User:Tc262/Island6 Residency Program

History
Founded in 2006, island6 Arts Center is an artist-founded, artist-run organization based in Shanghai. island6 operates on a not-for-profit basis and is governed by voluntary staff. island6 was first established on Moganshan road number 120 in the Fou Foong Flour Mill, a four-storey red brick building designed in 1897 by the British architectural firm Dallas and Atkinson. On April 1st 2006, “Invisible Layers, Electric Cities” the first art exhibition organized by island6 (and curated by Allard van Hoorn and Margherita Salmaso) opened its door. From June 2006 to June 2008 Charvériat assume the direction of the space. In June 2008, facing imminent eviction by real estate developer, island6 moved to Moganshan number 50. Located on the southern bank of the Suzhou River, m50 art district is the largest agglomeration of art galleries in Shanghai. Following a series of joint exhibitions between island6 and ifa gallery, the converted space, designed by French architect Philippe Diani and dressed with furniture by Aymeric Lefort, has undergone complete renovations. On August 2008, the space was once again rehabilated by Taiwanese architects Zheng Guoyang and Kang Jingfang. Starting January 2009, Thomas Charvériat, seconded by Latvian photographer/curator Zane Mellupe, took the direction of the space. In October 2009, Binbin Wang joined island6's board of directors and Zane Mellupe was appointed to the direction of the residency program.

Artist in Residency Program
Shanghai is an inexhaustible city, changing and shifting every instant, every blink of the eye. In order to create an interactive opportunity for artists to build a relationship with the city, and to channel its unique dynamic into creative energy, in May 2006, island6 set up a residency program, now a key component of the gallery. The program allows artists from all over the world to live and work in Shanghai and produce site-specific work.

Because island6 Arts Center was founded by artists, and is entirely run by artists, means that the program maintain a close relation to the resident artists and their work in progress. The objective of the program is to invite 2 to 4 artists at a time for a minimum stay period of 4 weeks of intensive production, which is then followed by an exhibition opening. Since May 2006, island6 has exhibited 198 artists from 21 different countries, sponsored 119 resident artists, organized 39 exhibitions and helped in the creations of 1900 art projects. The residency program includes individual studio space, individual bedroom and bathroom, weekly art criticism, daily assistantship, monthly portfolio review and monthly application to our ongoing exhibition. The gallery owns over 750 square meters space including exhibition area and an attached production studio, which make island6 one of the biggest art centers in Shanghai. Resident studios are scattered around M50, and the resident villa is located in front of Shanghai University.

Member of International Artist-in-Residence Organizations

 * Res Artis [] Worldwide Network of Artist Residences (island6 page)


 * Trans Artists Foundation [] an organization that informs world wide objectively about international Artist in residence programs (island6 page)

2009
Piers Secunda (United Kingdom) , Meng Ni Beh 马明妮 (Malaysia) ,

Kerry Ann Lee (New Zealand) Danamza (France)

2008
Gottfried Beyreuther (France/Germany) Klara Pokrzywko (Poland/Canada) Oussama Laftimi (Morocco)

2007
Jean-François Cantin (Canada) Christophe Demaître (Belgium) Xavier Dorange (France) Maxime Gabillet (France) Olivia Gurdjian (France) Lucas Gurdjian (France)