Hi I'm Ocean
I’ve selected 6 very inspirational creatives and collectives, that relate to my own practice balancing being an artist, lecturer and socially engaged practitioner. Each of them utilise their art to work with audiences and communities in live or participatory spaces.
Often responding to social or political needs, these exciting creatives use their practices to create a positive change in the world, striving towards social justice. Examples of the themes and issues they address include: combatting racism, the climate emergency, loneliness, poverty and patriarchy. Types of artworks include: public events, performative lectures, readings, interactive installations, meals, film screenings, song works, walks, talks and gatherings. Hope you enjoy!
Advisory note: some of the artist's broader body of work may feature language or themes that are adult in nature.
Abbas Zahedi
Having worked with communities before entering the art world, Abbas often creates performative, participatory, socially conscious artworks that strive towards social justice.
Explore more of Abbas’ work on abbzah.com
Follow Abbas on Instagram: @abbzah
R.I.P Germain
A lecturer as well as an artist, R.I.P Germain creates performances to teach and inspire, drawing from multiple genres of Black experience, history and culture – personal and collective.
Explore more of R.I.P Germain’s work on ripgermain.com
Follow R.I.P Germain on Instagram: @ripgermain
Gentle/Radical
Gentle/Radical is a project based in Cardiff run by artists, community workers, performers, faith practitioners, writers and others, advocating for art as a tool for social change. Nominated for the Turner Prize this year.
Explore more of Gentle/Radical’s work on gentleradical.org
Follow Gentle/Radical on Instagram: @gentleradical
Project Art Works
Project Art Works is a collective of neurodiverse artists and makers based in Hastings. They explore art through collaborative practice with, for and by neuro-minorities and disseminate their work through exhibitions, events, films and digital platforms. Also nominated for the Turner Prize this year.
Explore more of Project Art Work’s work on projectartworks.org
Follow Project Art Works on Instagram: @projectartworks
Lecture Performa series by Rhea Dillon, Eric N. Mack
This classroom was built to give space to artists from across the diaspora to present themselves and work they may not have shared through their primary art medium- instead we see them through the medium of experimental lecture-performance.
Lecture Performa Season 1 was hosted by @cassandra_press in residence at @feministcenterforcreativework
Explore more resources on womenscenterforcreativework.com
Follow Lecture Performa on Instagram: @lectureperforma #lectureperforma
Katie Paterson
A multidisciplinary artist, Katie Paterson often combines science and art, but in a recent project, ‘First There is a Mountain’, she worked with local communities, creating ‘sand-mountains’ in the shape of actual miniature mountain moulds.
Explore more of Katie’s work on katiepaterson.org
Follow Katie on Instagram: @katiempaterson
Explore further:
A selection of books, online reading and theoretical spaces that address creativity and socio-political concerns:
Women of Colour Index Reading Group
Paulo Freire, Pedagogy of the Oppressed, 1970
Kimi Hanauer, Lu Zhang, Toolkit for Cooperative, Collective, & Collaborative Cultural Work, 2020
ORGANISING; collective, collaborative organising in Southern Africa
A selection of creative opportunities and boards that are useful for young and emerging artists:
Gallery Youth Collectives – South London Gallery Art Assassins
