Les Bicknell, a Suffolk-based artist and lecturer at Norwich University of the Arts, appointed Sizewell C’s first artist in residence
A unique partnership between a power station and an arts festival has seen its first beneficiary appointed.
Suffolk-based Les Bicknell, who is also a senior lecturer at Norwich University of the Arts and a teaching felloe at King’s College London, has been named as Sizewell C’s first artist in residence.
It is the first appointment as part of a three-year programme with Lowestoft’s First Light Festival CIC, and Les will serve a 12-month residency.
His preceding artwork has been exhibited both nationally and internationally at venues such as The Rijksmuseum, in Amsterdam, The Victoria and Albert Museum, in London, and M.O.M.A New York.
Les said: “I’m truly excited to begin as the first artist in residence at Sizewell C. I’ve been waiting for an opportunity like this since I moved to Suffolk in 1990, when I would go to watch the building of Sizewell B.
“I live locally so it’s a great opportunity to connect, reflect and find inspiration with both the people who work here and the people who live in this part of Suffolk.”
He added he will be responding artistically to both the construction and the human side of the project.
His work has covered a range of activity from large-scale public art projects to intimate personal commisions and community engagement projects.
Julia Pyke, joint managing director at Sizewell C, said: “We’re delighted to welcome Les to Sizewell C and we can’t wait to see how he explores and connects our project and our team with the communities here in East Suffolk.
“An artist in residence programme is not what you might expect at a nuclear power station, but we want to do infrastructure differently at Sizewell C – and this region has such a strong artistic tradition, it makes for a perfect opportunity to develop a conversation through art.”
The residency scheme forms part of the larger Sizewell Creative programme, which will explore the largely under-documented part of the region’s heritage and history.
It will look back to the roots of nuclear power in the area from the 1950s and forwards to the 2030s, to listen to and capture the many voices involved.
Genevieve Christie, Chief Executive First Light Festival CIC, said: “As an artist, maker and communicator, Les Bicknell makes work that creates a unique space for the viewer and participant.
