We are thrilled to announce Nikhil Vettukattil as the selected artist for the FUTURES X MPB Residency Program. This residency program offers an exciting opportunity for emerging and established artists to explore new artistic paths and present their innovative projects.
Nikhil Vettukattil (b. 1990, Bengaluru, India) is an artist and writer who lives and works in Oslo. He uses a range of media such as sound, installation, performance, text, sculpture, and video, his practice questions modes of representation and image-making processes related to lived experiences.
For the FUTURES X MPB Residency Program, Nikhil Vettukattil will further develop his ongoing project, The Institute for Scene Experiments (ISE).
"The Institute is a semi-fictional institution devoted to the investigation, production, and dissemination of ‘scenes’. During the residency, along with a group of technicians and performers, we will collectively analyze, deconstruct, and reconstitute elements of cinematic scenes for the camera, exploring alternative ways of staging narrative, framing, sound, etc. The project aims to reflect on the film crew as a social form, engaging in the generativity and potentialities of scenes independent of plot, development, and conclusivity, through formal techniques as well as collective authorship, ‘open rehearsal’, and collective editing."
The residency will start in September, offering Vettukattil the opportunity to delve deeper into his project and explore his practice. The journey will end with a public event Thursday 3rd of October, where Vettukattil will showcase his work. The public event will involve the live restaging of a scene for camera with a live audience. The project will reference lucid dreaming and hypnosis and borrow techniques from live action role playing games and theatrical exercises for improvisation in preparation for an exhibition on the same topic in October in Zurich and Berlin.
Vettukattil will participate in the prestigious Unseen VIP program, providing a platform to showcase his work to professionals and expand his network. This event is scheduled for Sunday, September 22, 2024.
Furthermore, Vettukattil will explore and utilize equipment provided by MPB, a leading platform for buying and selling used photography and videography equipment. This collaboration will enable him to push the boundaries of his practice.
About the residency:
This is the second fully funded residency opportunity for FUTURES artists, supported by MPB, at the FUTURES Hub in Amsterdam. The FUTURES Hub, once an industrial site, now serves as a space for artistic exploration and collaboration. It has been transformed into an adaptable exhibition area and residency, providing an ideal environment for artistic growth.
The residency was awarded through an open call for FUTURES artists, overseen by the FUTURES team and residency coordinator. This collaboration between FUTURES and MPB offers artists a unique opportunity to immerse themselves in Amsterdam's cultural scene, fostering exchange and challenging their creativity.
The FUTURES Hub aims to become the new place to be for visual artists, promoting growth, exploration, and collaboration. We are excited to see the innovative work Nikhil Vettukattil will create during his residency and look forward to sharing it with the public.
About MPB:
MPB is the largest global platform to buy, sell, and trade used photo and video gear. FUTURES Foundation fully aligns with the core values of sustainability, diversity, and accessibility championed at MPB. We invite all of you to visit the MPB platform.