Over the past ten years investigative artist Simon Ryder has created artworks for a wide variety of places and their associated communities. In recent years his interest has shifted to the places and landscapes that we carry within us and that contribute to our identities: those imaginary and remembered scapes that shape and colour our view of the world, wherever we are at the time. With this his practice has become more personal, more individual and moved towards collaborative performance, incorporating film, sound design, sculpture and, most recently, virtual reality.

During his Creative Fellowship Simon collaborated with Research Fellow Dr Kelly Thornber, to explore the University's interdisicplinary approach to antimicrobial resistance (AMR), through their specially set up network of researchers. Embedding himself in this network, Simon engaged with researchers from across all four campuses and different fields of study to understand more about their work and how it is contributing to the fight against AMR.

Discover more about how the Fellowship developed in the film below.

AMR is considered one of the greatest threats to global public health, whereby bacteria that cause disease are becoming resistant to the drugs we use to kill them. Kelly is currently researching ways to engage different publics on the issue, with a focus on reducing antibiotic pollution in the environment. You can discover more about AMR in the film below.

In March 2020 Kelly set up the University-wide AMR network, which aims to bring together researchers from all disciplines to create an active cross-disciplinary network that will increase the University’s impact and access to AMR funding opportunities.

Throughout his Creative Fellowship Simon spoke in-depth to the various researchers which make up this interdisciplinary network. Through a series of virtual exchanges as part of the AMR's regular meetings, Simon gained an understanding of the different perspectives and methods used to address AMR. At the same time, the network's researchers gained valuable insights into Simon's creative process.

From scientists to philosophers, Simon began blogging about his various conversations and subsequent reflections and creative ideas on his website.
A selection of these can be read below.

Following these various exchanges Simon became interested in the idea of the network itself and began developing Babel Mind, an exploration into the different forms of digital mapping and visualising of a network of people.

In 2021, he was successfully awarded an Arts Council England ‘Developing Your Creative Practice’ grant to take ‘Babel Mind’ further, a project we're excited to continue to follow over the coming months as it progresses.

In addition to Babel Mind, Kelly and Demelza Curnow worked in partnership with Lorna Barnes from the University's MRC Centre for Medical Mycology, to commission Simon to create a photography portrait series of a range of academics in the AMR network, highlighting their research. These photographs were then shown on the University's Streatham Campus as part of an exhibition called 'Researching Resistance' from 15-26 November 2021, coinciding with Antimicrobial Awareness Week.

An equivalent online exhibition can be seen on the Arts and Culture website here. You can find out more about the exhibition in the film below.