What drew you to each other’s practice?
In our work, we share a common interest to explore human interactions and constantly redefine the audience-artist relationship. By merging our practices as a performer maker and sound designer we generate live experiences which encourage new ways of thinking and interacting.
How will you use the 1:1 FUND?
We will use the Jerwood Arts 1:1 FUND to strengthen our collaboration to develop skills, methodologies, networks and inspiration to apply to our participatory practice within the public realm.
Why did you choose the idea you will be working on?
During the last year, walking was the perfect pandemic activity; socially distanced, but not isolated and giving some space to create encounters with other people. Urban spaces always bring inspiration and are the perfect setting to explore human interactions. This importance has been heightened during the pandemic. Ordinary spaces have changed, everyday interactions have changed, we have changed. We wanted to create works that draw from these changes and that give the participants a possibility to perceive and reinterprete the public spaces they are living in, in a different way.
What is the one thing you most hope to gain from undertaking this work?
By doing this work, we aim to develop new networks, collaborations and practical skills. Together we hope to find new ways of presenting work, innovative methodologies that apply our specialisms in participatory art and pathways that can diversify our practice.
Belén L.Yáñez is a performance maker and visual artist. Her work focuses on audience interactivity and is concerned with human interactions. She produces experiences that challenge art/audience relationships, creating spaces that push boundaries of personal interaction and where the audience is an active collaborator. Belén is currently working on Noras, a participatory public art project in Lewisham that honours women’s contribution to society. Recently, she presented Encounters a participatory video that aims to empower audiences to actively interact with the community they live in.
Mike de Lis is an award-winning composer, Multi-instrumentalist Performer and Sound Artist involved in a constant exploration of self identity and human emotional connections. He specialises in creating unique and original songs and soundscapes for film, performance and installations. His work is also driven by his passion about sound, its textures, Its development and its narrative possibilities. Currently he is immersed in the production of his band, Mono XL, first studio album.
