Jo Stockham’s research activities in the last five years have centred on residencies and research and development commissions. She has developed bodies of work which explore

the construction of the natural world, as residencies at Yaddo in New York and Braziers were located in rural settings. She also generated a large body of work over two years which looked at the Cowleaze woods in Oxfordshire and the associated crafts of forestry and furniture making. Her work was presented at several open days and open studios.

Jo has also been researching digital arts following an invitation to curate an exhibition for the Mead Gallery, University of Warwick. She visited Ars Electronica and transmediale in 2006 and in both forums found a focus on the technical and a lack of engaging art, though there were many interesting social projects. This interest has been refocused into the development of a Hayward Gallery touring exhibition on scanning.

Jo’s desire to examine the conjunction of art and technology comes from the belief that we urgently need to understand the human implications of this phenomenon and not just celebrate its newness. By working with students and staff in RapidformRCA and immersing herself in unfamiliar programmes and tools (such as the haptic arm), Jo explores these issues from the inside (action research). Her research was presented in January 2009 at a conference on 3D print, which she co-organised at the Victoria and Albert Museum.

Jo’s residency at the Centre for Drawing at Wimbledon School of Art in 2007 gave her the chance to reflect on some of this work and explore her fascination with the real/virtual through prints, drawings, animations, photographs and discussion with artist researchers. Having constructed a large corner on wheels, Jo played with the sense of the fluidity and change in the solid ‘real world’ – which is infused with an understanding of a parallel, virtual one.