Curriculum Vitae
If you would like to find out more, have a project in mind for us to collaborate one or would like to hire me, send me an email and we can get the ball rolling.
Julia Higginbottom
Artist, Activist, Crofter and Producer.
BOM Fellow 2018-2019
Fellow of the Royal Society of the Arts (FRSA)
D.O.B – 20/03/1972
Address: Croft 22, Kirkibost, Isle of Lewis, HS29LX
Unit 16, 57 Frederick Street, Birmingham, B13HS
Biography
I’m a technologist artist and filmmaker. Disruption through technology for societal change has been at the heart of my professional practice for the last 15 years. Whether through examining changes in storytelling through early 360 degree filming in 2007, developing theatre with livestreaming to generating a film script through social media storytelling, I have enjoyed creating and developing projects using new tools, data and ideas in order to enable us to better connect as humans.
During my BOM fellowship in 2018-2019, I started ‘Comutiny’, a project vehicle that allowed time to research, reflect and respond to how communities are formed, nurtured and grown, how aging affects us and how technology will increasingly play it’s part. I am developing my practice whilst exploring the stories through lo-fi, open source AR/VR and other methodologies.
I have recently moved from Birmingham to the Isle of Lewis to further my artistic development and grow my practice. I am also a crofter and am looking forward to becoming a legendary shepherd.
New Work in Development:
Subsequent to this research whilst a BOM Fellow, I am currently developing 3 new works related to Memory and aging, with groups of elders in Birmingham and on the Isle of Lewis.
These 3 works are as follows:
Aide memoire: Aide-mémoire is a French loanword meaning “a memory-aid; a reminder or memorandum, especially a book or document serving this purpose”. Sparked by the idea of this, I have begun working with a group of early stage dementia elders to produce their own zines. I am enjoying how this anarchic form of self publishing can aid their self expression and memory development. Many are exploring how their dementia makes them feel, whilst others are designing for deliberate aide-memoires. We plan to tour the zine/s at Zine festivals in the UK and Europe.
Memento Mori: A memento mori is an artistic or symbolic reminder of the inevitability of death. Working with these elders, has caused me to examine my own attitudes to death, aging and memory. I am creating a series of small wearables which combine jewellery making, tech and the visual arts, and serve to give glimpses of my journey struggling with the spiritual and physical changes I have gone through as I age, the realisation that my own memory management is flawed and holds only challenges as I age.
Memory Fail: An installation which seems at face value to reflect the fluffy, sentimental and saccharine media portrayal of particularly, aging old ladies. A homely scenario recreated with china and chintz. The participant is invited to step in and experience this sweet view and soon discover small up close reminders of the reality of the confusion, gaps and physical challenges of dementia start to become obvious. It aims to challenge the idea that Dementia care is just about photo albums and memory boxes.
(I still have to decide whether this is just VR or if there is a physical, sculptural output as well.)
Previous Work:
Films:
Turbulence Film
500 Miles North
Spirited Short Film
The Offering
5 Soldiers
Hacktivism:
NHS Obesity Data Hack with US Department for Health and Human Services
Rewired State Projects 2011-2016
BMAG RMXD arts hacks and technology project
Other:
Flyovershow
Behna Community Theatre Performance Live streaming project