Nova Jiang

Los Angeles, CA
Residency: August – September 2012

Residency Project Description:
Cloud Vessel took place on a desolate desert property in Los Lunas, New Mexico. Drinking vessels were formed by a glassblower based on photos of desert clouds passing over the project site. Artist Jamie O’Shea joined me in the desert to build his invention “Caloris Basin”, which is an innovative solar concentrator most effectively used for cooking. For this project, Jamie prototyped a new purpose for the solar basin, using solar energy and salt to  extract water from the air. The audience were invited to a series of water-tasting parties where they sampled water gathered from the desert air, served in the cloud vessels.

Cloud Vessel was commissioned by Earthbound Moon and exhibited at ISEA2012. My time at Sculpture Space allowed me to experiment with different materials for the drinking vessels such as 3D printed ceramics. One of the most valuable thing I found here is the artistic community, I was able to discuss the project with other resident artists and gather valuable feedback. The residency also gave me the time and space to resolve conceptual and logistical issues with the project.

About the Artist:
Nova Jiang’s work encourages the tactile and creative participation of the audience, resulting in structurally open systems in which joy, disorder and improvisation can thrive.She was born in Dalian, China, in 1985, and currently lives and works in New York. She holds a MFA in media art from UCLA. She is the recipient of a Skowhegan Fellowship, an Eyebeam Fellowship, a Sculpture Space Grant and a Wave Hill Van Lier Visual Artist Fellowship. She has exhibited at Sundance, 01SJ Biennial and Eyebeam among other venues.