Kelly + Jones : The Glass Tank Seers in Residence CaCO3

Kelly + Jones' research explores a decentralised and phenomenological methodology for approaching shared research dynamics. The Kelly + Jones: The Glass Tank Seers in Residence CaCO3 project approaches investigation as a non-hierarchical, non-linear series of happenings that privilege knowledge as a mingling and arrangement of rhythms and textures in anticipation of the appearing of the not-yet-seen. The Seers in Residence research model was first developed by Traci Kelly (2012). Kelly + Jones proposed that this model should form part of their practice as research exhibition at The Glass Tank, Oxford Brookes University, 2020 with an expanded scope to create a research opportunity not only across disciplines as previously but and also across generations of researchers. A key component of creating a research ecology lay in inviting others to pursue their own research through the lens of the exhibition. A micro-residency research model ”Seers-in-Residence” developed by Traci Kelly in 2012 as an open resource for creative practices provided the structure.
Each invited researcher spent a continuous three hours engaging with Kelly + Jones’ exhibition material through the prism of their own discipline and research interests. The contingent research-in-action expands, renews and shifts the territory of artworks and practices, providing a ground for each ”Seer” to further mobilise their investigations through the process.
The innovative intervention into exhibiting-as-research, created an inter-departmental, cross-disciplinary and inter-university research opportunity for four female researchers.

The intergenerational grouping of researchers was also key to the process and included a management/senior researcher, a lecturer/ researcher, a PhD candidate and a third year B.A. Fine Art student.

The result was the process built an intergenerational experience to benefit all participants by allowing integrated critical futures to develop within the Oxford Brookes University environment. Feedback from the residencies has been highly positive with students and staff commenting that they don’t normally get to witness their lecturers in active practice-as-research. The residencies also keep a static exhibition enlivened throughout its duration.

The methodology:

*The three-hour micro residencies were dependent upon a commitment by Oxford Brookes University to a resulting integrated publication on the different research areas and responses in order to disseminate the research. The micro–residencies took place once a week or twice a week depending on the duration of the exhibition.

The invited seers were:

Janice Howard BFA (Oxon), MA, SFHEA. Senior Lecturer in Fine Art
Professor Helen Walkington BSc, PGCE, MSc. PhD, FRGS, NTF, PFHEA. Department of Social Sciences
Deborah Pills BA Fine Art, Year 3
Kate Mohony Associate Lecturer Fine Art

Through this unique method by Kelly + Jones they worked in depth with an appropriate and coherent process of practice as research. The context of creating and inviting other researchers to have a micro-residency and to site their occupations within the Kelly + Jones exhibition at The Glass Tank established practical reflection points through our own research and the trajectories of the seers own research interests - working in parallel.

The outcome of the seers residency programme and its engagement with the Kelly + Jones exhibition as part of the research enquiry was that we were able to decentralise the research by opening it up to other researchers at various stages in their career without hierarchy. We have moved outside of the Fine Art community to gain fresh insight into our theory framework and site knowledge; this as evidenced by seer and geographer Professor Helen Walkington who brought new insight about the presence of flint within chalk beds and their significance around human activity.

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