Artists: Alex Baczyinski-Jenkins, Keiken, Ndaye Kouagou, Jorge Isla, Andres Izquierdo, Raissa Pardini, Katrine Skovsgaard.

I was invited to curate a residency programme for international artists and collectives under 35yo gathering on the island of Ibiza. My interest was to experiment with notions of presence and ways of working together to connect with the unfamiliar territory and its existing resources. The two-months hybrid residency looked at artists as connectors or catalysts for creative and cultural fervour, having been historically termed radar and antennae for the future with an ability to imagine the unthinkable.

Working fluidly across media and disciplines, the invited artists approached the multicultural communities living on the island, the distinctive natural landscape and creative scene, as the canvas, the operating theatre, or the playing field for their work. We questioned what it means to be present nowadays, how can that generate meaningful ripple effects within localities? What does presence feel like in an increasingly digitised environment?

The residency period culminated with a public event showcasing a Manifesto of Presence that connects the material, thematic, human and emotional context of the island. Encompassing numerous contributions, including multimedia artworks, reflections, notes and conversations, the manifesto captured the global horizon of emerging contemporary art practices.

February to April 2022.