SulcisHUB: an interview to Anthony J. Meadows

Anthony J Meadows_La Saliera

The residence, curated by Olga Bachschmidt was held from May 16 to 23 2016, and it hosted 8 young artists selected among the participants to Mediterranea 17, the last edition of the Biennale of Young Artists from Europe and the Mediterranean. The aim of SulcisHub was to develop a network of creativity through the knowledge of a territory surprisingly rich of cultural heritage and landscape, among the oldest in the Mediterranean. A landscape that also bears the heavy signs of abandoned industrial activities, an open wound that many of the artists have caught and told in their installations.

We have interviewed one of the participating artist, Anthony J. Meadows.

First of all, we would like to know your impressions about the residency. Did it meet your expectations? Do you think that this journey has enriched your cultural and artistic expertise, stimulating new ideas and perspectives?

Being a part of the inaugural SulcisHub residency was an exceptional experience. I arrived in Sardinia without conjecture and allowed my time spent on the island with the wonderful people of Tratalias to shape and inform a now expanded and fond perspective of the area.

The second question is related to the work you’ve developed during the residency. You and the other participants had the opportunity to visit historical heritage sites and discover the old artisanal techniques of this peculiar area of the Sardinian island. How all these experiences influenced the artistic production you’ve been developing during the residency?

My work, La Saliera, drew inspiration from many different aspects of Sardinia, in particular Carbonia. The idea to use the projection was a direct result of our visit to the cinema and the expansive library they have open to the public. I would like to highlight the visit to the coal mine as the major contributor to the work. The stories shared by our tour guide helped to shape the concept and strengthen the works suggestion.

Do you think that this kind of experience should be repeated in the future involving other international artists in this area?

I absolutely would recommend this residency to an international artist. It is an opportunity to explore an area of the world, and in greater detail, that perhaps would not be possible otherwise.

Do you think that this kind of experience can be repeated in areas of Europe and the Mediterranean that have similar socio-cultural features to the ones you’ve found in Sulcis? Do you have some suggestions?

The concept of a travelling residency is an interesting one. Expanding the reach of the residency outwith Sardinia would perhaps appeal to many different artists whose interests may expand beyond the scope of the rich and compelling history of the island. This could also help establish a strong international network of artists, which i believe is a main intent of SulcisHub.