The Waiting Residency
Subverting the "make, make, make" artistic and work imperative
why a waiting residency?
We all spend a lot of time waiting, whether we like it, are aware of it, or not. The imperatives of efficiency and productivity (including in one's art practice) force us to think of waiting as wasted time. The Waiting Residency - established in August 2020 - aimed to shift value from productivity to the act of waiting itself. It was a purely conceptual residency. It was closed in July 2023 after 1394 days of waiting.
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how did it work?
Like most artist residencies, it provided a (virtual) space in which residents could wait, alone or with others. It was not about making or about a specific outcome. The residency was self-directed: it was up to each participant how they spent their time, individually or in groups. Waiting could be active or passive or a combination of both. The residency also provided a space for conviviality, connection and collaboration without the pressure to make or to achieve a specific outcome.
The Waiting Residency hosted 40 artists from all over the word.
current status
I am still interested in waiting, collecting related materials, often in my Instagram stories (see video).
In a way, I continue to be the sole waiting resident.
Everyone is welcome to send me stories and references for my collection.
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Video: A collection of Instagram stories about waiting
Waiting together in pandemic times
Selected documentation From the residency
Some contributors:
Further reading: The Waiting Game (Art Monthly, Oct 2017)
Video by Alan Powdrill, 2020
Some research on waiting