Rye residency puts focus on climate change

Set up by curator Dzmitry Suslau and managing director Jevgenija Ravcova in 2020, Climate Art aims to bring together community groups, artists and researchers in joint action against the climate crisis.

June 24 is the launch day of their first residency, A Vanished Sea.

Spokesman Ian Roberts said: “The team at Climate Art have built their practice so that there is a greater understanding of public art as a form of meaningful engagement with a diverse public, and the residency at Bridgepoint, Rye provides three multidisciplinary artists (working across architecture, biology, and film) with a platform to create new works which will be shown in public space on the shore in Rye and at Bridgepoint.

“The three-month residency time frame allowed the three artists Joseph Williams, Mo Langmuir and Alistair Debling to immerse themselves in the town of Rye’s life and work collaboratively with its residents.

“One of the programme highlights will be Joseph’s temporary installation at Rye Harbour Nature Reserve. Designed and assembled by the artist in consultation with a leading engineering firm AKT II, this eight-metre-tall sculpture will showcase the remarkable architectural potential of bamboo.

“During the residency, the artists invited to participate were asked to explore the broad themes of transience, ephemerality, and perishability. The much-visited ruin of Camber Castle – a decommissioned Tudor artillery fortification – served as the metaphor for the residency’s key themes.”

Climate Art curator Dzmitry Suslau said: “At Climate Art, we are delighted that our first residency programme attracted such a diverse group of artists with knowledge spanning biology, architecture and film. Working with communities in Rye, they demonstrated the importance of breaking down disciplinary boundaries that may hold the key to our understanding of the all-pervading issue of climate change.”

David Kowitz, founder and executive producer of Bridgepoint, Rye, added: “We are excited by Climate Arts mission of enabling talented young artists to be inspired by and to draw attention to the urgent issues of climate change and sustainability. It was an honour to host their inaugural residency programme at Bridgepoint, Rye where we are dedicated to providing a supportive and stimulating environment for artists to create

innovative work, whist taking inspiration from the local community and natural world.”

Ian added: “Bridge Point, Rye will run multi-genre artist residences to nurture and develop creative ideas from inception to launch.

“The project will cost a total of £5million pounds and is being built by Martello Developments, which David Kowitz is a co-owner of.”