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Wig Sayell

Banbury
Artist Photographer

Art Practitioner Overview

My own projects begin with extensive historical research, often focused on specific communities and locations, or with the history of photography itself. This suggests certain materials and processes, the final work evolving from a practical and conceptual engagement with these.  My practice is therefore flexible in its approaches, calling upon experimental photography, digital photography, drawing, video and performance. Most recently in December 2018, I created a temporary site specific photographic and found object installation for the Museum of Rural Life, Reading that drew inspiration from the lighting and candle archive there.

My work also allows me insight into the breadth and diversity of contemporary art practice. My work features in exhibitions that bring together artists from across the country, engaging in innovative work from a range of disciplines. I have experience with working with other artists, and this had allowed my an understanding of a diverse range of approaches.  I have worked as an artist in the community since 1997, and have since undertaken many art and photographic projects with adults and children, these encouraging diversity through opening access for those who encounter barriers to artistic engagement. This led to the successful application to the Arts Council for a ‘Grants for the Arts Project’ that I personally proposed and managed. Entitled ‘The Workhouse Community Project’, this was also supported by Banbury and Bicester College. 

My aim for the future is to continue researching ideas and techniques, and collaborating with other artists and institutions. 

 

Wig Sayell

 Based in North Oxfordshire   

wigsayell@hotmail.com  

Introduction

I am a Creative Arts tutor and exhibiting artist, with over 15 years of experience in teaching, community outreach and national exhibitions.

Education

pgce | 2002 | University of Greenwich

  • Post-Compulsory Education

MA | 2000 | Cardiff school of art

  • Fine Art

BA (hons) | 1995 | nottingham trent university

  • Fine Art, 1st class

Selected Exhibitions

  • 2018  Folk Late, The Museum of English Rural Life/University of Reading.  An exhibition of contemporary art and performance exploring issues of ‘folk’ and the ‘folklore’.  I created a site specific installation with photographic light-boxes and found objects that drew inspiration from the lighting and candle archives.
  • 2018 ‘Recording Bodicote’ Magdalen Road Studios, Oxford. A series of experimental documentary photographs.
  • 2016, OVADA Gallery, Oxford, ‘VIDEDOVADA’: film festival showing ‘Grounds for the Sublime’ a short video piece made whilst at Stwidio Maelor, Wales, as an artist-in-residence. 
  • 2014, Pitt Rivers Museum, Oxford, ‘Afterhours’ Event: site specific photographic installation inspired by international artifacts from healing and witchcraft. 
  • 2014, Dept of Geology, University of Aberdeen, ‘Fabric of the Land’: pinhole images of ‘The Picturesque’.
  • 2013, OVADA Gallery, Oxford, ‘Open Submissions’, large scale pinhole photography.
  • 2012, Museum of Rural Life, Reading, ‘What to Look for’ in association with Ladybird Books and University of Reading: exhibited works that explored the impossibility of the constructed images in the ‘What to Look For’ series. 
  • 2008, g39, Cardiff, ‘If you build it, they will come’: group exhibition celebrating 10 years of artists exhibiting at g39, Cardiff. Video stills from ‘Annwn-Otherworld’.
  • 2008, The Substation, Margate, ‘Margate Rocks’ Arts Festival: exhibition of large scale cyanotypes. 
  • 2004, Focal Point Gallery, Southend, ‘Day Return’: experimental video piece ‘Welcome to Essex’ that explored the journey into the county of Essex.

Selected Awards

  • 2017, Arts Council England, ‘Grants for the Arts’: 8-month project ‘The Workhouse Community Project’ reaching out to the European Communities living in Banbury to participate and exhibit artwork based on their responses to a group visit to a refurbished Victorian Workhouse, and subsequent workshops on what it is like to live in Britain today. Exhibited at ‘We’re Here Now’ Banbury and Bicester College Creative Arts Festival and then at Churchill Hospital South Street Gallery, Oxford in July 2017.

Networks 

  • 2018 (ongoing) member and tutor for ‘Drawing Connections’ artist network for Arts and Prisoners rehabilitation with University of Cambridge and HMP Springhill.
  • 2017 (ongoing), member of The Listening Network. Working with Prof. Karin Lesnik-Oberstein (University of Reading) and Dr Johanna Motzkau (Open University) to build a network of scholars and artists engaging with issues of sound and hearing, and to develop relevant projects and funding proposals.
  • 2014 (ongoing) Associate artist at Magdalen Road Studios, Oxford.

 

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