CV

Susan Merrick is a multi-disciplinary Artist. She is interested in conversations, language and power, in questioning whose voices are heard, and in the access and spaces that can challenge or facilitate this.
With a background in BSL/English Interpreting and Sociology she makes work, projects and collaborations exploring these themes, utilising a context-based mix of social engagement, performance, visual art and  installations, film making and photography.

EDUCATION

2017 – MA Fine Art (Distinction), UCA Farnham

2007 – NVQ 4 BSL/English Interpreting

2002 – BA Hons Sociology, Durham University

GRANTS/AWARDS

2023 Arts Council England and National Lottery Project Grant: Woman Up Podcast Tour, with Amy Dignam

2021-2023 Arts Council England and National Lottery Project Grant: Conversations with Aldershot – Phase 2

2022 Outstanding Live Performance Award at the UoS Festival Digital Engagement | Pioneer Awards 2022 for Detangling the Knots Performance 3 with lead artist Barbara Touati- Evans and sound artist Akira Sileas

2020-2021 Arts Council England and National Lottery Project Grant: Conversations with Aldershot

2020 Creative Activity Award, Southampton University/John Hansard Gallery for performance Touch Cells (Detangling the knots), with Barbara Touati-Evans

2019 Curator Space Grant: Woman Up! Podcasts

2019 Arts Council England Project Grant: Practice Research and Development

2018 Arts Council England Project Grant: Statements in Semaphore

2017 Arts Council England Project Grant: Statements in Semaphore

SELECTED RESIDENCIES/PROJECTS/COMMISSIONS

Upcoming/Ongoing

Woman Up Podcast Tour with Amy Dignam. Funded by Arts Council England National Lottery Project Grant

Woman Up Podcast series, Collaboration with Amy Dignam and in association with Womens’ Art Library.

2022

Conversations with Aldershot 2020-2022

2021

Windows into the Past – Aldershot Town Centre, Window Graphic commission from Rushmoor Borough Council

120 Hopes – Community Placard project (local schools), commissioned by West End Centre, Aldershot

Test Valley Tales – Research, development and photography/illustration commissioned by Amanda Kane Smith and Test Valley

STATIC MESSY – Interpreted Performance commissioned by Sarah Cole and Annis Joslin in their 360 Film development work

Detangling the knots – performance/film collaboration commission continued.

Tin Can Telephone – Film Commission with Katherine Smith, commissioned by Chapel Arts Studios. See Tin Can Telephone Film here

2019

Laboratory of Dissent 2 Winchester School of Art residency as Associate with CAS Artists (November -December 2019)

‘Detangling the Knots’ Invited to collaborate with Barbara Touati-Evan’s project across 2019-2020

Chapel Arts Studios (CAS) Andover: SAFE PLAY AREA summer residency

West End Centre, Aldershot – Associate Artist Residency (Funded with part of an award from Arts Council England as part of some R&D time)

Woman Up! Podcast Series developed with Desperate Artwives and in association with Women’s Art Library, Special Collections, Goldsmiths University. Presenting and Editing.

2018

Statements in Semaphore and Platform 1 Gallery Residency:  ACE Artist Grant to fund ongoing project Statements in Semaphore

Wharf Residency: Floating Island Gallery Resident Artist

2017

Hollaback London: I was 1 of 16 Artists invited as part of the 16 days of creative action across London

Twelve Month Artist Residency with FiLia – ACE Artist Grant funded project Statements in Semaphore

What does it mean to be Artist in Residence of a Place?: LADA DIY 14 workshops, Lead Artist with Bridget Floyer.

2016

MOTHERHOUSE (Pilot): month long residency at IKLECTIK Art Lab , London.

Building a Better World: Creative Residency Project with UCA Archives, bookRooms and The Working Press Archives.

In Our Minds: Collaborative project and touring exhibition with UCA and National Archives

SELECTED EXHIBITIONS/PERFORMANCE

2023

Woman Up Tour:

  • Exeter Phoenix
  • Manchester Art Gallery
  • Rogue Studios, Manchester
  • Newbridge Project, Newcastle
  • Artlink Hull
  • Quiet Down There, Brighton
  • Friction Arts, Birmingham
  • Liminal Gallery, Margate

Shape and context, Chapel Arts Studios, Andover

Conversations with Aldershot, Chapel Arts Studios, Andover

Conversations with Aldershot Exhibition and archive launch, West End Centre, Aldershot

2022

Misplaced Women? Exhibition and Performances, DEPO, Istanbul, Turkey

2021

Misplaced Women? Exhibition and Conference, Belgrade

What Makes Another World Possible, Tallina Kunstihoone, Estonia – As part of the Misplaced Women? Project by Tanja Ostojic’

Conversations with Aldershot project exhibition, West End Centre, Aldershot

Detangling the Knots, Sound and Visual Performance, Southampton Science Festival, part of Barbara Touati Evans project of the same name. Watch here

Chapel Arts Studios and YellowFields online programme ‘Talking with Electricity’, Film Commission (CAS) and Talk with Katherine Smith. See Tin Can Telephone Film here

2020

Detangling the Knots Exhibition, Red House Museum, Christchurch

Touch Cells: Remember Forget digital performance, Southampton Digital Science Festival

Saturated Space Exhibition, Sandham Memorial Chapel (National Trust), CAS Artists

2019

#ConversationswithAldershot West End Centre, Aldershot

SAFE PLAY AREA Chapel Arts Studios, Andover

Clothing Exchange #5, Womans House – Revisited, Hackney, London

Clothing Exchange #4, As part of Victoria Day wiht West End Centre, Aldershot

Unperforming 14 by Louise Ashcroft, part of Sigma, Sigma, Sigma by Emma Cousins, Milton Keynes Arts Centre

Clothing Exchange #3, Desperate Artwives M-Word Exhibition, One Paved Court, Richmond

Unperforming 13 by Louise Aschcroft, Arts Admin, Toynebee Studios, London

2018

A Series of Events – Part 2, (Including Clothing Exchange #2)Statements in Semaphore project, Princes Hall, Aldershot

100 Women Artists, FiLiArt Exhibition, Manchester

A Series of Events – Part 1, (Including Clothing Exchange #1) Statements in Semaphore, Platform 1 Gallery, Wandsworth,  London 

Inside Out DAW Takeover, Leyden Gallery, Spitalfields, London   

DAW Public Takeover, Group Action, Online and in Bank, London    

Echo.Control UCA Farnham MA Alumni Show, Division of Labour Gallery, London including Live streamed 1.5 hour performance walk from ex Holloway prison site – to Division of Labour Gallery

Holloway, Curated by Bod Jaman, Islington

2017

Hollaback London, Live Action Waterloo Station, London

FiLiArt 2017 Exhibition, IOE, London

MA Grad Show, UCA Farnham

DAW Public Takeover, Group Action, Online and outside Tate Modern

Listen, A two day collaborative residency, performance and exhibition with Angela Alexander-Lloyd at Kunsthal 45, Den Helder,  Netherlands

DAW Midsummer Madness Takeover, Leyden Gallery, Spitalfields, London

The Waiting Room, MA Group Show, Platform 1 Gallery, Wandsworth Common Station, London

In Our Minds Touring Group Exhibition, UCA Canterbury, UCA Farnham, National Archives in Kew, and in Bristol

Nasty Women Cambridge, Group Exhibition, Cambridge version of the International Exhibition

Nasty Women Newcastle, Group Exhibition, Byker Grove Community Centre, Newscastle version of the International Exhibition

Iris Turns, BA and MA UCA Group Show, Bargehouse, London

Semaphore Aerobics, as part of the ‘Desperate Artwives Takeover’, Leyden Gallery, London

Statements Group exhibition, Atellier Tammam Studio, Hastings Street, Bloomsbury, London

Desperate Artwives 5th edition  Group Exhibition, 114-118 Lower Marsh, London

2016

FiLiArt – Group Exhibition at Oxford House, Bethnall green, London

Motherhouse Group Exhibition, Iklectic, London

Building A Better World Group Exhibition, UCA Farnham

Bound|Lines, Group  Exhibition, IKLECTIK Art Lab, Old Paradise yard, London

2015

Procreate project launch, Photozine exhibition, Women’s Arts Library, Goldsmiths, London (part of the            Women’s Arts Library touring Archive that will visit Nottingham and New York in May 2016)

She’s in a Nightie and So Forth!, Performance, Unperforming 6, 43 Inverness St Gallery, Camden, London

Rethinking The Body, Elaine Thomas Library, UCA Farnham

FILIA,  Feminism in London Conference, Hilton Hotel, London

NOA 2015 Moving Image Gallery with ‘Yesterday’ animation.

Off d’ shelf Artist Books, Iklectik, London

Music, Art and Passion, I’klectik, London

2014

Group Exhibition, Feminism in London Conference

Feminism in Art Exhibition, Iklectic Gallery, London

Skin, Street Art using Cosmetics outside Boots in Guildford http//:youtu.be/2Mj1rQduYKM

PUBLICATIONS/CONFERENCE

Social Research Association Online Conference (Autumn 2021)

Housebound, Catalogue Chapel Arts Studio Book (2021)

Sluice Magazine, Article by Susan Francis on the Chapel Arts Studios project Chapters (Autumn 2020)

Curator Museum Journal (May 2020) Ann Chow Article on the ‘In Our Minds Project’

ICA Daily Newsletter (7th May 2020)

GWAK Guides – A mini guide to Socially Engaged Art 2020

Neuroscience Conference 2020

Alzheimers Conference 2020

RISE: With your class not from it, bookRooms publication 2017

ArtLyst (Feb 2017) Review of Desperate Artwives Gallery takeover – Leyden Gallery

Artlyst (Jan 2017) Review of Desperate Artwives Exhibition

ILLUSTRATION

2021

Test Valley Tales – project with Amanda Kane-Smith and Maija Liepins

2015

Editorial illustrations for The Mother Magazine

2014

Colouring Book for The Mother Magazine

Welldone Publishing Nursery Range

Illustrations for Starflower Press

Illustrations and Images for The Mother Magazine

Private commissions for three authors

Commissioned to create charity cards for AIMS association

Produced illustrations for a new book ‘Cycle to the Moon’ by Veronika Sophia Robinson. Published by Starflower Press, 2014

2013

Illustrated Children’s book “Blue Jeans” by Veronika Sophia Robinson, published by Starflower Press Feb 2014
Illustrated Children’s picture book “What A Lovely Sound!” By Starr Meneely, published by Starflower Press Dec 2013-2016