please use the ‘Chat’ contact function on the Zealous website to troubleshoot
  • If you prefer to upload video responses to your application questions, we advise that you keep these brief, and within the word count provided. As a guide, videos should be no longer than 4 minutes each
  • We have simplified the process of application and do not require additional supporting statements or documentation outside of Zealous
  • All applicants must complete our Equal Opportunities Monitoring form. The data is anonymised, it will be held separately from applications and will not be shared in the selection process. The data will be used for equal opportunities monitoring purposes only
  • There is no application fee

AND offered an open webinar on Zoom on Friday 14th January 2022. This was an opportunity to hear more details about the Impossible Perspectives Lab, and have your questions answered before finalising your application. 

Useful documents:

We offered a free webinar session on 14th January 2022 where applicants could hear more about the opportunity and ask questions to our team. If you were unable to attend the session, please listen to Programmes Curator Luke Moody’s introduction:

Impossible Perspectives Lab is a new UK artist residency programme for Tatton Park. Produced by Abandon Normal Devices, commissioned by Abandon Normal Devices and Cheshire East Council as part of SHIFT. Supported with public funds from Arts Council England.

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