Creative Commissions, Lessons on Revolution

We're thrilled to reveal the two artists selected for our paid creative commission: Vroomlab and H.R.H Aphrodite.

These artists have been chosen to create original digital works in response to the themes and ideas explored in Lessons On Revolution. Their responses - shaped by their unique creative practices - respond to the show’s explorations of change, resistance, and radical reimaginings.

VROOMLAB

‘This is a video work that combines the core message told by Lesson On Revolution and the matter of fact, archival quality of the piece. To me, the show asks an important question of: what can we learn from past Leftist revolutions in the context of today? The answer that struck me whilst watching is that, the process, and the nostalgia, affords the future, where people are able to keep fighting through failure and successes. The process is what matters. This piece highlights the duality of the eras, the past and the present. Placed together and being compared right next to each other allows a duo lens into the past and future simultaneously. What I want to highlight is that, we each have our own battles and they are far from over. Though, there is always hope, the past to learn from and the future to look forward to.’ - Vroomlab

Vroomlab's Creative Response

Vroomlab is an art persona of Erin Guan (formerly Erin Guan & Isabel Sun). Vroomlab is always online, watching, absorbing, reflecting and creating. We believe in the notion of digital art making as a form of holistic digital practice and a community-base practice. Our keywords are queering, intertwining, slice of life, thoughts of the moment and community softpower being presented in the medium of social media language - in the form of short text, 2D graphics and 3D objects. With a background in theatre design (set, costume and video), we utilise Vroomlab as a playground of thoughts and creativity that slipped the mind, radical ideas that didn’t quite fit into an everyday setting, a breeding ground of revolutionary consciousness that communicates the unique experience of being human and feeling like an outcast whilst discovering that our audiences and us can find solidarity in our vibrant differences. Outside of digital art making, Vroomlab also hosts workshops and experiences that spreads our ethos and encourages low stake art making as a form of creative expression for the people.

H.R.H APHRODITE

‘The guide was inspired by the strand of archives running through the piece, this whole project revolves around the activation of archival resources. I wanted to make an introductory guide for artists wishing to move into these spaces, with contributions from artists experienced in the field!’ - H.R.H Aphrodite

Staging History.pdf

Download PDF • 100.01MB

H.R.H. Aphrodite I is an award-winning historian, drag artist, zine maker and part-time love goddess. Her work focuses on viewing the present moment through a historical lens, specifically highlighting the themes of women, queer people, fashion, popular culture and the british empire; wherever these intersect and overlap. She is a multidisciplinary artist, spreading her work between cabaret, theatre, independent publications and digital art. 

She is keen to work activating archives, and does so through all facets of her work; this includes the The (Agatha) Christie Archive Trust, National Maritime Museum, the Bishopsgate Institute, The Roald Dahl Museum and Story Centre, and most recently, the National Archives. She is also a keen community organiser, producer, writer and designer. Her work with zines has become her most exciting participatory arts practice, bringing the worlds of drag, photography, archives and design into one piece of work. 

Learn more about Lessons on Revolution here.