Oliver Gingrich / Sara Choudhrey

Coinciding with the one-year anniversary of the Grenfell tragedy, Oliver Gingrich of FLUX and artist Sara Choudhrey curated a series of workshops and events as part of the AYAH – Sign project. Members of the local community and general public were invited to explore new forms of artistic practice with a focus on Islamic pattern-making, contributing towards a collaborative community digital artwork.

Audiences of all ages took part in workshops developed to provide an understanding of Islamic art and the production methods for patterns from Islamic visual culture, including geometric and floral motif design.

The results were a collaborative digital animation artwork, where artists Sara Choudhrey and Oliver
Gingrich combined their practice with the creative outcomes of the local community. The animation was exhibited as a public installation alongside further artworks by established media artists at ACAVA’s Maxilla Space, and shared with a wider public audience on site alongside the Grenfell tower, at the Kensington Leisure Centre.

The aims of this project were to break down barriers between local audiences and perceptions around contemporary media art whilst also providing an insight into digital art practice. The project also benefited from making art spaces more welcoming and portraying this as an accessible creative space for all. Social connectedness, i.e. the experience of belonging and relatedness between people (Van Bel et al 2009), is becoming an increasingly important concept in the discussion of social benefits of media including participatory art practices (Bennington et al. 2016). This paper reflects on the potential for art to bring communities together, to contribute to wellbeing and social-connectedness.

Dr. Oliver Gingrich:
As artist and researcher, Oliver Gingrich focuses on the potential of media arts as a vehicle for social change. Based at the National Centre for Computer Animation at Bournemouth University, his research centres around conceptions of presence, immersive media and the potential of media arts for local communities. With the Art collective Analema Group, Oliver explores visual sound as transformative, immersive experiences. As co-founder of ART IN FLUX, Oliver curates media arts talks, workshops and exhibitions – including AYAH – Sign in collaboration with Dr. Sara Choudhrey.

Dr. Sara Choudhrey:
Sara Choudhrey is a London-based artist and researcher, using an investigative process to explore themes of space and place. Her interests in the construction and application of patterns based on geometry and stylised botanical forms is informed by historical sites, considering human engagement and impact with spaces through material culture. Through both her research and artworks, Sara raises the question of whether hybrid art presents an affinity to an ever-globalising and hybrid society, seeking inspiration through spaces where cultures intersect. The results are hybrid in both practice and media and include examples of light art, interactive installations, painting, sculpture and etching.