News...

I have written a chapter for the forthcoming Bloomsbury book Reading the Thread edited by Alice Kettle and Lesley Millar

Goodshaw Chapel project with Nick Jordan, Jacob Cartwright, David Chatton Barker, Bridget Hayden, Emily Oldfield and Sam McLaughlin to be shown at this year's British Textile Biennal

Analogue Farm a community interest company offering film workshops and screenings is in a period of transition. More news on that soon,

Exhibitions, performances, screenings and publications

2022

Finalist in the Arts Foundation Awards for expanded and experimental animation

Film as Fabric: A visual essay signalling the importance of clothing in expanded cinema performance published in Studies in Costume & Performance Volume 7 Number 1

2021

Collaborative and solo films and expanded cinema performance with David Chatton Barker at Braziers International Film Festival, Oxfordshire

Presented paper Textile Practice as Feminist Critique in Experimental and Expanded Cinema as part of a panel with Lilly Husbands, Jennifer Nightingale and Amy Dickson at The Shifting Ecologies of Photochemical Film in the Digital Era, an online conference hosted by Aberystwyth University

2020

Website documenting research project from 2012-2020: Film as Fabric

Three new films in an online programme Home Movies curated by Collective-Iz

2019

Screenings and expanded cinema performance with David Chatton Barker at HOME Artist Film Weekender

Co-produced Industrial Folklore Tapes V: The Langley Linnet by Jen Reid out now! Read Bleep's blurb about the record, read it here.

'Film as Fabric: Female Editors in Early Cinema' conference presentation at Experimental and Expanded Animation Conference at the University for the Creative Arts in Farnham

2018

Film as Fabric 10 inch vinyl record released as part of the Industrial Folklore Tapes series. It was selected by A Closer Listen as one of their top three records of 2018 for best packaging, also read their review of the record here

Performance artist for Folklore Tapes 'The Art of Magic' at Full of Noises Festival

16mm film performances by Mary Stark & David Chatton Barker as support for Michael Hurley at the Golden Lion, Todmorden

Exhibition of Star Wars (Woven) film installation as part of Extending the Frame exhibition at Whitstable Bienniale

The Quickening limited edition cassette tape released by Set Foot Press

Double Dapple (2016, 16mm silent) shown as part of MATERIAL DESIRE AND EXPERIMENTAL FILM at Duke University, USA

2017

One of eight winners at the inaugural ORAM awards at the Turner Contemporary in Margate selected by the PRS Foundation and New Radiophonic Workshop

Performance at the inaugural ORAM awards at the Turner Contemporary in Margate selected by the PRS Foundation and New Radiophonic Workshop

Double Dapple (2016, 16mm silent) shown as part of Black Box Shorts at Edinburgh International Film Festival, the Tetley Artist Film Showcase as part of Leeds International Film Festival and Analogue Recurring, London

For Delia (2016, 35mm) shown at Delia Derbyshire: Experiments in Sound and Documentary at the BFI Southbank and Jihlava International Documentary Film Festival

Screening of Bedlinen Production with a live soundscape at Islington Mill, Manchester

Performance with David Chatton Barker, Sam McLoughlin and Bridget Hayden at the Museum of Witchcraft and Magic, Boscastle

The Quickening residency and performances at the Curfew Tower, Cushendall, Northern Ireland

Mary Stark and David Chatton Barker at Rogue Cinema, Manchester

2016

Performance at Radio Revolten International Radio Art Festival in Hall, Germany

Performance at Islington Mill for the Full of Noises festival book launch

Cassette and digital release of film performance Summoning Ghosts of Industries Past (2014)

Performances at Supernormal Festival of experimental arts and music festival, Oxfordshire

Performance at CineCycle, Toronto

Button Box Blast 16mm short film screened at Analogue Recurring

Performance at Rogue Studios for PROGRESS

Performance at Musterup at St. Margaret's Church, Whalley Range

Performance at Contact Festival of New Artist Film and Video, Apiary Studios, London

Performance at Sound is Sound is Sound, The Albany, London

Performance at Film Material presents...Bristol Experimental and Expanded Film (BEEF) at Rogue Studios, Manchester

For Delia (2016, 35mm) shown at Breaking the Sound Barrier: Women Sounding Out in British and Irish Film & Television at the BFI Southbank

For Delia 35mm film commissioned for Delia Derbyshire Day at HOME, MCR

2015

Performance 'Weaving Film' at Edges and Intervals: Contact Film Screening, Apiary Studios, London

Performance 'Lace Tells' at Folklore Tapes Presents, Cafe Oto, London

Performance at Kammerklang, Cafe Oto, London

Performance at Full of Noises Festival of New Music and Sound Art

Performance with The Aleph in the Textile Gallery at MOSI, The Museum of Science and Industry for Video Jam and Manchester After Hours

Performance at the launch of the label Hood Faire, Third Floor Studios Exhibition Space, Manchester

Performance and discussion with Sarah Hill, Director of Video Jam and David Butler hosted by Northern Film and Media at Tyneside Cinema

Solo show of works Summoning Ghosts of Industries Past, Film As Thread and My Notebook at Third Floor Studios Exhibition Space, Manchester

One of two performers selected for Annabel Nicolson's Matches re-staged by Collective-Iz at Apiary Studios, London

2014

Curated screening of works by Film Material Soup at Videofag, Toronto, hosted by the Regional Support Network

Film as Fabric, Lace and Thread, a Video Jam SPACES commission shown at Wharf Chambers in Leeds, The Vaults in London and The Kazimier in Liverpool

Film as Fabric, Lace and Thread, an evening of sculpture, performance and experimental film at Cinecycle, Toronto

Oxford Road Daily Chase (2006) selected for international tour One Minute Films curated by Kerry Baldry

Dark Room Poem experimental film performance at Nordic Summer University, Sauðárkrókur, Iceland

Records at Soup Kitchen, Manchester

Video Jam at Manchester Art Gallery

Expo:3 at Kraak Gallery, Manchester

2013

Anual 2013 La Escocesa, Barcelona

Mono No Aware VII, New York

Film Material Soup #8, Manchester

Paper #9 Interim, Paper Gallery, Manchester

Be Live, The Penthouse NQ, Manchester

Equals at Blank Media Space, Manchester

Film Material Soup at The Royal Standard, Liverpool

Critical Costume at Edge Hill University

2012

Mono No Aware VI, New York

MA Show, Holden Gallery, Manchester School of Art

Rogue Studios Artists Exhibition, Kraak Gallery, Manchester

Save Our Slide Library, Manchester School of Art

Expand, Piccadilly Place, Manchester

2011

The Last Thread curated by Dave Griffiths and Joe Duffy, Rogue Open Studios

Responses to the IABF Archive, International Anthony Burgess Foundation

FON AIR, a performance with Ellie Chaney, Barrow-in-Furness park bandstand

2007

Best of Open Submissions Programme (Bigger Picture in association with Cornerhouse) Urban Screens 07, Manchester

U-Hang, Art Gene, Barrow-in-Furness

2006

‘Girls on Film’, Night and Day Café, Manchester

CAN 2006 Leicester International Film Festival and Noise Festival 2006

Education

2012 - 2020 Practice-led PhD Film as Fabric: connecting textile practice and experimental filmmaking through expanded cinema performance

2012 MA Photography with Distinction, Manchester School of Art

2006 BA (Hons) Embroidery First Class Honours, Manchester Metropolitan University

Dissertation - Ephemeral Art: Ideas, Processes and the Importance of Photography

2003 National Diploma in Foundation Studies of Art and Design, Barrow-in-Furness Sixth Form College

Residencies and artist development

2017

Artist residency with David Chatton Barker at The Curfew Tower, Cushendall, Northern Ireland

2016

Attended 'The Independent Imaging Retreat' otherwise known as 'Phil Hoffman's Film Farm' in Ontario, Canada

2014

Artist in Residence at LIFT, the Liasion of Independent Filmmakers of Toronto supported using public funding by the National Lottery through Arts Council England, Canada Council for the Arts and MIRIAD

2013

Artist in Residence at La Escocesa Studios, Barcelona with financial support from MIRIAD

Attended Artists in the Archives at LUX, London, a seminar for artists and curators looking at the implications of artists’ film and video in the archive

2011

Cornerhouse Micro Commission with support from the Paul Hamlyn Foundation

2010

Attended ‘Unspooling: Artists and Cinema’ led by Andrew Bracey, an eight week course at Cornerhouse, Manchester

2010

Artist Assistant to Duncan Speakman and Paul Clarke, on a course exploring how mobile sonic technologies can re-frame and fictionalise real spaces working with fifteen international artists, academics and performers at the Nuffield Theatre, Lancaster

2005

Erasmus exchange, National Academy of the Arts in Bergen, Norway

Collaboration

Lavender by Mary Stark on Folklore of Plants by Folklore Tapes

Two tracks on Mid-Winter Rites and Rituals Calendar Customs Vol III released by Folklore Tapes

Wish Before Sunrise (Maydewing) collaborative soundscape with David Chatton Barker as part of the

Merry May compilation released by Folklore Tapes

Last Lullaby for Nosferatu, a soundscape released as part of a compilation Fore Hallowe'en by Folklore Tapes in October 2014

Film Material Soup: a collective of artists from across the northwest working with experimental moving images and photography. Regular meetings at Rogue Studios, Manchester and group exhibitions since October 2011

2014 Live light shows and handmade visuals for Raikes Parade at Fat Out Fest, Islington Mill and Branca Negra at Hotspur House

2013 Filmmaker for The Last Yarn by Hannah Leighton-Boyce

2013 Best Day with June Gersten Roberts

2011 Think Outside The Phone Box with Ellie Chaney

Papers and Publications

Review of Summoning Ghosts of Industries Past cassette release

Heavy As A Thread: An Interview With Mary Stark by Samuel La France in Cleo Journal of Film and Feminism

Needlework: Secret Relative of Cinema, E.Serdar (2014) http://bit.ly/1lihSBP

Paracinema: Resistances and Inconsistencies, Rogers, C (2014) White Cube / Dark Cube: Experimental Film and the Gallery at Sidney Cooper Gallery, Canterbury Christ Church University

Equals: Exploring Feminism Through Art & Conversation, Boobis. N & Kershaw. A (2013) Blank Media Collective, Manchester

Contemporary Practices: Where are we now? Kettle. A & McKeating. J, (2012) Hand Stitch Perspectives, Bloomsbury, London

Etching in E-Ink, The Last Thread Griffiths. D (2011) [Kindle Edition] Vapid Media, Manchester

Eyes Open: One with Open Eye Gallery (2011) Manchester School of Art, Manchester

Photography and video

2014 Filmmaker for Raikes Parade's track Long Time Comin'

2013 Photographer and artist assistant to Andrew Bracey for the touring exhibition and publication Misdirect Movies, Bracey. A & Rimmer, J (2013) Cornerhouse, Manchester

2011-12 Photographer for Hand Stitch Perspectives Kettle. A & McKeating. J, (2012) , Bloomsbury, London

2010 - 2014 Filmmaker and photographer for Full of Noises Festival of Sonic Arts and Alternative Music

Technical

2017 Projectionist for screenings of 16mm films by Larry Gottheim at Islington Mill, Manchester

2015 Projectionist for Tate Liverpool screening of 16mm films by Maria Lassnig at Liverpool Small Cinema

2014 Mechanical Reproduction Optical and Contact Printing at N.O.W.Here Film Lab, London

2013 Handmade Emulsion: Creating Black and White Film Stock From Scratch workshop with Alex MacKenzie at N.O.W.Here Film Lab, London

2012 Expanded Cinema and Optical Sound course lead by Guy Sherwin and Lynn Loo at N.O.W.Here Film Lab, London

2011 - 2012

Multimedia Technician, Chorlton High School managing sixty networked Apple Mac computers supporting teaching of Final Cut Pro and Adobe Photoshop

2010 Cornerhouse Digital Reporters Training Scheme

2008 Mac OS X Server Essentials Course v10.5, GBM Digital Technologies

2008 - 2010

Media Technician, Barrow Sixth Form College

2006 - 2008

Educational Projects Manager, Signal Films, Barrow-in-Furness

Project Manager and Location Scout on the Signal Films and Mediabox project Lily Winner Cornerhouse’s Underexposed Film Festival 2008, screened at the Kilburn Film Festival 2008 London, the Barbican London Children’s Film Festival 2008 and second at Keswick Film Festival 2008 New Visions