For the month of September of 2015, the MdD hoted Jalinka Gressmann (website) , as well as Beckey Kaye (website), as Artists in Residence.
Both artists worked on developing images and objects—as well as a relationship—to the environment of the Moinhos do Dão. Each explored new techniques in materials use and reflected both on the Nature at the MdD (and/or the Self as it exists in Nature or a natural environment).
Their 1-month stays culminated in an Open Atelier Day on the MdD (plus an Artist’s Talk at the Viseu Polytechnical School):
Below is a selection of art work and statement about the practice of Jalinka Gressmann (NL):
Is a visual artist living and working in Amsterdam, with a background in commercial creative studies (Cibap 1998) and a Bachelor in fine arts (HKU 2004). Combining her knowledge and diverse experience, whilst wrestling with structure & time, it results in a mix of patterns, compositions and combinations. Jalinka enjoys getting lost in details and finding the beauty in everything, extending borders or connecting them,and always questioning everything. Her main focus is focus; losing it, looking for it, grasping it and letting go. Her art is a spontaneous manifestation of her vision, always developing in an experimental and playful way. The results are to be seen in her mixed media art.
Furthermore, below is a selection of artwork and the proposal submitted by Beckey Kaye (USA) for her interest in the residency at the MdD:
Continuing with my exploration of animal architecture, I am currently fascinated by insects as creators of their own worlds. The ambiguous boundary between outer world (environment) and inner world (the body) is best demonstrated by cocoons. Insects often use the physical components of their environment to build an auxiliary exoskeleton for insurance of proper incubation and metamorphosis. The materials, structure and body become integral. With a residency at Moinhos Do Dao, I would scavenge through the remnants of the environment to create a cocoon-like form. I would like the chrysalis to be unique in texture, palette and tone. The mixed media sculpture will include an opening for the viewer to peer inside. This cocoon will play with the notion of inner and outer worlds as it will serve as a contemplation of what is kept near and what functions as a protective barrier.
