Notes

Artist's Bio

Ingrid Bolton resides and works out of her studio in Cape Town. Bolton’s area of interest is taking pressing global issues and bringing them into the public space for discussion. Installation is her predominant medium but she has also included video. With a background in microbiology, her interest fuels the need to make the microscopic world visible. A few years spent running a farm led her to focus her attention on the changes in climate conditions and weather. Recently she has exhibited work that looks at the role of microscopic organisms in the oceans, cable theft and ocean acidification – all global problems. She won the Sasol New Signatures competition in 2012 and her work is included in the Pretoria and the Kruizenga Art Museums, and in the University of South Africa, Sasol and Kilbourne collections. She has had solo shows at the Pretoria Art Museum, Sasol Art Museum and at Iziko South African Museum. She completed her master’s degree at the Michaelis School of Fine Art in 2016, after finishing a BVA degree through Unisa, where she was later a contract lecturer.

Artist's Statement

As single beings we are microcosms within the macrocosm of community, but we create stronger bonds, becoming more than just ourselves when we form connections. We connect via phones and the internet, gaining access to other individuals, companies and organisations. We join, we link, and we visit. We communicate with each other from the extreme ends of the globe in an instant. We also connect on a cellular level. All these connections are made possible because of the conductive ability of copper. How we, as humans, use copper as a resource today will affect generations to come. There is a finite supply of copper in the ground. My choice to use recycled material is a conscious one, given my concerns about the damage to our environment and given that we as humans are possibly becoming less connected to nature. My work investigates the way that global demand for copper has had micro and macro implications for South Africans, as well as for the greater global community.

Cité Experience

What an awesome experience it is to spend time in the centre of the incredibly vibrant city of Paris on the river Seine. The exposure to the many museums, foreign nationals and reflection time was gold. When you are on your own you have the time to really think about your art in a way that day to day life does not afford you. My residency experience was extremely rewarding, and I have realised the value of a residency and that this value remains with you for a long time.