curriculum vitae
Nikki Pugh (UK, 1977).
Download an abridged version of this CV (PDF format, updated 12/2009). For an overview of individual works, please see the projects page.
Statement
I have completed degrees in both Materials Science and Art and Design and now work as a freelance artist operating across Art, Science, Technology and the gaps between.
My work usually places an emphasis on process rather than a finished product as I am primarily interested in how people relate to – and interact with – the things around them (physical landscapes, social contexts, objects, other people..). Typically I will instigate a starting point and a mechanism by which participants can then take ownership of the process and steer the direction in which the project goes.
Examples of the form projects take include performative actions in public spaces, random walks, use of game mechanics and use of locative and/or digital media.
I consider my core materials to be questions and ideas and regard my job as being to ask “what if..?” and then to communicate the results.
Activities are currently being guided by the 8 statements of Counsel for the Artist.
- Make exchanges with spaces
- Strive to achieve modest connections
- Set your own agenda
- Add to a culture of learning and experimentation
- Get the message across
- Meet a new network
- Resist the ascribed role of witness
- Circumnavigate predictability
Education:
| 09/2000 – 06/2006 | Birmingham Institute of Art and Design, University of Central England in Birmingham. B.A. Art and Design (by Negotiated Study) First Class (Hons). Foundation diploma in Art and Design, Distinction. |
| 09/2004 – 06/2005 | Dudley College of Technology. Professional Development Certificate in Sculpture. |
| 09/1997 – 06/2000 | University of Birmingham. B. Eng Materials Science and Engineering, First Class (Hons). |
Residencies:
| 30/10 – 01/12/2008 | Almost Perfect, Banff New Media Institute, Canada. |
| 11/2005 – 07/2006 | Department of Metallurgy and Materials Engineering, University of Birmingham. Supported by VIVID’s Interdisciplinary Support Programme. |
Grants:
| 10/2009 | Hello Digital fringe event: fizzPOP Howduino hackday. |
| 10/2008 | Grants for the Arts, Almost Perfect residency. |
| 07/2008 | Grants for the Arts, Emergent Game in Japan. |
| 06/2007 | Grants for the Arts, Research trip to Japan. |
| 07/2006 | Springhill Institute Project Development Grant. |
| 08/2005 | Interdisciplinary Support Programme: R&D grant for collaborative research and cross-disciplinary activity through risk-taking and experimentation. |
Solo Exhibitions:
| 10/2009 | Documentation of Invigilator: Malvern, collaboration with Paul Conneally, commissioned and exhibited by Malvern Exhibition of Contemporary Art. |
| 06/2006 – present | Day Science/Night Science: site-specific installation at the University of Birmingham. (Now in the University’s permanent collection.) |
Group Exhibitions:
| 07-11/07/2009 | Pieces of Eight, City Gallery, Leicester |
| 07/2009 | BNMI exhibition at Botega Gallery, Banff, Canada |
| 07/2008 – 04/2009 | 2°. Weather, Climate, Man, Stiftung Deutsches Hygiene-Museum, Dresden, Germany. Selection of items from theweatherproject. |
| 28/06/2008 | GOODS In, Birmingham. Curated by Harminder Judge and Charlotte Levine. One day exhibition in a disused warehouse. |
| 03 – 15/12/2007 | Artgos, artsparkle/theartmarket, Leeds. Artists working with multiples. |
| 05 – 31/03/2007 | c.art.ed in Ansdell: 14 artists’ interventions in Ansdell, Lancashire. |
| 01/09/2006 | Volume 0 for the Peer-to-Peer Sketchbooks project, Springhill Institute, Birmingham. |
| 06 – 12/2006 | Open, MILL-WORKERS, Manchester. |
| 12 – 17/06/2006 | Degree show, International Project Space, Birmingham. |
| 12 – 14/03/2004 | threshold, exhibition in a vacant shop space, Birmingham. |
Publications:
| In development | Pathways to Becoming an Engineer. Publication relating to Day Science/Night Science, including essay by Sadie Plant. |
| 10/2008 | Half A Brick In A Carrier Bag, Conneally and Pugh /seconds issue 9: vanishing point, the vicious and virtuous circle |
| 07/2008 | ContentsMayVary Issue 2. Artists’ publication. |
| 09/2006 | ANTI TALENT ZONE: Curated space within the TEN4 Magazine. |
Professional Experience:
| 22-23/10/2009 | MuseumNext: innovative ways to create more engaging experiences for museum and gallery visitors. |
| 13/10/2009 | Arts+Media Cre8us Creative Partnerships Event. |
| 28/06/2009 | Presentation and participatory game at Mozcamp, Moseley, Birmingham |
| 22/05/2009 | Presentation at Post Digital event, Fazeley Studios, Birmingham |
| 04/2009 | Core member of the fizzPOP hackerspce: oganising events and regularly contributing to www.fizzPOP.org.uk |
| 12/2008 | Co-founder (with pindec) of BARG: pervasive and social games network. |
| 09/2008 | Call and Return workshops in Japan and participating in Dislocate08 |
| Throughout 2008 | Mentoring programme with Eastside Projects, Birmingham. |
| 10/2007 – 05/2008 | Creative Apprentices training scheme run by Aliss and Creative Partnerships. Developing workshops for educational environments. |
| 06/2007 – 07/2007 | Research trip to Japan and attendance at Dislocate07 symposium. |
| 04/2006 – 2009 | Member of the Self-Service planning group, artist-led activities and criticism. |
| 06/2006 – 04/2007 | Regular participant in 100 Verses for 3 Estates for Alec Finlay and Gavin Wade: shared writing to document a community. 6 workshops in total. |
| 09/2006 – 11/2006 | Research trip to Japan. |
| 06/2005 – 08/2005 | Student Exchange Programme, Joshibi University of Art and Design, Japan |
| 12/2004 – 06/2005 | Internship Programme/ Professional Development Scheme: project management of a touring exhibition. |
Schools and Workshops:
| Spring term 2010 | Come Alive with Science programme, King Edward VII Science & Sport College, Coalville, Leicestershire. |
| 04/12/2009 | Creative Learning Day at Mowmacre Hill Primary School, Leicester. |
| 10/10/2009 | Maps and Mechanics for Interacting with Space, day-long workshop for Joshibi Summer School, Birmingham City University |
| 01/08/2009 | Emergent Game at the Hide&Seek Weekender Festival, London |
| 24/06/2009 | Emergent Game at Sandpit 13, Royal Festival Hall, London |
| Summer term 2009 | WOW! A song for Skatz, Linden Primary School, Leicestershire. |
| Spring term 2009 | Come Alive with Science, Babington Community Technology College, Leicestershire. |
| 19-21/09/2008 | Call and Return at igfest (Interesting Games Festival), Bristol |
| 13/09/2008 | Call and Return workshop at Dislocate08, Yokohama. |
| 08/09/2008 | Call and Return workshop at hanare project, Kyoto |
| 05/08-07/08 | Our Discovery Project, Hawthorn School, Birmingham. |
| 05/08-06/08 | Where have the trees gone? Christ Church School, Birmingham. |
| 04/2008 | The Cocoon Project. Imperial Avenue School, Leicester. |
| 10/2007 – present | Children’s Science Presenter, Mad Science West Midlands. Hands-on science experiments and demonstrations for children aged 3 to 12. |