School of the Arts welcomes Emily Motto of 'Stranger Things' as Artist in Residence

Fresh out of the Ruskin School of Drawing & Fine Art, Oxford University (2014), rising star Emily Motto is set to be the University of Bolton’s third artist in residence, April – May 2018. Bolton School of The Arts are very excited to have Emily joining the university to undertake the next micro-residency in Fine Art in association with neo: artists. Since graduating, Emily’s work has gained significant interest and exposure; exhibiting internationally from one show to the next in London, Zurich, Mexico City and Rome.

Emily was selected for Bloomberg New Contemporaries ICA, London, Saatchi New Sensations and shortlisted for ‘The Woon Art Prize’. Two years later her work was selected to be part of ‘What is the Future of Art’ (2016) exhibition in the Turbine Hall during the new Tate Modern’s opening weekend. Emily works across disciplines of sculpture, installation and drawing with an exploratory approach playing with the interface between the body, digital and the physical space they inhabit.

In speaking on her own work in a recent interview Emily said; “I love to make playful forms that perform and evolve throughout, and beyond my creation of them – especially in terms of their shape, and the physicality of the unstable materials that I build them from.”

The month-long residency provides the resident artist time and space to develop new work using the university’s state-of-the-art facilities. The artist receives on-going support from neo: artists directors and curators throughout their stay, with opportunities to meet with regional artists and initiatives in an extended social network.

In a recent interview by Elephant, Rosalind Duguid observed; “Motto’s approach to sculpture is a lot about knowing when to let the materials get on with their lives.”

The micro-residency is a joint venture between Bolton School of The Arts and neo: artists which create a great opportunity for students on the BA (Hons) and MA Fine Art Programmes to engage with and work alongside a professionally emerging artist. The students benefit from having direct contact with an aspiring artist and a unique opportunity to see them engage in the development of a specific project in a professional capacity. Students will also receive an artist’s talk and masterclass workshop during Emily’s stay.