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Ph.D. Studentship in Contemporary Art and Archaeology in the Context of Urban Renewal
James received a BA (Hons) in Archaeology from University of Durham in 2001 and an MA in Historical Archaeology from University of Bristol in 2004. Prior to accepting the GWR studentship, James worked in the Historic Buildings and Areas Department of Pre-Construct Archaeology Ltd, commencing work in Bristol supervising recording work at the Courage Brewery before relocating to London. There he led building recording and area assessment projects around the country including playing a large part in the archaeological investigations surrounding the London 2012 Olympics project. James has additional experience in theatre and performing arts, the highlights of which are two successful comedy runs at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival and the production of a number of original plays and sketch shows. He has also published reviews on contemporary art and exhibitions. The studentship is supported by Great Western Research (GWR) - a £14 million programme of collaborative research that aims to catalyse research partnerships between research groups in HEIs and industry in South-West England - and led by the Bristol School of Art, Media and Design at the University of the West of England, in partnership with the Department of Archaeology and Anthropology at the University of Bristol, and with industry partner Bristol Alliance (Hammerson plc and Land Securities Group plc). Current Research Taking as its starting point the broader discourse around public art, patronage and the role of artists in urban renewal on the one hand, and debates over the public value of heritage and archaeology on the other, my research will make use of research methods drawn from contemporary art, archaeology and ethnography to explore the changing material and social environment of central Bristol from the bombing in 1941 up to the opening and use of the new Cabot Circus. The aim of the work is to use contemporary archaeological methods and theory to develop an in-depth understanding of the relationship between planners, residents, consumers and the built environment during the particular circumstances of urban renewal and regeneration. This will then be used as a base from which to discuss the public art scheme of the current Cabot Circus development, both in its own right and within wider local and regional contexts, with a view to proposing new ways that developers and public art commissioners can approach the local places in which they work. Some related websites: City and Region Jim Dixon will be introducing a series of lectures examining public art commissioning in the city of Bristol, organised by Bristol City Council in association with Arnolfini. For further information please visit www.arnolfini.org.uk. |
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