Cabin Fever is a series of 1 month long residencies over the duration of 6 months, which offers artists an opportunity to test out ideas and make new work within a cabin, located on Osnabruck Square. We are looking for artists who will creatively engage members of the public, run public workshops and celebrate Derby’s people and communities.
As a result of the first and now second lockdown, many of us have had to spend time in isolation and confined in our homes. We invited artists in Derby to respond to this theme by literally taking up residence in our cabin in Derby City Centre.
Current Artist in Residence
Claire Pearce
Claire Pearce (b.1994) is an award-winning artist based in Derbyshire. Pearce is a graduate of the Slade School of Fine Art and Edinburgh College of Art and has exhibited work both nationally and internationally, including being artist-in-residence at Selfridges & Co., London.
News From Nowhere is a new installation work sited in a former news kiosk, as part of Artcore’s Cabin Fever artist residency programme. The work is a diorama of the Derbyshire landscape, referencing the area’s past ties to manufacturing and the industrial revolution, but also looking forward to ways of reimagining our area given the current socio-political climate and future possibilities for transformation.
The work takes its name from William Morris’s book of the same name: a Victorian science-fiction tale about the possibilities of a utopian future; ‘nowhere’ can be anything, it is ours to dictate. The installation references Morris’s work as a designer, conservationist and figure in the industrial revolution through the creation of three repeating patterns: one filled with native British flora, one representing the cotton and silk industries and one highlighting folk culture such as well-dressing and the maypole.
Silhouettes of local landmarks can be seen such as Belper, Cromford and Derby Silk Mill, Alport Castle, Chrome Hill and the Roaches in the Peak District, and Derby Arboretum. Public contributions based on the notion of an ideal future will expand the landscape over the course of the residency.
Past Artists
Ray Gumbley
I’m originally from ‘Back a Back’ Street, Aston in Birmingham, and a photographer inspired by people, dance, haiku poetry, fashion, tattoo’s, classical and contemporary art and burlesque culture.
Currently I have a studio based in Long Eaton, situated between Derby and Nottingham, but have clients and friends visiting from far beyond the borders of Derbyshire to have their photograph taken. The one thing that drives me – The story behind the next person walking through my studio doors, creating images conjured from dreams and seeing them leave as a friend smiling and knowing they will be back.
I believe that everyone is looking for that one image that captures, inspires and defines them. Together we will capture, create and bring alive dreams and in doing so, create beautiful fine art portraits which will be treasured for generations and stand the test of time.
Check Ray’s Blog
Nicki Dennett
Nicki is a printmaker who likes to mix images and text together to create a story across a series of prints. She often uses an old wooden type set and metal type to create text within her images. She will be running workshops where anyone can come in and print images and create text, telling their own stories of how they have been spending their time, in a positive way, during the pandemic, and would like to create a book or magazine as well as an exhibition of the work that people make. http://www.nickidennett.co.uk
Check Nicki’s Blog
Dan Webber
Dan is an award-winning LGBTQ+ poet, producer, events co-ordinator and promoter. Earlier in 2020 Dan created a project called The Derby Witness, a poetry and street art trail written in response to the Coronavirus lockdown. The work consisted of 49 lines of text submitted by members of the public, summing up their experiences of the UK wide National Lockdowns of 2020. http://imgenrefluid.com
Check Dan’s Blog
We are still accepting applications from artists, makers and producers for our residency Cabin Fever – visit here to apply: www.curatorspace.com/opportunities/detail/cabin-fever–callout-for-artists-in-residence/5008