International Residency Feb-Mar 2003

This residency was planned as a sculpture and plastic arts one. During the six weeks, most of the artists developed an interest in each other's work and techniques. The different languages and scripts of India inspired the works done by the Barbara and Patrice. This was painted onto the seedpods reminiscent of the laburnum tree commonly found on every road in Delhi. Soman worked with the theme of smell as a sarcastic and humorous comment on the social system and its dirty politics. He presented his entire work as a beauty parlor installation where there were many small-labelled bottles with different smells. Some of his bottle caps were made in the shape of different religious symbols. When you change the cap from one bottle to another the smell remains the same but the structure changes, which constantly remind us of the meaninglessness of the political system and its power to exploit people.

Kristine made two hundred black and metallic glazed ceramic butterflies which hung from the ceiling in a mass around a 4ft high Venus Fly Trap plant which was constructed out of an altered male urinal with two washbasin pedestals on a bed surrounded by coal, giving the impression of a wild flower which traps flies as they hover over it. The sanitary ware was painted in the manner given to traditional pottery decoration for the table with the addition of gold luster fangs. She transforms the industrial ceramic sanitary ware object as well as demystifying the hallowed traditions of blue and white pottery painting. The work deals with the complex nature of gender issues and human relationships.