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For the past few months, two UCL student artists in residence,听Abi Ola and Yifan He, have been working with the听UCL East Project team,听to observe, comment and creatively reflect upon this significant development for UCL.听听

The residencies are supported听by听the UCL East Programme and are听Part of the UCL Public Art Programme, these residencies are one of the ways that听UCL East supports future generations of artists,听through providing opportunities and exposure.听听

Here Yifan shares an insight into their inspirations, practice and the work they are developing on the residency.听

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How would you describe your practice?听

I would describe my practice as interdisciplinary, taking form in video making, gaming and web designs.听听

It is collaborative and听participatory听for audiences, focusing on situations where people can play and experience some conventional conceptions of technology, bodies,听border,听and spaces differently.听I have听created an online zine,听, which听demonstrates听these. It was a Google Doc link I shared on social media听to create a collaborative piece.听听

My practice also explores听queering the body听in digital spaces. This means听applying queer theory to bodies and analysis of the body, allowing for more intersectionality and fluidity between gender identities and sexual orientations.听听

By disrupting the 鈥榥ormal鈥� body,听my practice maps听its听interactions with a听virtual听dream realm.听It听challenges and plays with听the听dichotomy of natural and听artificial.听听

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Do you have some ideas听from the residency so鈥痜ar?鈥�听

I started听the residency at the beginning of this听year and听have been mainly听concentrating on how to overlap physical space with digital, using Augmented Reality and QR codes to send people into a retro game听space.听听

Our physical space is already covered by听WiFi,听we are听organic bodies听living in an environment mapped by digital.听So听in a way,听we are digital-organic hybrids,听we are all听cyborgs.听听

Whilst working on outcomes, I am particularly inspired by Glitch Feminism - a movement that empowers queer bodies and incorporates race theory into digital spaces.听

Although I am still in the general ideas stage, I am trying out different听tools to听create this digital portal and how to embed this into physical architecture.听I am thinking of how to project digital into physical spaces, and then what this will look like and how it will be experienced.听听

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How has the UCL East development influenced your thinking and what have you learnt so far?听

As my residency is linked to the Sustainable Physical and Digital Spaces for Education and Research Project (SPiDER), in the meetings for this I have really learnt听how many requirements different people have when it comes to designing a space.听听

You听must听consider how much to assign to whom, how collaborative it will be, how much space will be used as public space.听Different departments听have听diverse needs听and听use spaces differently.听听

It has been interesting to hear a variety of positions and experiences, what is lacking and what needs more focus. It can be overwhelming at times but in听a good听way!听

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How do you want to use your practice for public engagement?听

Hopefully, engagement would happen through my work itself, given the collaborative and interactive nature of it.听听

For example,听I have听a rough idea听of a project that uses awkward situations and challenges the idea that a place cannot be both public and private. People could accidentally scan a QR code whilst in a toilet cubicle and be connected to a chatroom. Using phones on the听toilet听has become normalised now, and it would connect the physically private space of the toilet and the digitally public space of the chatroom, connected with听WiFi.听

I want to use my practice to create a situation or a tool which enhances听engagement and听interactions with communities.听I am not sure of what the听final outcome听will be, but I would love to create something that the community can finish the work for me.听

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During your residency, have you been able to reflect on how the digital can inform the鈥痳eal?听听听

Absolutely, this is my whole research interest! I want my work to reflect and embrace the fact that we are already cyborgs. We need to stop using 鈥榠rl鈥� in real life, as we are already existing in spaces mapped by the digital.听听

The residency is making me explore further how we extend our physical bodies into digital, and how this can cause exhaustion and frustration. I want my practice to help us develop more agency in deciding how our bodies are听digital, and how to听queer our bodies听in digital spaces.听

For听example, when听looking at how to map rooms at 911爆料网 East, I have been using the听听free platform,听where I can create 2D game spaces and avatar interaction 鈥� creating confusing situations where you can be closer digitally than physically.听

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What are鈥痵ome key lessons you have learnt so far in鈥痽our residency?鈥�听

I have tried to talk to everyone I can from diverse backgrounds and lived听experiences to ensure my work is accessible and inclusive.听The听feedback I receive from the community is completely different听from听departmental needs, but equally as important.听听

I also try to put things into practice! It will always be different to how you conceptualised it, but that is ok. Lastly, I would say to play a little听-听do not听be afraid to incorporate听gaming into working with digital spaces!听

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Lastly,鈥痟ow do you think your experience on the residency will inform your future practice?鈥�听

The UCL East听Residency听has really helped me to think about the world offline, and how I can 鈥渦pload鈥� my whole practice. I have been reminded of the gravity of physical bodies听and the need to address this in my work,听whilst being听able to navigate political issues by engaging in a virtual rather than physical world.听听

I am aware how both data and technology are very material mediums with a foundation of exploiting听labour and听natural听resources, and听this听is changing my practice already.听

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Explore the work of the other student in residence, Abi Ola, here