News Story
We're delighted to announce the 2024 Yorkshire Graduate Award winner as Leeds-based artist George Moody.
Moody recently graduated from the University of Leeds with an MA in Performance Design. Their practice spans bio art, sculpture, photography, installation and digital technologies. They are inspired by the ideas of Queer Ecology (the combination of Queer theory and Eco-criticism), to tune into the unique rhythms of nature.
Recent projects include It Ends with You which featured 40 petri dishes of decaying foliage and mould suspended in mid-air in a darkened theatre space. By experimenting with features of performance design such as lighting, sound and staging, Moody invited audiences to witness how the mould transformed in the environment over a period of 2 days. They viewed this work as a ‘love note’ to a material they have used widely in their practice, which will outlive humans due to its complex and adaptive nature.
At YSP they hope to extend these ideas and work in the Park’s natural landscape to develop sustainable materials. Moody will collect and combine water samples from the lake with decomposable bioplastics made from algae to produce a series of seasonal ‘bio paintings’, experimenting with natural and artificial light forms to activate these works. They hope to learn about the lifespan of bioplastics and how the natural environment will impact the material’s growth, culminating in a public event at the end of their residency.
Receiving the award feels like an incredible opportunity to see my work flourish in a place I have been inspired by for years. This opportunity will be one that shapes my future and I will always be enormously grateful for that.
- George Moody
For over 47 years, artist residencies have been at the heart of YSP, offering opportunities for emerging artists to reflect on and move forward with their creative practice. Launched in 2018 to help nurture regional artistic talent, the Award attracts an eclectic mix of entries that feature a variety of mediums including sculpture, installation, performance, film, photography and audio. The annual residency is open to recently graduated BA or MA artists from any Yorkshire-based university.
Previous winners include Astrid Butt in 2023 who uses animal-human hybrid characters to explore femininity, motherhood and domestication. Influenced by the style of classic David Lynch horror films, during her residency Astrid used YSP’s 500-acre parkland to full effect, shooting expansive and atmospheric footage for her new short film.
