Residency Dates
24 November – 15 December 2023
Artist Images
Residency Images
Testimonial
"My time at Xenia was characterized by happy isolation. It was the first time I spent all day by myself for my practice in a very long time.
For consecutive days, I went on walks, collected stones, encountered wildlife, drew, cooked food, painted, listened to music and slept.
I started to develop a rhythm or routine that was somewhat different from my life in London. Though the difference was subtle, this new rhythm had an effect on how I approached art-making. It really focused my mind to pay close attention to my surroundings and the materials I had with me to experiment with colour and forms in a new way.
I feel my practice has broadened directly as a result of spending three weeks at Xenia, and back in my studio in London, I have started to work on a new body of work relating to my time at Xenia."
Thank you so much, Bianca and Stuart, for opening your home and allowing me to spend such a magical time."
Bio
Born
1980,
Osaka, Japan
About
Lives and works in London in the United Kingdom.
Education
2005 - 2007 - MA, Royal College of Art
1999 - 2002 - BA (Hons), University of Brighton
"An interest in ceremonial objects and spaces has been at the core of my practice for many years. By their very nature, ritualistic objects and spaces have to transcend the every day, and I am intrigued by how they make this move into the realm of the unusual and the extraordinary.
I am particularly interested in how early man interacted with his surroundings, and the ways in which primitive cultures shared traditions across the world, and how these practices continue to shape our lives. I am attempting to capture this idea of universal similarities and primal elements that resonate with my work.
I am conscious of the repetitive action in my making, of not knowing what I am trying to achieve, teaching my muscles to move in a certain way, breathing and not breathing, but working and responding to the reality of what is happening in front of me. This is how my pieces emerge into being. Controlling the speed and time of my engagement with a piece is an important method I use to create something different from a previous piece. Changing or altering the physical distance I have from a piece while I work is another way I apply some control over what happens in my studio."
For more information about Nao, please visit his website here: www.naomatsunaga.com
Residency Dates
24 November – 15 December 2023
Artist Images
Residency images
Testimonial
"My time at Xenia was characterized by happy isolation. It was the first time I spent all day by myself for my practice in a very long time.
For consecutive days, I went on walks, collected stones, encountered wildlife, drew, cooked food, painted, listened to music and slept.
I started to develop a rhythm or routine that was somewhat different from my life in London. Though the difference was subtle, this new rhythm had an effect on how I approached art-making. It really focused my mind to pay close attention to my surroundings and the materials I had with me to experiment with colour and forms in a new way.
I feel my practice has broadened directly as a result of spending three weeks at Xenia, and back in my studio in London, I have started to work on a new body of work relating to my time at Xenia."
Thank you so much, Bianca and Stuart, for opening your home and allowing me to spend such a magical time."
Born
1980,
Osaka, Japan
About
Lives and works in London in the United Kingdom.
Education
2005 - 2007 - MA, Royal College of Art
1999 - 2002 - BA (Hons), University of Brighton
"An interest in ceremonial objects and spaces has been at the core of my practice for many years. By their very nature, ritualistic objects and spaces have to transcend the every day, and I am intrigued by how they make this move into the realm of the unusual and the extraordinary.
I am particularly interested in how early man interacted with his surroundings, and the ways in which primitive cultures shared traditions across the world, and how these practices continue to shape our lives. I am attempting to capture this idea of universal similarities and primal elements that resonate with my work.
I am conscious of the repetitive action in my making, of not knowing what I am trying to achieve, teaching my muscles to move in a certain way, breathing and not breathing, but working and responding to the reality of what is happening in front of me. This is how my pieces emerge into being. Controlling the speed and time of my engagement with a piece is an important method I use to create something different from a previous piece. Changing or altering the physical distance I have from a piece while I work is another way I apply some control over what happens in my studio."
For more information about Nao, please visit his website here: www.naomatsunaga.com
