Theo Shields
Theo’s research while at Open School East centred around a material- and process-driven practice using the former Troy Town kiln. Found TV screens, windows, metal frames and domestic items warped to create seductive installations, questioning the material properties of physical matter. These works were showcased as the exhibition SLUMP in November 2016.
Contributing to the public programme, Theo delivered Contemporary Artefact Making, a neolithic tool making masterclass at OSE, The Scottish Sculpture workshop and The Royal College of Art. He also curated Speculative Tours: a series of investigations through ambient commons with fellow associates, exploring approaches to knowledge sharing, and discursive exchanges. For this series, speakers were invited to navigate sites of concern or interest.
During his time as an associate, Theo divided his time between London and North Wales where he was renovating a Victorian workshop into a studio for himself and visiting artists. January 2017 will mark the beginning of the residency program in partnership with Wern Manor.