Past Residents Rob La Frenais
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Photo by Sergio Urbina
Rob La Frenais is an independent contemporary art curator, working internationally and creatively with artists entirely on original commissions. He believes in being directly engaged with the artist’s working process as far as possible, whilst actively widening the context within which the artist can work. From 1997 for 17 years he was based at The Arts Catalyst where he developed an ambitious artistic programme and was responsible for some of the most innovative art and science exhibitions and events in the world. In the last four years he has been an independent curator, organising Tomas Saraceno’s Aerocene project in White Sands, New Mexcio, No Such Thing as Gravity, FACT, Liverpool and National Fine Arts Museum, Taiwan, Exoplanet Lot, France and Earthlab at University of Westminster, UK. He writes regularly for Art Monthly UK and Makery.info in France.
I am developing an exhibition project entitled Contingency Vehicles – Artists On The Water. During my residency I will establish contacts with the many Finnish artists interested in a relationship with floating on the water and the implications of rising water levels, as well as communicating with international artists whose work resonates with this project. I will also establish contacts with Helsinki rowing clubs (as a rower myself), who may not normally think about connecting with artists and others involved with being on the water. I am very interested in connecting with other artists and curators both on the HIAP residency and in Finland. But beyond all this I will enjoy looking, reflecting and thinking in the context of Suomenlinna Island. —Rob