This evening celebrates the continuing residency exchange between Centro de las Artes de San Agustín (CaSa), an art centre in Oaxaca, Mexico, and CAST in Helston. Initiated in 2020, the exchange supports artists from CAST and from CaSa to spend time in a completely different working environment.
CAST studio holder Charlie Duck recently spent a month at CaSa, where he worked intensively in the print-making studio, having started each day with a long bike ride into the country beyond. Much of the work made during this very productive period was inspired by the feral dogs encountered on his daily rides. Charlie is a Senior Lecturer at Falmouth School of Art and generally works with clay to make ceramic reliefs. The month spent in Mexico has taken his practice in new directions.
Oaxaca-based artist Mariana Rodríguez Fernández will arrive in Helston on 7 April to undertake a month-long residency at CAST. Mariana’s work predominantly involves drawing, whether as a final output, process or archive, often in close relationship with the written word. She often draws on the intimate and vulnerable spaces of her everyday life as subject matter, exploring issues including mental health and illness.
Mariana wants to learn about Helston by exploring the town and museum. She intends to carry out a series of cartographic exercises, mapping the connections she discovers. She plans also to see some local football matches and she will be in Helston for Flora Day on 8 May.