Aidan Moesby
As an artist, curator and writer, Moesby’s work is at the intersection of the visual arts, wellbeing and increasingly, technology. Site or context-specific interventions serve as a catalyst for a socially-engaged conversation and personal or communal exploration.
Current work investigates the dual crises of Climate Change and Mental Health exploring the relationships between the outer physical weather and internal psycho-emotional weather.
Curation of public events, seminars and forums to specifically engage a non-art audience and explore the work in a wider context. This diversification and cross-pollination is integral to his overall practice.
Moesby is concerned with language: literally in text based pieces, objects as metaphor and the emotional and psychological language of spaces and location. He regularly participates in panel discussions, presents at conferences, guest lectures, trains and facilitates groups and discussions.
Moesby has worked, exhibited and curated nationally and internationally working with partners such as Dundee Contemporary Arts, Newcastle University, NSUN, WIP: Stockholm, The Tetley, DASH, New Media Scotland, NHS24, ANAT, Watershed, Jadraas Art and The Sick of the Fringe.
Works a lot with Disability, Disability Arts and Inclusion in Art and cultural sttings
Selected Projects
Apr – Aug ’14 No Time For Nostalgia – The Tetley, Leeds.
2 reseach residencies and a Production Residency and exhibition
April ’14 Creative Case North R and D with ‘VARC’ funded by ACE
April ’14 Unlimited Research and Development Award – Fragmenting The Code(x)
Aug ’13 Project Ginsberg – Arts and Health Project. – A Reflexive Barometer for Dundee
Lead artist with Dundee Contemporary Arts working with New Media Scotland
Jun’13 Full Circle Arts – Digital Commission
Oct’ 12 Dundee Contemporary Arts – Scottish Mental Health Arts and Film Festival - Curated and introduced a film programme and facilitated associated workshops
Sept ’12 West Yorkshire Playhouse Leeds – Commissioned for the Creative Case for Diversity
Feb ’12 Devising Psychosis – Early Intervention, Newcastle
Self initiated and funded collaborative project. Curated a final event symposium including performance, artists, academics, philosophers and medical teams
Sept ’11 Dundee Contemporary Arts Residency
Exploring issues around Engagement and Disability;how people engage with a multi-functional space that is also a cultural venue. This work informed DCA’s approach to disability and engagement including staff training
Oct '08 Mind the Gap (Mental Health)– Peoples Gallery, Discovery Museum, Newcastle.
Member of steering committee, organising and curating exhibition Mind the Gap
Nov '07 Royal Victoria Infirmary, Affective Disorders and Eating Disorders Unit (Newcastle)
A self initiated residency involving a complex array of stakeholders and funding bodies. A curated exhibition from work produced: ‘Are you alright? ‘Yes, Why would I not be alright?’ shown at Bethlem Gallery (Bethlem Hospital), London
Selected Exhibitions As Artist
July ’14 The Tetley, Leeds. Part of A New Reality inaugural year of programming
June ’13 West Yorkshire Playhouse, Leeds (Solo)
Installation resulting from Creative Case for Diversity Commission
Gateshead Library – Novel (Group)
Washington Art Gallery – Word Cloud (Group)
Mar ’13 Woodhorn, Outside In – Biennial of Outsider Art (Group)
Sept’12 Perceptions of Balance (Group) – Shape Arts, Dean House Studios
Exhibition exploring experience around equilibrium, or the lack of it.
Dundee Contemporary Arts – Exhibition of work from Engage Everyone Residency
Nov’11 Salisbury Art Centre (Group) ‘The View From Here’
Sept’ 11 Project Space Leeds – Welcome to the real world. (Group)
Mar ’10 Houses of Parliament 40th Anniversary Exhibition of Disability Act (Group)
Aug’09 Pallant House, Chichester (Group) ‘Outside In’ Biennial of Outsider Art
Feb’09 Royal Bethlem Hospital
Exhibition of work created during RVI Residency (Group)
Funding Awards
2014 Arts Council England. Grant for the Arts Award. No Time For Nostalgia.
Professional development around the Tetley Residency and exhibition
2012 Arts Council England. Grants for the Arts Award. –Towards a viable future
in Text. A research and development grant enabling me to explore my
practice through critical conversations with arts professionals in Scandinavia
2010 Arts Council England. ‘Momentum’ to attend the international disability arts conference in Auckland, New Zealand
Panels
2012 Devising Psychosis, Jubilee Theatre, Newcastle. Discussing the process behind the project and performance
2012 Engage Scotland, All Being Equal. Discussing Artist Residencies & Disability
Publications
2012 ‘Leaving Las Vegas’ Project Space Leeds
2011 ‘The View From Here’ Exhibition Catalogue (Disability Arts)Salisbury Arts Centre
2010 ‘40 Years of Disability Rights: Towards Equality’ Exhibition Programme,
Office for Disability Issues, HM Government (pg., 10, 14)
Collections
2011 ‘Bookmarks IX’ Centre for Fine Print Research, University of West of England
2010 ‘Have you been affected by this issue?’ Government Collection
‘Burn Baby Burn’ Government Collection
Other
2011 – Present Artist Advisory Group and Representative to the Board at The Art House, Wakefield
Internet Links
http://aidanmoesby.co.uk/
http://textartimage.wordpress.com/
http://www.axisweb.org/features/news-and-views/the-rant/rant-93/
http://www.dca.org.uk/learning/projects/everyone-project.html
Education
Oct ’95 – Oct ’97 MA Art & Psychotherapy
Dept. Of Psychotherapeutic Studies
Sheffield University
