Nicola Ellis is interested in who values what – and why – in different contexts. Her work addresses how information, tradition and legacy is passed on or translated through materials, systems and the people who work within them.
Ellis’ works with materials sourced from places of industry or institutions therefore her sculptures, drawings and digital works often intercept existing material cycles. Her work simultaneously celebrates the links and differences between different contexts at specific points in time.
‘‘My work is shaped by the relationships between people, materials and processes, and often contributes something back to that triangular dynamic. This might be in the form of disrupting an established process with the people who usually work with it, by presenting an existing quality of an object or infrastructure in an expanded way, or by Individual artworks functioning as punctuation marks within long term relationships, exchanges and timelines.’’
Since 2018 Ellis has developed a relationship with Ritherdon & Co ltd – a manufacturer of steel enclosures based in Darwen, Lancashire. The National Festival of Making’s Art in Manufacturing programme initiated an initial 10 week residency at the manufacturer. The success of this residency led to the two-year ACE funded placement ‘Return to Ritherdon’ which resulted in an invitation to remain in residence indefinitely. Ellis will continue to observe, participate in, and at times disrupt the ecosystem of the factory while working alongside – and in collaboration with – the Ritherdon workforce.
Ellis is a member of Para-lab Manchester; a group of artists and material scientists interested in cooperation and collaboration based in Greater Manchester and Yorkshire. She is also a member of Incidental Unit, the current iteration of Artist Placement Group. The Incidental Unit draws out key ideas, methods, process and rationale for maintaining the independent and critical work of artists and curators, connecting the historical legacy of APG with the complex nature of social practice now.
Links
Return to Ritherdon: Photography and Drawings e-publication
Incidental Rendition essay by Nicola Ellis
Incidental Rendition essay by Manoli Moriaty
Podcast in-conversation with Matthew Pendergast
The Factory Residency. Article by Lauren Velvick in Tribunemag.co.uk
No Particular Place to Go exhibition catalogue
Corridor8 review. Each Toward the Other by Derek Horton
Nicola Ellis in residence at Ritherdon & Co Ltd. An Essay by Lauren Velvick
Molten lines and metallic dreams: The recent sculpture of Nicola Ellis. An essay by Derek Horton
Corridor8 review. More room for error: Nicola Ellis
Corridor8 review. Meanwhile See This
Corridor8 review. Nicola Ellis & Aura Satz, Castlefield Gallery