Knowsley based artist Clare Brumby has been awarded a £5,000 arts grant to undertake a 3 month research and development project.
The project, supported using public funding by Arts Council England, is inspired by the performances of the late dancer, Carmen Amaya, and will enable the artist to spend one month in Amaya’s home city of Barcelona to learn flamenco.
Clare, 40, from Halewood said: ‘I’m fascinated by what Amaya’s performances had to say about gender roles, and this project will form the basis of some new research through which I also hope to create a fitting tribute to the pioneering dancer. It’s also a great opportunity to develop my art practice, exploring the whole language and culture of flamenco as a creative process, which is a huge focus of my work.’
The project has also received support from Halewood Town Council’s Community Chest Fund, and on her return from Barcelona in mid-October, Clare will undertake workshops with young people from Halewood Academy Centre for Learning, creating a series of video installations based upon the language of flamenco.
‘I want the young people involved in this project to use this language to challenge ideas about gender roles in contemporary society and through this, develop their own artistic potential, confidence and means of self-expression,’ said the artist.
The project journey will begin on Tuesday 17Â September, culminating in an exhibition at the Academy in November 2013, to commemorate the Centennial of Carmen Amaya’s birth and the 50th anniversary of her death.
Brumby works across a number of disciplines including film, digital media and live art, with a focus upon durational work that pushes both the artist, audience and collaborators beyond physical, social, mental and cultural boundaries, exploring the connection between each other and the spaces we occupy.
In May 2013 she staged a 3 day public engagement intervention, ‘Transatlantic Data’, as part of Liverpool’s ‘Battle of The Atlantic’ commemorations at Mann Island, where she invited members of the public to stitch a Senninbari (thousand stitch belt), connecting themes of battle, new beginnings, immigration and surrender of the ego.
Find out more about Clare’s work here:
Facebook: www.facebook.com/artistclarebrumby  Â
Twitter: @clarebrumby