Coming out of the Blue

Join us for an evening with artist collective Squirrel Nation, the 2018 residents at the Stuart Hall Library, organised by the Stuart Hall Foundation in collaboration with Iniva.

During their residency, Squirrel Nation approached the archive as a catalyst to imagine “Diasporan post-Brexit, post-human” identities, culminating in their project Coming out of the Blue. On the 12th of December, they will present the process of research during their three months in the Library. Through collective reflections and writing, they will introduce us to The Data Critter, a live performance and digital rendering of public/private urban space.

“We resist digging up or reclaiming colonial heritage; instead, we face forward to curate alternative, nomadic gestures, landscapes for 21st century identities of an activist generation.”

Squirrel Nation bring together specialisms in film, design, neuroscience, fine art and curating, while discursively critiquing narratives around diaspora, disability and environmental sustainability.

The Stuart Hall Library Artist’s Residency is offered to visual artists based in the UK and the resident is selected through an open call. The next recipient will be announced in March 2019. The three-month funded residency in the Stuart Hall Library is a partnership between Iniva and the Stuart Hall Foundation.

About Squirrel Nation Squirrel Nation is an international collective comprised of visual artists, writers, designers, sound artists, scientists and curators who create experimental works across a range of settings. Commissioners include Sheffield International Documentary Festival, Arts Council England and Wellcome. The Stuart Hall Library/Iniva residency featured:

Caroline Ward is a visual artist and experience designer, trained originally in fine art and film and has a masters in research from The Royal College of Art. She is pursuing a PhD focused on climate imaginaries. She has crafted future experiences for BBC and as Digital Associate at The Space.

Erinma Ochu is a filmmaker and writer, originally trained as a neuroscientist. She’s interested in the afterlives of creative practice and what remains from experiencing intersectional work. She’s held fellowships from Jerwood /Manchester International Festival, NESTA and Wellcome. She teaches at The University of Salford.

Bianca Ama Manu is a Ghanaian British curator, producer and writer interested in art for social change and commentary, particularly art exploring socio-political, environmental, new media and identity matters. She has partnered with British Council, Netherlands Embassy (Ghana) and as curator in her role at Nubuke Foundation, Accra.