HARRIET HILL artist
Harriet Hill is based in South East London. She creates sculpture, site-specific installation and interactive live art that responds to the visceral qualities of materials, physical space and social frameworks. These may be structural, spatial, experiential or tactile. She is interested in the way these elements affect us and how they can be manipulated.
Working in a playful and dynamic way she uses evocative materials such as elastic, cardboard, felt and tape. She creates sculpture or contextual drawings that stimulate narrative through using the installation space as part of the work. By revealing or highlighting what is already there a viewer’s perception of an object and it's environment can be shifted or changed.
This methodology also applies with a more recent move into live art and the emergence of her letter costumes. Working collaboratively with performers and videographers, Harriet groups these wearable sculptures into words to make singular, resonant statements. Taking them on walkabout around streets and public spaces the letters talk to people as they go about the word and its varied meanings. These moving artworks and their subsequent films investigate similar ideas to her other work, from a performative rather than static angle: "My installations play with the dynamic of a space, becoming alive when the viewer moves through them. Conversely, the peopled words are alive themselves, moving amongst the viewers and through the space."
Harriet has an MFA Textiles from Goldsmiths 2007 and supports her practise working in art fabrication.
EDUCATION:
2006-07: MFA TEXTILES, Goldsmiths College, London
1984-87: BA Hons, FINE ART: Cardiff
SELECTED EXHIBITIONS & EVENTS:
CURRENT:
COMPANIONS: group show with the Feminist Library at Forum Box Gallery in Helsinki 19th Aug- 12th September
GROVING 2021 "Monuments": an exhibition on the streets of Bury St Edmunds 7th - 22nd August
HOME-ing: a live art odyssey 22nd June - 25th July
2019:
INDEX Festival, Wakefield, Yorkshire Sculpture International fringe: "H.O.M.E."
SCULPT by Art in the Churches, North Yorkshire: "Rock of Ages"
TAKE BACK CONTROL, Crypt Gallery, London: group show responding to coverage of the Brexit referendum 2016
PECKHAM FESTIVAL: Film screenings
HOME on the High Street, Slough: "H.O.M.E."
2018:
TATE Exchange, London: Female filmakers in Southwark showreel
"PEOPLE MAKE PECKHAM" at Peckham Festival
M2(at)15, APT Gallery: "M3"
OBS Gallery, Tonbridge: "Wall Stitch"
2011-18:
OPEN STUDIO at The Nunhead Art Trail
2017:
"P.E.C.K.H.A.M." at Peckham Festival
WORD PLAY, Forest Gate Arts, London: group show
OBS Gallery, Tonbridge: collection of maquettes
2016:
BREAD AND JAM, London: group show. "Karzy Camo"
2015:
FRESH AIR SCULPTURE, Gloucestershire: group show. "Black & Gold"
2013/14:
National Sculpture Prize, Broomhill Art Foundation, Devon: "CONSTRUCT"
2012:
"HOLE IN WALL", M2 Gallery, London: solo show
2011:
ASYLUM CHAPEL, Peckham, London: group show
2008:
BUSSEY BUILDING, London: installation
FREIGHTLINERS FARM, Islington: residency
"ANIMAL, VEGETABLE, MINERAL", Deptford Arms: solo show
2007:
MFA GRADUATE SHOW, Goldsmiths
2006:
BREWERY ARTS, Cirencester: solo show
LLOWES COURT, Hay-on-Wye: joint show
FIBRE, The Craft Centre and Design Gallery, Leeds
2005:
ROYAL EXCHANGE, Manchester: solo showcase
GALANTHUS GALLERY, Herefordshire: solo show
WASHINGTON GALLERY, Penarth: solo show
CHELSEA CRAFTS FAIR 2005
UNDER CONSTRUCTION Gallery Top, Derbyshire
2004:
LLANTARNAM GRANGE ARTS CENTRE, Cwmbran
THE MEADS GALLERY, Warwick University: solo showcase
2003:
THE GUARDIAN HAY FESTIVAL, Hay-on-Wye: solo show
HAMPTON COURT, Herefordshire: Outdoor sculptural commission
PUBLICATIONS:
2019:
WORDPOWER: LANGUAGE AS MEDIUM: features "P.E.C.K.H.A.M."
Published by: Library X: BOOK I ISBN: 9780993175152, BOOK II ISBN: 9780993175183
THE FEMINIST TOILET: featuring "Karzy Camo" and "Dry Wall"
2006:
CRAFTS Magazine, March/April issue: LOOKOUT article
RESIDENCIES:
2016/17:
COPELAND PARK, Peckham
2008:
FREIGHTLINERS FARM, Islington
THE DEPTFORD ARMS, London: installation
AWARDS:
2006:
CRAFTS COUNCIL and UKTI: funded research trip to New York
2005:
ARTS COUNCIL OF WALES: grant to exhibit at Chelsea Craft Fair
ARTS COUNCIL ENGLAND: promotion at PULSE fair