RESEARCH AS PRACTICE

There is Beauty in this Journey is D6’s major programme that seeks to redress the sensationalism and bias around migration stories, aspiring towards a shared, rich and responsive exploration of our cities and neighbourhoods.

This programme aims to reclaim the positive and too often concealed narratives around migration, diversity and cultural heritage. These are narratives and experiences are inextricably connected and complex but increasingly used to divide neighbours, communities and regions. We aim to draw out both the known and unknown historical and contemporary constructs that lead to misrepresentation and misinformation.

Under the framework of There is Beauty in this Journey, D6 has supported the research and development of North based artists, Henna Asikainen, Cat Auburn and Nicola Singh. Collectively, their research represents a wide ranging but deep exploration concerning the complexities and multiplicities of colonial heritage, intersecting historic and contemporary migration, environmental sustainability, gender, social justice, race, institutional practice and de-colonisation. Ultimately, their research plays an integral part in defining, shaping, directing and critically questioning D6’s practice.

We invite you to join a conversation hosted in the BxNU Experimental Space and BALTIC 39, that begins with four critical statements from D6 and each artist, directly setting down the challenges of research as practice within the context of There is Beauty in this Journey:

• Facilitating artistic research and participation within spaces of jeopardy;
• Participatory practice in the hostile environment;
• Writing, speaking, singing and shouting about race;
• Positioning colonial heritage and white privilege.

This conversation presents an opportunity to air the difficult questions, reflect upon the ethical considerations while considering methods and approaches around co-production and equity.

After the conversation, we invite you to a viewing of Omens - Making Futures by Henna Asikainen, a solo exhibition presented in the Project Space at BALTIC 39:

The conversation is FREE to attend but booking must be confirmed via Eventbrite.

Light refreshments will be available.

This event is kindly supported by the BxNU Institute, a centre for international artistic and curatorial research and practice instigated by Northumbria University and BALTIC Centre for Contemporary Art.

Image 1: Nest (2017), Credit: Henna Asikainen

Image 2: National Army Museum Te Mata Toa. Accession Number: 2008.41, Albert Crum Collection. ‘Shooting wounded horse‘, (Ministry for Culture and Heritage, NZ). Selected by Cat Auburn

Image 3: Nicola Singh 'NGL' (2019), Workplace Gallery, Gateshead (UK) Credit: Sarah Boutell (still from film)