Biography
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- (b 1970) I’m a British artist, based in London, with a studio at the Chocolate Factory N16, London. www.chocolatefactoryn16.com. My work is informed by my parallel career as a Charted Research Psychologist and Executive Coach. You can visit cjacobsresearchpsychologist.co.uk to find out more about my research, consultancy and coaching.
- Solo shows include Midlands Art Centre, Birmingham; Herefordshire Photography Festival, Brighton Photo Fringe and the British Psychological Society’s Annual Conference.
- Numerous artist-led and commercial group shows including the Whitstable Biennale Satellite, Flowers Gallery, Sarah Myerscough, The Koppel Project, The London Group Open and many more.
- Residencies include Viewfinder, a year-long participatory landscape photographic project for staff and patients of an NHS cancer ward in 2006, a studio residency at The Florence Trust, London from 2002-2003 and ‘Rural Idyll’, working sheep farm in Suffolk in 2011.
- Publications include Work Horse Collective’s WerkHaus Wild Things issue 4 (2023) Abridged magazine’s Violet Hour (2022) and Fraction Magazine’s 14th Anniversary Edition (2022).
WerkHaus Zine, Issue 4, Wild Things, WorkHorse Collective, (2023)
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Abridged Magazine: In Proximities 4 was paired 'Land's Edge' poem by Martina Dalton, for the Abridged 0-92: The Violet Hour issue, 2022
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Recent Exhibitions
2024 SHIFTING TERRAINS & CHANGING CONTEXTS, joint show with Marcia Teusink, Stow Brothers, E8
2024 STRANDS, Downstairs at the Department Store, London, SW9, curated by Lee Evenson, Jill Desborough & Rebecca Tucker 2024 BRIDGE24, Downstairs at the Department Store, London, SW9. Year long collaboration ArtCan artists with Swedish artists from the ÖSKG group curated by Pernilla Iggstrom & Christel Lundberg 2024 TAVISTOCK OPEN, Tavistock Centre, London, Tavistock and Portman NHS Trust 2024 TEA & FRIENDSHIP, Space Studios, curated by Alice Mary Jelaska (2024) 2024 TRANSPARENT AS A DRAGONFLY, Bermondsey Project Space, London curated by Lesley Bunch & Rita Carta Manias 2024 INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY AUCTION, Art on a Postcard, selected by Jo MaLaughlin 2023 LONDON GROUP OPEN, Copeland Gallery, London. 2023 TRANSPARENT AS A DRAGONFLYTransparent As A Dragonfly, Arteborgo Gallery Rome, Italy. 2023 BRIDGE23 collaboration exhibition, Tjönedala Konsthallm, Sweden. ArtCan artists with ÖSKG group Swedish artists 2023 SPACE, Tebbs Gallery (online) 2023 ALCHEMICAL, Gallery 475, London; curated by Catherine Sweet, ArtCan 2023 19TH JULIA MARGARET CAMERON AWARD EXHIBTION, Barcelona, Spain 2022 WHAT A WASTE, collective climate emergency works, curated by Jarelle Andre Francis, The Koppel Project, London. 2021 A PLAYFUL TURN, Espacio Gallery, curated by Degrees of Freedom, London. 2021 DISTANCED DOMESTIC, Old Dairy, London; curated by Co-Curation, London. 2021 SOMETHING FROM NOTHING, Kato Wong Gallery, online. 2020 LIM(I)NAL, Online Drawing Exhibition, Alastair MacLennan Archive. 2020 IN SUSPENSION, Take/Make Photo Fringe online - Solo Full CV, 2025
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Artist Statement
Inspired by findings from psychological research, I work with positive states of ambiguity in art to help us build connections with each other and the natural world we are part of. Research shows rather than fixed states, our inner selves are inherently fluid and adaptive with different people, or different circumstances, all bringing out different potentials in us. Engaging with visual art can be a way of increasing our feelings of connection and reciprocity in our everyday lives and I purposely bring evidence-based techniques from positive psychology into my art processes and practice. I utilise a ‘not-yet known’ and growth mindset approach emphasising the importance of process, trial and error, effort, and making mistakes alongside neuroscientific Polyvagal theory, which explains when we can move away from flight and flight threat responses to a social engagement system in our bodies, we can feel safe, calm, connected, and more engaged with our wider environments.
I often choose a landscape aesthetic or reference the natural world in my work. In the studio I use slow moving, everyday materials, such as glues or body creams, to paint with, or stage as temporary table-top tableaus for the camera. Outside I seek liminal and threshold spaces to photograph, places that connect me to the natural ecosystems in my locality. The final works are always open-ended giving space for our everyday concerns, subjectivities, and encouraging shared dialogues. I regularly seek participatory collaborative opportunities to invite audiences to engage with each other and share their responses. In the words of writer Duncan Wooldridge in To Be Determined, Photography and the Future. "Images slip, stutter and shift; They move and act." |
Involvements & Memberships
- Photofusion: Digital suites, darkrooms, exhibition production services and picture library alongside a contemporary gallery. ACE funded it delivers a range of crucial outreach engagement projects. https://www.photofusion.org
- ArtCan: Working collectively with other member artists and forming new connections and communities. ArtCan is an international artist-led, non-profit arts organisation. 2023 is ArtCan's ten year anniversary artcan.og
- a-n The Artists Information Company: a-n’s mission is to stimulate and support contemporary visual arts practice and affirm the value of artists in society. a-n.co.uk