Nancy-Violet Downs lives and works in London within community arts and as a practicing artist. Her practice spans textile installation, drawing, painting, performance and video, exploring feminist cosmologies, communities of care and contemporary spiritualities. ​
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My practice explores connection with the land, the cosmos and each other as a means of resistance. Throughout my practice, I create a space to (re)connect with playfulness and intuition through naïve process and earthly materials, fostering re-enchantment as resistance. ​
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My current research surrounds folk traditions surrounding seasons and ways in which they are imbedded and can be rediscovered, exploring personal and collective journeys through the darkness that hangs between the autumn and spring equinoxes.
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Selected Exhibitions
Solo
2024
- room in the bag of stars, The Avenue, Bournemouth, UK (25-30 Apr)
Group
2024
- Portfolio X Windmill Community Gardens, Turner Contemporary, Margate, UK (26 May-4 Sept)
- Degree Show, Arts University Bournemouth, Bournemouth, UK (27 Jun-5 Jul)
- Inno Al Video, Boscombe Arts Depot, Bournemouth, UK (7 Jun)
- Mumasha, a Hunger, an Endless Flow, SuperOtium, Naples, Italy (13 Mar-13 Apr)
- Fibrous Emblematics, TheBug, Poole, UK (12-18 March)
- Showroom LIVE, Avenue Studios, Bournemouth, UK (22 Feb + 7 Mar)
2023
- Showroom LIVE: Cultivate, Avenue Studios, Bournemouth, UK (26 Oct + 23 Nov)
- The Great Sublime, Fox Yard Studio, Stowmarket, UK (22 Sept-12 Oct)
- TheBug Residency Show 2023, TheBug, Poole, UK (25 Sept- 6 Oct)
- Siren Song, Camden Fringe at Little Angel Theatre, London, UK (24-26 Aug)
2022
- Ancient and Unknown, St Nicholas Church, Brockenhurst, UK (7-10 Dec)
- The Open, Turner Contemporary, Margate, UK (21 Oct 2021- 20 Feb 2022)
2021
- Common Ground, Slades Park, Bournemouth, UK (8-11 Dec)
- Ruminate, [online] (11 March)
Publications
- Visualcontainer Vegapunk Videoart Residency Blog, VVV Residency [online] 2024
- Ivanissevich, E. and Hanif, N., Talking Trees, for SPARC. 2021
- Peppl, J. Venice Fellowships Programme Yearbook 2022, for British Council. 2023
Awards and Residencies
- Vegapunk and Visualcontainer VVV-R Video Art Residency with TV (Naples, Italy) 2024
- TheBUG Summer Residency (Bournemouth, UK) 2023
- British Council Fellowship at the Venice Biennale Milk of Dreams (Venice, Italy) 2022
Education Projects
- Outreach and Engagement Researcher, ArtsHead, London, sept 2024-present
- Workshop Assistant for Seaweed Explorations, BSide Festival, aug-sept 2024
- Facilitator of Art Reading and Discussion group, Bournemouth, oct 2023-present
- Technician Demonstrator and Course Assistant for Portfolio Preparation (Fine Art) Short Course at Arts University Bournemouth, jul-aug 2023
- Study exchange at Hongik University, Seoul, South Korea, feb-jun 2023
- Art Assistant at ART-K. mar-jun 2022
- Contributor to Talking Trees 2021
Education
- Fine Art BA (Hons), first class, Arts University Bournemouth, 2024
- Foundation Diploma in Art and Design, Specialising in Fashion and Textiles, 2018
