The Near Now Fellowship is our artistic and professional development programme which, through curiosity and discovery, helps pioneering artists to explore and realise bold new ideas.
Now in its fourth iteration, the Fellowship continues to attract some of the UK’s leading artists, thinkers and makers working across arts, design and technology.
Our fourth cohort will benefit from a year-long Fellowship with Near Now, supported using public funding by Arts Council England.
From this year we've made a significant change to the format of the Fellowship. Starting from July, a new Fellow will join us every six months. This staggered approach will help us create a robust programme of activity that takes place throughout the year.
We're proud to announce the two artists who will be our newest Fellows:
- Joe McAlister — July 2018 to July 2019
- Adham Faramawy — November 2018 to November 2019
Joe and Adham will undertake a tailored programme that will support them to research and create ambitious new work, reach new audiences and progress their careers.
During their Fellowships, we'll share insights into their work and updates on the research and development of their projects.
Joe McAlister
Joe McAlister is a computational artist and privacy advocate creating adaptive experiences that seamlessly blend technology with fine art. His work often focuses on themes encompassing metadata, user interaction, data security, and psychology. Joe approaches these subjects using programming, machine learning, sculpture, projection and performance.
He has exhibited in many galleries, and festivals across the UK, including the "We Are Now" festival in the East End, [space] Mare Street and prestigious universities Goldsmiths, Kings College and LSBU. He has also sat on panels discussing computational arts practice, along with those held at IBM Southbank.
Through the Near Now Fellowship, Joe aims to explore our growing relationship with "AI" personalities including Siri and Alexa. Studying how the proliferation of branded "chatbot" personas has changed our relationship with technology.
Furthermore, he looks to study the way our interactions can be the catalyst for sharing emotions with such "autonomous", "emotionless" entities through the embedding of custom AI within bespoke artwork.
Events
- Two people on the road — Broadway Gallery, 7-15 September 2018. Private view: Thursday 6 September.
- UKYA City Takeover: The Justice Syndicate – The Justice Museum, 9 February 2019
Photo by Aaron Harris.
Adham Faramawy
Artist Adham Faramawy makes work existing at the intersection of the body with technology. He uses a wide variety of media, from computer programs and apps, to perfume and print. Much of his work revolves around performance for camera and sculptural assemblage. Inspired by the language of advertising, Faramawy co-opts the techniques and special effects used to evoke desire for people, things and experiences. He combines the seductive devices of slipperiness, morphing and repetition with an interest in the transgressive aesthetics of ‘body horror’ found in cult cinema, animation and literature.
Through the Near Now Fellowship, Adham will focus on ideas of immersive viewing and how performing bodies can engage with and be augmented by animated digital objects.
Events
- Porous Bodies screening and events series: Summer 2019 – Summer 2020
- More coming soon
Banner image: Janus Collapse, Adham Faramawy (2016). Courtesy of the artist.
