Alice Banfield
“The forest-mind out there transmits only terror, now, and the only message I can send it is terror, because when exposed to it I can feel nothing except terror!” – Ursula K. Le Guin, Vaster Than Empires and More Slow.
In Ursula K. Le Guin’s short story Vaster Than Empires and More Slow, the forest is a metaphor for the mind; a forest that is ‘unexplored, unending…’ where we ‘get lost in the forest, every night, alone.’ I use the forest in a multi-faced practice to construct a world building narrative where I manifest my own experiences of being neurodivergent. I use humour to navigate and question autism’s representation in society, as it is often portrayed as a disease that needs to be cured.
B. 1996 / based in Cardiff, Wales.
Education
2022/2024 | MA Illustration & Animation, Cardiff Metropolitan University.
2015/2018 | BA (Hons) Fine Art, University of Reading, First Class Honours.
2014/2015 | Foundation Diploma studies, Cardiff Arts Academy, Distinction.
Residencies
APR 2019 | ARCADE//CAMPFA, Cardiff, UK.
AUG 2018 | The Rising Sun Art Centre, Reading, UK.
Exhibitions
2024
AUG | PORTAL 2024, LLANTARNAM GRANGE, Cwmbran, UK.
JUL | TWILIGHT BARKING, TY TURNER, Penarth, UK.
2022
OCT | SHADO: RE-IMAGINTION, SHIFT, Cardiff, UK.
SEP | RUNNING WITH THE WOLVES II, 35blumen, Krefeld, Germany.
JUN | KLATCH X UMBRELLA: AFGHAN WOMEN IN EDUCATION AUCTION GROUP SHOW, Cardiff, UK.
JUN | QUEER FRINGE FESTIVAL, The Glory Store, Cardiff, UK.
MAY | FRINGE ARTS BATH – GRWP, Bath, UK.
MAY | SHOW 2, LLEGALLERY, Cardiff, UK.
APR | 12ØCOLLECTIVE: 30/30, online project.
2021
JUL | WITHOUT BORDERS, Swansea, UK.
JUL | PAM’s CORNERSHOP – as part of ‘Your Voice’ exhibition, Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff, UK.
2020
MAY | WORLD SERIES SD, CA, USA.
OCT | BEEP PAINTING BIENNIAL, Swansea, UK.
DEC | TSOTA/CURATORSPACE CHRISTMAS FAIR, online exhibition.
DEC | CARDIFF M.A.D.E WINTER SHOW, Cardiff, UK.
2019
APR | 12ØCOLLECTIVE: 30/30, online exhibition.
SEP | WHILE SUPPLIES LAST: MUSEUM EDITION, WA, USA.
SEP | OPENING THE DIALOGUE, The Canvas Café, London, UK.
NOV | WALKING WITH MY EYES, ARCADE//CAMPFA, Cardiff, UK.
2018
FEB | WOAHHH WE’RE HALFWAY THERE! University of Reading, Reading, UK.
JUN | A+E: UNIVERSITY OF READING DEGREE SHOW, Reading, UK.
Awards
2020
JUN | PRINCES' TRUST WILL IT WORK GRANT
AUG | CURATORSPACE ARTIST BURSARY #8
Publications
2020
JUN | AFTER ILLUSION ISSUE #1, ONLINE VIA ISSUU
OCT | TUBES MAGAZINE AS PART OF BEEP PAINTING BIENNIAL 2020
Other
2021
FEB | THE SKETCHBOOK PROJECT VOL 17, The Brooklyn Art Library.
