Rachel Beth Egenhoefer is working as an Artist in Residence at the University of Brighton, Lighthouse Brighton, Furtherfield London as part of the Arts Council England Initiative, commissioned by Distributed South and curated by SCAN and Space Media. The Textile Futures Research Group will welcome Rachel Beth as a guest and will have the opportunity to follow the development of her research through group presentations, interviews and workshops.
Egenhoefer’s residency consists of several key parts – experimental studio time, creating new work, and presenting workshops and lectures, all which will lead up to the commissioned exhibition at Lighthouse Brighton in March.
Part of this exhibition will showcase a new piece made during this residency which develops software that will provide motion tracking for knitting needles. Gallery visitors will be able to knit in physical space with special motion tracking knitting needles. Egenhoefer describes: “the motion from the knitting actions will be tracked and translated into a visualization of “knit code” displayed on the web and on screen. The action of engaging or knitting with the piece naturally produces a physical cloth, while it also shows that code is constructed from the same types of patterns to create a type of virtual cloth (or software). Visually the piece will reflect our bodily interaction with machines, tracing the circular motion of the needles to our body’s give and take of working at a machine. Cloth is often seen as an element of comfort and protection. Machines are perceived to assist us with advancing technology and communication while they are also harming our bodies with carpel tunnel syndrome, back pain, sore eyes, and other strain as we interact with them. This piece explores that delicate space in-between.”
Additional works in this series also explore the space between body and machine as a place for architectural design.
http://www.rachelbeth.net
Rachel Beth Egenhoefer's Residency is sponsored in part by the Arts Council England Initiative, commissioned by Distributed South, curated by SCAN and Space Media.
Residency Itinery
Visiting Artist Workshop
University of Wales, Newport
February 11-13, 2008
Distributed South Networking Meeting
South Hill Park Arts Centre, Bracknell
Friday March 7, 1:30pm
Textile Futures Salon, ICA, 'Candy & Code'.
A discussion with Rachel Beth Egenhoefer, Barbara Rauch & Nicola Naismith
Institute of Contemporary Art (ICA) London
Textile Futures Research Group
www.tfrg.org.uk
Monday March 17, 2008, 6:30-8:30pm
Knit Where, new work & interactions of physical and virtual knitting
Lighthouse Brighton
www.lighthouse.org.uk
Exhibition: March 18 – April 5, 2008
Opening Reception: Thursday March 20, 6:00-9:00pm
Digiville artist talk and private view: Thursday March 27, 7:30pm, doors open at 7
Artist In Residence
Furtherfield London
www.furtherfield.org
April 2008
Community Event/ Workshop Day: Saturday April 12, afternoon, time tbc
HE/ Student Day: Thursday April 16, 1:00-4:00pm
Networking Event & Closing Party: Friday April 25, time tbc
