In October we set up a first meeting between artist Haseeb Ahmed and the Local Expert Group. In this meeting each local expert provided insight into the workings of their company/institution and their field of expertise. They elaborated on ways they could contribute, collaborate and support the artist in the residency. The artist submitted to the experts his artistic vision in accordance with the artistic project he intends to explore and realize in the fellowship. These introductions were followed by an in-depth analysis of the artist’s ideas by the experts.
The first LEG meeting was followed by individual meetings where the artist visited the companies and institutions of the Local Experts. Haseeb Ahmed met Micheline Verhaeghe, Technology Intelligence Engineer at Pollet Water Group, Dries Laperre, product designer and CEO of Surplace, with whom he visited the Industrial Product Design campus of HOWEST and Korneel Rabaey, professor at the Center for Microbial Ecology and Technology (CMET) and founder and Chief Technology Officer of CAPTURE. During these visits the artist gained a more profound insight in the operation of their company/institution, their expertise and the possibility of having access to their data, materials, … Where an in-person visit wasn’t possible, we organized online meetings in which the artist had one-on-one brainstorms with experts about the possible directions the artistic project may evolve to.
In December we set up a second meeting between the Local Expert Group and artist Haseeb Ahmed. Haseeb gave an insight into his research and inspiration for the project so far and presented a workplan for the residency. Together with the local experts they reflected on ways to shape the further course of the residency and the artwork. In the second part of the meeting, we had an active working session where both the artist and Local Experts participated in creating an online mind map. On this online whiteboard, the experts commented, added and reflected on a few topics selected by the artist. The outcome of this collective brainstorm was a huge mind map with a lot of information, links, pictures, websites, thoughts, reflections and comments.
This residency is hosted by LUCA School of Arts, in partnership with GLUON and with the support of Pollet Water Group, Pharma.be, Inopsys, Surplace, Capture, Vlakwa, Vito.
