Minh Duc Pham is a conceptual and visual artist working and living in Berlin and Karlsruhe, Germany. Lately, the artist was participating in Artist-in-Residence-programs in Estonia as well as Iceland and has been awarded with several art scholarships from Germany, UK and Finland. Selected residencies: Nes artist residency, Skagaströnd (ISL) / Schloss Plüschow (GER) / Stiwdio maelor, Corris (WAL) / Textilsetur blönduos, (ISL) / Stundars residency, Solf (FIN/SWE) / Moks, Mooste (EST) / Taidelos Haihatus, Joutsa (FIN) Photo: Minh Duc Pham |
FFR: Have Artist-in-Residency programs had a positive impact on you as an artist?
MDP: Absolutely yes! During my residency programs I had the opportunity to really focus on my art practice and to become more conscious about myself both personally and artistically. I met amazing and such artistically, as well as politically, interesting people from all over the globe and could exchange our perspectives, experiences and visions. FFR: When you are searching for a residency, what do you look for? Do you apply according to the place of the residency, the content or some other reason? What attracts you to certain residencies? MDP: I am looking for what a residency offers towards the artist. Most of all I want to be surrounded by a place influencing and inspiring me and my art through its charisma and history. Furthermore, the facilities and work policies are a huge argument. I want to be initiative and self-directed but also appreciate a residency’s support for workshops, talks and exhibitions. FFR: You took part in funded and non-funded residencies. What were the benefits and disadvantages in both cases? Was there a big difference when it comes to the structure and quality? MDP: Based on my experiences, I really enjoyed all of the residencies, independently from being funded or not. Obviously the biggest advantage in funded residencies is that I didn't have to worry about money or any side job. Luckily my funded residencies weren’t strict in their program and gave a lot of free space towards the artists. Also, their facilities and the living spaces were sort of more convenient since there weren’t a lot or no other artists with whom you would have to share resources. The non-funded residencies had mostly offered the same standards and conditions like the funded ones. The only difference was that there were usually more artists. Yet this turned out to become a very inspiring exchange and ended in certain collaborations. The only problem within a non-funded programme obviously are the finances. Transports, production costs and fees are paid by the artist. At least it can be good practice to apply for state or national funding. FFR: Do you think non-funded residencies are easier to get? MDP: I think, it can be easier since the funded programs do not offer many places for the big amount of applicants. They also seem to be more known than certain non-funded residencies. FFR: How important do you find the transparency of an open call and the evaluation process? MDP: I wish the residencies would be more transparent with open calls, especially the very prestigious ones which f.e. mostly keep the jury secret (yet you need a recommendation of one of the jury members). This makes me sad and gives me the feeling of not being good enough to reach any attention and success. FFR: How relevant is the feedback for you? MDP: Feedback is always important and necessary for me to grow and to ‚improve’ my art. I got used to not get any feedback from (rejected) residencies and don’t think about anymore. On the other hand I always appreciate criticism about my work both from the jury and artists in a residency. FFR: When you write an application which part do you give the most attention to? MDP: With every residency I write a new proposal. I think about new potential projects for the residency. I also choose different works for each Open Call and try to give a good impression about myself and my approach to art. However, I always stay loyal to myself and don’t change my philosophy to fit in a certain program. Eventually I put the most effort into my portfolio and a well made layout for the whole application. FFR: How do you deal with rejections? MDP: As an artist you better get thick skin. At first I was so upset when I received my first rejection which caused me to not apply for anything for almost 3 years. Nowadays I got very much used to getting rejected because I realised that the decisions are never a personal offence. Subsequently, I also sometimes feel that certain residencies wouldn’t fit me as a person and artist. Then the rejection turns out to be a good decision because it saves a lot of time and troubles. FFR: Post-residency period: How is it to come back home to everyday obligations? MDP: I honestly haven’t mentally settled yet. I am faced with a lot of those so called daily obligations f.e. finding a side job, attending university classes and to think about living issues. But I also feel happy to be back and creating my own place with a very much grown mind. I am excited about how I will find a middle way between the residency period and this new kind of day-life. It will be an artistic challenge and performance to really come back home. |
Textile Center Studio, ISL, Photo by MDP
Stundars residency, FIN, Work in progress, Photo by MDP
Textile Center Studio, ISL,Work in progress, Photo by MDP
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