Unit 15: London Project
This section details the conceptualisation and logistics of the Digital Residency. Including an Open Call brief, map of the programme and potential artists-in-residence/mentors.
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What is the Digital Residency?
The digital residency programme is an offering of time, space, and community-led support for artists interested in, or currently engaging in, practices involving drag or fetish cultures and communities. These terms remain open to interpretation by the artists. The goal is to nurture artists and promote them outside of their locale, while facilitating an inspiring, engaging exchange between existing communities in Japan and the UK.
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The first artist-in-residence will be based in London, the sister city of Department H’s native Tokyo. This will be via a blind selection process involving an open call for portfolios and expressions of interest in the drag and/or fetish communities.
New artists become a part of the programme quarterly, through a selection process whereby the current artist-in-residence nominates their successor from their local network of artists, practitioners, community groups, friends or acquaintances. There are no set criteria for nomination as any form of expression and any level of creative experience will be welcomed.
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The artists-in-residence will document their thoughts, experiences and engagement with the archive and its wider community (inclusive of Department H and the network of artists-in-residence). Alumni of the programme will be encouraged to keep in contact with the network they develop during the residency through via a programme of virtual and physical meetups. Thus, building bridges between two cities through the facilitation and strengthening of community groups.
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Map of the Programme
The artists
Here I have document some examples of artists I could approach to apply for the first Digital Residency position and why I would approach them. Click their names to visit their websites / social media accounts.
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Photographer, Vice contributor​
Rommelrath contributed photography of the growing London fetish scene to Vice. As a creative who is actively documenting the contemporary London fetish scene, it would be interesting to see their perspective develop as as a part of the Digital Residency. Gaining an artistic, photographic perspective of London's relationship with fetish would be an excellent start to the facilitation of a cross-cultural dialogue between the UK and Japan. Additionally, Rommelrath would have a wealth of contacts from her time on the ground documenting that could provide an interesting nomination of a successive artist-in-residence.
Artist, Dominatrix
Miss Cherry Velour is an artist and dominatrix currently active on the London fetish scene. She is proudly involved in the community and uses Instagram as a platform to showcase her involvement. Some of her work involves collaging, which directly relates to the formation of the archival materials on Don't Ask, Just Come. Like Rommelrath, whom she has modelled for, Miss Cherry Velour will have a wealth of London-based, artistic contacts to nominate for the Digital Residency.
Artist
Hila Angelica is an artist working primarily with paper collage and performance that examine fetish. She is part of a London-based collective that work with experimental arts, live performance and exhibition, called Under My Feet. It would be interesting to combine her paper collaging technique with Don't Ask, Just Come's digital collage. Her involvement with the collective could lead to an interesting nomination of an artists who works in experimental arts but is not necessarily within the fetish community.
