theyarehere
Information

Biography

Our practice centres around observations of behaviours in public and communal spaces. These observations are often noted and re-distributed in the site they were originally observed. We may hide within the environment we are focusing on, converting disused space into an observation outpost.

Parallel to our visual arts practice, we write – inspired by music sampling and ‘mash-ups’ fused with post-modern literary strategies, for example, playful obscurity or lengthy and digressive footnotes. We aim to upset notions of fixed identity, post-colonialism and gender politics.

We have had residencies and presented work at Arnolfini, Grand Union, mac Birmingham, VIVID, Battersea Arts Centre, South London Gallery and Forest Fringe among others. In 2009–10, as part of the Live Art Residency programme at Chisenhale Gallery, for example, we collaborated with pupils to develop fictional constructed personae. These imaginary characters were developed through pupils’ scrutiny of their own daily environment and routines. Narratives inspired by life at the school, featuring these personae, were performed by the pupils. In doing so they explored the (re)construction and representation of lives beyond their own. Documentation of these activities as part of the Live Art Residency was subsequently gathered into a book, which is now a reference item in the school’s fiction library.

We currently live and work in London (b.1987, Sussex, England).

Education

2007–10 BA Hons (First), Fine Art, Chelsea School of Art and Design, London

2006–07 BTEC Foundation, Chelsea School of Art and Design, London

 

Forthcoming 

British Council Award, Project Space Lagos: Residency in Nigeria (November 2016 – January 2017)

 

Residencies

April 2014 Artists Residency in association with Live Collision Festival, Dublin

Sep – Dec 2011 In Association with Residency, Vivid, Birmingham

Sep 2009 – March 2010 Live Art Residency, Chisenhale Gallery, London

Jan – Feb 2008 New Year, New Spaces, Battersea Arts Centre, London

Dec 2007 – March 2008 Empty Space Residency, South London Gallery, London

 

Works / Writing

Ongoing

Slain by the cruel blade of postmodernity

 

2015

Concrete Fictions, New Art Projects, London

 

2013

Bristolayo / Bristoloni, Arnolfini & Bristol Old Vic, Bristol.

Slain by the cruel blade of postmodernity fanzine launch and installation, Grand Union, Birmingham

And when you finally disappear / We’ll just say you were never here, installation, mac Birmingham

 

2012

Other Half, Frame Birmingham

Slain by the cruel blade of postmodernity fanzine launch and live performance, Camden Arts Centre, London

 

2011

A conversation yet to come, Accleration, Or-bits.com

Hider in the House, Anticurate, MAC, Birmingham

Their Wonderlands, mac Birmingham

Slain by the cruel blade of postmodernity fanzine launch and live performance, Vivid, Birmingham

 

2010

Paradise, Chelsea College of Art, BA show

Jacco Olivier review, This is Tomorrow.info

Correct at the Time of Going to Print, Forest Fringe, Edinburgh Festival

Their Wonderlands, Grey Area, Brighton

 

2009

Hider in the House, Battersea Arts Centre, London

 

2008

Cloud Report, ARC magazine

Hider in the House, Forest Fringe, Edinburgh Festival

Empty Space, South London Gallery, London

 

2007

Anne Ist film script