This month we welcome to the ResidenceSEA two international artists working and living in New York: Caitlin Harder from USA and Tomoe Tsutsumi from Japan. They will collaborate together and work on a project entitled Spiritus. Spiritus explores the relation between humans perceptions and the forces of nature.
* “The sea and the night sky as spaces are at once reflective and absorptive; deeply personal, but also relating to a collective (and timeless) human consciousness. In “Spiritus,” which translates to “breath,” or “spirit,” we will explore the relationship between human action and the power of outside forces. The work will integrate aspects of our own cultural backgrounds and our interpretations of contemporary Greece from the perspective of visitors, while also taking into account the universality of materials, forms and spaces when presented in a broader context. During our residency, we will experiment with the creation of handmade objects which relate to the navigation of the sea, including reflective beacons, illuminated origami boats, and other ephemeral light sources. We will expose these objects to the outside elements of wind, water, and the passage of time. The final result will be a video installation that utilises moving image, sculptural form, and the natural sounds and physicality of the ResidenceSea space itself.” *(Caitlin & Tomoe)
Caitlin Harder is an artist from Vermont, USA. She holds an M.F.A. in Sculpture and Dimensional Studies from Alfred University and a B.A., Magna Cum Laude, in Art Studio and History from Marlboro College. She has also studied literature and philosophy at Mount Holyoke College. Growing up in rural New England, Caitlin developed a relationship with the natural world that has had a lasting influence on her research and artwork. She is particularly interested in the metaphorical qualities of raw materials, imagery and processes and their relationship to a shared human experience.
Tomoe Tsutsumi is a visual artist living and working in Ridgewood, New York. She was born in Tokyo, Japan. She holds an MFA in Fine Arts from Parsons the New School for Design and a BFA in Fine Arts, Painting from Colorado State University. She explores the themes of individuality, community, communication and the relationship between them. The medium of her work varies from drawing, painting, sculpture, video, performance and community projects.
