I am a practising contemporary artist and researcher with interests in the appropriation of archival material to explore feminist power dynamics in the history of magic, mythology and the occult. I completed my practice-led PhD in Fine Art and Philosophy at Birmingham School of Art titled ‘The Supernatural Sex: Women, Magick and Mediumship; Assembling a Field of Fascination in Contemporary Art’ and prior to joining the Courtauld I worked as a post doctoral researcher and visiting lecturer at Royal College of Art, Glasgow School of Art and was co-programme leader for the Digital Arts MA at De Montfort University.
Research Interests
- Contemporary Art Practice
- New Materialist Feminism
- The History of Photography
- Lens based media and digital praxis
- Artificial Intelligence
- The archive and artistic practice
- Feminist power dynamics in the history of magic, mythology and the occult.
Talks
‘Magick, Mediumship & Contemporary Art’, Mentoring Artists for Women’s Art, Winnipeg (2023)
The Uncanny Valley to Singularity, Imagining the Apocalypse, The Courtauld Institute of Art (2019)
Peak Paraconceptualism ‘Occult Performances and Reflections: The everyday occult in visual culture’, AAH Annual Conference, University of Brighton (2019)
National Trust Artist Residency Sharing Day, Royal Birmingham Conservatoire (2019)
Nibs & Swallows: Women’s work in The Jewellery Quarter, Birmingham c.1880- 1941 ‘Women, Work and Commerce in the Creative Industries’ University of Westminster (2019)
In Conversation, The New Art Gallery Walsall with curator Zoe Lippett (2018)
Accelerator Artist Talks, Staffordshire University (2018)
Ectoplasm, Feminism and Materialities, Friday Lecture Series, Glasgow Film Theatre, Glasgow School of Art (2017)
Claircognizing Practice in Research, Gorvy Lecture Theatre, Royal College of Art (2017)
The Town of Witches: Triora Transfixed, AHRA Conference 2017, Birmingham School of Architecture (2017)
How to let artists work in response to your archive, Sackler CPD Programme Study Day, Contemporary Art Society at The New Art Gallery Walsall (2017)
The Supernatural Sex: Women, Magick & Mediumship: Assembling a Field of Fascination in Contemporary Art. Research Practice Practice Research, Fine Art Research Network Symposium, National Association for Fine Art Education, University of Cumbria (2016)
Taming the Shrew: Contemporary Art & Gothic, Library of Birmingham (2015)
Perception in the Folds: The Requirement of having a Body, Erotic Cloth Colloquium, The Art Workers Guild, London (2015)
Vanishing in Plain Sight, Keynote with David Cheeseman, Twice Upon a Time: Alchemy, Magic & the Transubstantiation of the Senses, Birmingham School of Art (2014)
Publications
Williams, G (2019) ‘A Myth of Fat Magick’, Three Days of Fat with Thought Collider. Kings College London.
Williams, G (2018) ‘The Town of Witches: Triora Transfixed’ Architecture, Festival and the City, Routledge Critiques.
Williams, G (2018) New Art West Midlands. Catalogue accompanying the exhibition at The Herbert Art Gallery, Coventry.
Williams, G. (2017) ‘Supernatural Vessels’ Paranormal Review, No. 84 (Autumn)
Williams, G. (2016) Right in front of our eyes Parallax, Vol 22, No 4. Cover Image.
Williams, G. (2015) ‘Escamotage’ Zetesis Vol.2 No.1.
Williams, G. (2014) ‘Vanishing in Plain Sight’ The Journal of Performance Magic 2 (1) pp.40-53
Williams, G (2014) ‘Forced Entertainment: The Last Adventures’ Fierce Festival review, This is Tomorrow.
Williams, G (2013) ‘Through the Looking Glass: The cryptesthesia of photography’ Zetesis Vol.1. No.2: 82-89.
Williams, G; Vaughan, S (2013) ‘Student Engagement with Learning Resources in Art & Design: Seeding Possibilities’ in Nygaard, C; Brand, S; Bartholomew, P; Millard, L (eds) Student Engagement: Identity, Motivation and Community, The Learning in Higher Education Series (LiHE). Oxford:Libri Publishing.
Williams, G (2013) New Art West Midlands. Belgium: Cassochrome. Catalogue accompanying the exhibition at Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery.
Selected Exhibitions & Residencies
Worlds Away: Art, Nature and Wellbeing, Midlands Arts Centre (2023)
The Undead Archive, The University of Winnipeg (2023)
Here and Queer, The New Art Gallery Walsall (2022)
False Memory, Rugby Museum and Art Gallery (2020)
Coventry Biennial, The Herbert Art Gallery (2019)
Intermission, The New Art Gallery Walsall (2018)
National Trust Short Residency Mr Straw’s House (2018)
New Art West Midlands, The Herbert Art Gallery (2018)
SYN, Vivid Projects (2017)
Visions, The Nunnery Gallery (2016)
SALON, Waterhall Gallery (2016)
Nottingham Castle Open, Nottingham Castle (2016)
Artist Commission, National Trust Croome Court (2016)
Film Open Touring: Spike Island, Bristol. Eastside Projects, Birmingham. Transmission, Glasgow. Castlefield Gallery, Manchester. S1 Artspace, Sheffield. ICA, London (2015)
Gothic, Library of Birmingham (2015)
Group Occupation III Residency, The New Art Gallery Walsall (2015)
West Midlands Open, Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery (2014)
New Art West Midlands, Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery (2013)
A Short Sharp Blow to the Head, Trade Gallery, Nottingham (2012)
The Museum of [ ] objects, Midlands Arts Centre (2012)
This is the Point, Flatpack Festival, Birmingham (2012)
Awards
Coventry Biennial/Warwick University Impact Commission (2019)
National Trust Short Residency Awards (2018)
New Art West Midlands Research & Development Curatorial Bursary (2017)
New Art West Midlands Micro Bursary (2017)
Research & Development Grant, Wellcome Trust. Lead Investigator: Hannah Honeywill (2016)
First Prize, West Midlands Open, Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery (2014)
T G Hamilton Research Grant, University of Manitoba, Canada (2013)
Gertrude A Bowater Doctoral Scholarship (2012)
IKON Gallery Curators Choice Award (2012)
AHRC Professional Preparation Masters Studentship (2012)
IKON Gallery Curators Choice Award (2011)
Louise Anne Ryland Travel Award (2011)
Emma Jesse Phipps Award (2009)
Education
PhD Fine Art & Philosophy (Practice-led), Birmingham School of Art, 2017 Gertrude A Bowater Scholarship. Thesis: The Supernatural Sex: Women, Magick & Mediumship, Assembling a Field of Fascination in Contemporary Art.
MA Fine Art, Birmingham Institute of Art & Design, 2012, AHRC Professional Preparation Scholarship
