The Robert Callender International Residency for Young Artists

I am very excited and appreciative to be given this opportunity to travel to Japan and explore its culture and Landscape.

This residency was awarded to me by Lateral Labs in Kinghorn, Fife, where a part of this residency will take place. The first part will be held in Japan where I will be able to travel throughout the country exploring the culture and landscape of a country I’ve long wanted to visit.

This is the first year that this residency has implemented a nomadic element which I plan to make full use of, using the volcanic landscape as my map I will go from site to site, researching, making, documenting and recording with the intention to expand upon on my return.

The volcanic landscape of Japan really has caught my imagination. The notion of constant threat coupled with the need to continue living in close proximity is such an alien thought to me but common place in Japan. I’ve decided to explore these sites and communities to help me understand more and look at the materials produced, predominantly volcanic ash. I’ve constructed a steel ramming mould to use with the ash to create small compressed objects on location, leaving traces of my research and presence in situe.