Please tell us who you are and what you’ve been working on recently.
We are both artists who met during the inaugural A.MAL residency which Jessica ran, and Leila participated in as an artist. The residency used agar algae as a starting point to question the validity of the sustainability trend, and the ‘Global North – South’ relations, and culminated in an exhibition at the P21 Gallery in London during November 2021. We have continued to work together, and will both be exhibiting as part of International Lost Species Day at ONCA Arts in Brighton in November/December 2021. We have just registered A.MAL as a CIC, and are excited about applying for new funding opportunities, expanding our reach and remit, and continuing to explore ways of collaborating together.
What drew you to each other’s practice?
Despite never having met in person, we have formed a bond based on mutual values and lived experience. Material wise, our practices are very different, Leila predominantly using writing and moving image, Jessica installation and interaction, but the content which we explore is connected. A deep connection which spans colonialism, generations of migration and our upbringings in the UK, which though miles apart, have many similarities.
How will you use the 1:1 FUND?
We will learn how to use editing software together, and collaboratively work on a new video and sound project about ecology, migration and post-coloniality. We will launch this as a podcast and video series online via A.MAL. These will also be made available to the public for free, extending the reach of our materials and decentralising learning and knowledge production.
