For Creative Constellations we asked a number of artists from our past, present and future programmes to share their thoughts on what it is like to work with Fermynwoods Contemporary Art. We’re sharing these conversations to celebrate these relationships, to inform future working practices and to demystify the experience for other artists.
Existing as a project funded organisation often necessitates new relationships and as an artist led organisation we can be excited by new themes and new lines of enquiry. However, we recognise the value of our deep roots and have established a rhythmical and intentional process of developing ongoing relationships with artists to work in new capacities across multiple programmes, nurturing practices in a mutually beneficent manner whilst growing the Fermynwoods family.
The next in our series sees insight from Sapphire Goss.
Can you provide a brief overview of your artistic practice?
I am an artist and filmmaker who works with moving image, photography, sculpture and installation. I work with hybrid moving image and photographic processes to create an ‘analogue uncanny’ where the materials of my work create narrative layers. My work has been shown widely in exhibitions and festivals including the Barbican, Tate Exchange, By Art Matters Hangzhou, Fermynwoods Contemporary Art, Brighton Museums, Milton Keynes Art Centre, VideoEx and Maysles Centre New York. I was part of the arts accelerator Fish Island Labs and selected for Live Cinema UK’s National Talent Pool. My video, photography, research and writing work has been featured in performances, events, commissioned for a variety of platforms and used for commercial content and music videos.
What were your impressions of Fermynwoods Contemporary Art before working with us?
I had seen good things online from knowing a member of the team through a friend – and I was aware of the site specific exhibitions as well as the podcast.
How did you first become involved with Fermynwoods?
I first answered the open call for the online Triple Harvest exhibition, which featured work that remixed four Corby heritage films to create new narratives through the extraction of archival film. I was selected for Neverending Jigsaw, which used the archive to build a symphonic video composition: periods of rhythmic, layered industrial textures and movement interspersed with bucolic hand tinted scenes of farmland.
How did Fermynwoods support you in the first instance?
The first commission and resulting exhibition was during the Covid-19 lockdown. This was presented online as a cohesive exhibition with seven other artists, plus a small capsule post promoting each work. I was also invited to do an Instagram takeover during this period to help showcase the work.
How has Fermynwoods contributed to your artistic growth and development since then? How else have you worked with Fermynwoods since the original commission?
I have had a number of commissions from Fermynwoods since then including, Breathing in Art – a series of face masks designed by artists that were available to the public during the pandemic; Triple Harvest – The Archives – an in person exhibition of the commissioned Triple Harvest video work, featuring objects from artists alongside items from Corby Borough Council’s heritage collection; plus the ongoing video work for the Fermynwoods Podcast, where I have been commissioned to create a video response to accompany each episode.
The team have supported my other projects throughout, sharing on social media, newsletters and in print. During the in-person exhibition I was given curatorial and installation support – a bespoke display unit was built for my work.
Were there any specific skills or knowledge that you gained through working with the organisation?
Triple Harvest – The Archives was my first foray into making sculptural objects that have continued to be a big part of my practice (and the commissioned work has shown in 4 further venues). It was a big part of my first solo exhibition.
The ongoing video commissions are allowing me to work in an interesting mix of short form within a wider whole – I can see my responses develop over the duration of the project.
The Instagram takeover was also really useful in terms of situating my work within my practice.
What advice would you give to other artists considering working with Fermynwoods?
They are wonderful to work with and forge long term relationships that have helped me feel supported in a transient freelance environment. They are really open to ideas and offer guidance without any sense of coercion. They are flexible, friendly – and pay quickly which is always a bonus!
How would you like to work with Fermynwoods in future?
I’m pleased to be continuing to make the podcast videos for Fermynwoods Love + Light season. Perhaps we could branch out into Twitter? I’d love to realise a larger scale project/installation ideally!