2017 Artists:
CHECK OUT THE NEWS & GALLERY PAGES TO SEE UPDATES ON THE GAME AND EVENTS THAT THE 2017 RESIDENTS CREATED!
Baraka Welcomes 2017 Artists
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Baraka Center for Three-dimensional Experimentation welcomed two Artists in Residence who researched and engaged the local communities in order to create a Hilarious Healing Game. We were very excited to welcome Lily Cheng from Los Angeles, CA and Steph Wadman from Tampa, FL
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Lily Cheng, is a globetrotting nomadic interactive experiences maker. She works in the intersection of playing with your whole body, immersive experiences, live games and novel technology interfaces. Her work spans multiple commercial video game systems, custom events, experimental play technologies and festivals.
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Steph Wadman, a sculptor and installation artist, specialized in interactive art through steel, wood, ceramic, fabric, and mixed media. She is a member of a collaborative group, SPRNGBRD Collective, whose vision is to create immersice environments that invite the public to abandon all pretense and to enjoy themselves viscerally and imaginatively. Steph has an MFA in Sculpture from Ohio University and had been teaching at University of Tampa for the last year
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This year’s artists were in residence from August 19 - September 19th. The artists were prompted to create a Hilarious Healing Game for the Millbrook and Stanfordville Community Days.
Community days were held on Sept 9 in Millbrook, and Sept 16 in Stanfordville
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Read further for the artist's experiences
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Smorgasbord! by Lily Cheng
Bring Home The Beacon by Lily Cheng
Someone/Anyone by Steph Wadman
The Floating Chair by Steph Wadman
Artist Experience
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Lily - "Baraka is a fascinating and unique place to create in. I was surrounded by the handcrafted buildings and creations of Onnig in a secluded forest set near a friendly little village. A lot of my attention was focused on Baraka as part of the larger community and area since it was a community project. Both Onnig and Helen are involved and bring a lifetime of experience and views on a variety of subjects which sets the stage for what often felt like the meeting point of so many different paths, places and ways of thinking. My time at Baraka allowed me to experience and explore my current feelings on how in or out of society I want to be, how much of a deliberate choice that seems to be for people in both urban and rural settings, the benefits and drawbacks of these choices and how connection can be affected by physical location but also is a manifestation of how one feels about being connected."
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Steph - "From the beginning of the residency until the end the process of discovery never ended, from the community, to the Baraka property, to the abundance of fresh and local goods. Initially I responded to the call for a “Hilarious Healing Game.” I had already been creating interactive and immersive experiences, but had not had the chance to direct an experience at a specific community.
Living in Stanfordville for a month seemed like a tease, the entire community was open and welcoming to the idea of a game that challenges the regular “picnic” games and introduces new and sculptural forms that invite the community to become Dodos together.
Life on the Baraka property revolved around abundance. We were treated to the generosity, knowledge, craftsmanship, hospitality, and trust of Helen and Onnig (Residency Directors and Artists). The property itself is an endearing and challenging cabinet of curiosities that offers endless explorations and possibilities."