Contact details
Based in East London, UK
+44 7 917 42 42 22
ruzavina.alisa@gmail.com
Education
upcoming || PgCert Academic Practice in Art, Design & Communication, University of the Arts London
2019 – 2021 || MA Material Futures, Central Saint Martins, University of the Arts London
2014 – 2018 || BA (Hons) Fashion Print, Central Saint Martins, University of the Arts London
2012 – 2013 || Foundation Diploma in Art & Design, Fashion Pathway, Central Saint Martins
Public Art, Projects & Commissions
Upcoming || Public Realm artwork commissioned by Culture Within Newham, Central Park, Newham
Sept 2023 || Treespeak ritual and participatory activation. Held at the V&A Late: Power Play, as part of London Design Festival, V&A South Kensington
July 2023 || A Love Note to Urban Ecologies, participatory textile artwork and parade commissioned by London National Park City and Hemingway Design for the In A Field By A Bridge festival. Tower Bridge, London
2022 – 2023 || Flags of Our High Street Treasures, lead artist. Produced by Artillery Arts, funded by Untold Stories: The Commission for Diversity in the Public Realm, Mayor of London.Walthamstow, London
2022 || Aberfeldy Stories: Colours of Home, community engagement with Hayley Caine for Lola Lely. Commissioned and produced by Company, Place, funded by Polar Harca and Ecoworld. Poplar, London.
2022 || Well of Possibilities ritual for Earth Quest with Climate Emergency Network for the closing of Our Time on Earth exhibition Barbican Conservatory and Art Gallery, London.
2022 || Growing Connections, Climate Studio, art-garden residency, artefacts and public ecofeminist craft curriculum, with Hayley Caine, Making for Change, R-Urban, Public Works, Poplar, London.
2022 || Sensory Safari, art + nature walk, workshop series, community ritual & publication. Funded by National Park City and Natural England; Roundwood Park, Brent, London.
2021 – 2022 || Around the World in 7 Folktales public art installation series, storytelling audio trail and publication for High Street Adventures, produced by Artillery, funded byWaltham Forest Council Regeneration dept.
2021 || Earthkinology public art sculpture series, London. Interactive public art installations made from waste materials to engage the public with the more-than-human urban ecologies
2019 || Utopian Confessionary art installation at Flokkr, Roskilde Festival, Denmark
2018 || Plantasia Soft Sculpture public art installation with Annie Mackinnon, Desert Daze Festival, Los Angeles, US
2017 || Bread & Puppet Theatre, costume design for stilt walker performers. Vermont, US
2016 || Custom-made embroidered jumpsuit for Grayson Perry
Residencies
2022 || Field Notes, summer school and art residency at Sylva Foundation, as part of Make Good: Rethinking Material Futures programme by the V&A. Resulting in Treespeak project. Oxfordshire, UK.
2022 || Climate Studio, community engagement residency at R-Urban Poplar to support place-based climate action; resulting in Growing Connections project. Poplar, London
2022 || Sensory Safari, National Park City and Natural England. Art & Nature Residency testing the effectiveness of art practice approaches as a potent way to enhance levels of nature connectedness. Delivering 2 workshops/walks on interspecies kinship and earthly empathy. Creation of a self-guided walk booklet for Roundwood Park. Brent, London
2021 || Art for the Environment Residency with Making for Change, Waltham Forest Council and Arbeit Studios. Resulting in Re-enchanting Waltham Forest project. Leyton, London
2019 || Temporary Commons: School for Civic Action with public works. Resulting in Performing Temporary Commons project. Roskilde, Denmark
2019 || La Wayaka Current Art Residency; resulting in Niskua Mola project. Armilla, Guna Yala, Panama
2017 || Arquetopia Foundation for Development Art Residency. Exploring traditional embroidery, natural dyeing, and postcolonial studies. Oaxaca, Mexico
Exhibitions
2022- 2023 || Treespeak for the Field Notes display as part of Make Good: Rethinking Material Futures, Susan R Weber Furniture Gallery, the V&A South Kensington
May-Sept 2023 || Material Witnesses: Fashion, Textiles and Everyday Activism, St Mary’s Walthamstow, London
Feb – Mar 2023 || Flags of Our High Street Treasures, solo show at 1B Window Gallery, curated by Dark Yellow Dot, London
Feb 2023 || We Belong, exhibition of The Other Checkbox project outcomes, Bermondsey Art Space, London
2022|| Reality, Reciprocity, Resilience project outcomes exhibition, Making Space, London
2021 || Dutch Design Week, Earthkinology public sculpture series, together with United Matters, Netherlands
2021 || Synergy group exhibition curated by Ligaya Salazar, Arbeit Studios, London
2021 || E17 Art Trail Possible Futures, curated by Artillery Arts, London
2020 || Depictions of Living, group show on climate crisis, The Art Pavilion, London
2019 || The Everyday Martian, immersive performance, Design Museum, as part of Moving to Mars exhibition public programme, London
2019 || London Fashion Week Positive Fashion Showrooms showcase
2019 || European Development Days with British Council, European Commission, exhibition booth, Brussels, Belgium
2019 || Tate Exchange takeover, with Commune Festival x School for Civic Action, Tate, London
Awards
2022 || Peggy Art Prize, 3rd prize in Sculpture and Installation, Italy
2021 || Hungarian Art Prize in Sculpture and Installation category, Hungary
2019 || Aid to Artisans Grant for Niskua Mola project, Creative Learning
2019 || Circular Games, 2nd place , with Start Up Mix, Fashion For Good, SingularityU and Innovation Hub, Netherlands
2018 || Crafting Futures Grant, British Council & Craft Council UK
2018 || Green Trail Winning Award for Sustainability, Maison/0 LVMH x Central Saint Martins, London
2017 || Alice Brown Scholarship, Weave A Real Peace, Oaxaca, Mexico
Talks and Conferences
June 2023 || Artist Sharing for the Untold Stories: GLA Culture Team & Mayor of London’s Commission for Equality & Diversity in Public Places, joined by Artillery
May 2023 || Faith & Fashion Panel Talk, LCF, for Material Witnesses exhibition, St Mary’s Walthamstow
2022 || Art + Artivism panel discussion, Skaped
2022 || Artist talk at Waltham Forest College
2021 || Carnival of Crisis, Climate Emergency Network response to COP 26, panel talk and spoken word piece
2019 || Making Futures Conference, artist talk and paper presentation on collaborative work with artisans, British Council & Plymouth College of Art
Tutoring and Lecturing
2022 – ongoing || Associate Lecturer for DPS: Diploma in Professional Studies, The Design School, London College of Communication, University of the Arts London
2020 – ongoing || Sustainability and Ecology-focused Art & Design educator, offering Creative Coaching, Mentorship and Portfolio Advice, freelance
2018-2019 || Print Tutor, Short courses at Central Saint Martins, UAL
Community Engagement, Workshops, Art & Design Education
2023- ongoing || Decolonising Fashion and Textiles: Design for Cultural Sustainability with Refugee Communities, lead craft and making facilitator for participatory action research project working with refugees and asylum seekers.
2022 – ongoing || Create Arts charity, associate artist working on art projects with vulnerable groups including older people with dementia, young people with Autism and SEND, adolescent inpatients in psychiatric wards, young and adult carers
July 2023 || In A Field by a Bridge festival, participatory artwork creation workshops and parade
2023 || Spotlight and Making for Change, creative workshops series for young people – mindful repair, upcycling with block printing and activist textiles
2022 || Heart n Soul, upcycling and styling fashion workshop with young people with learning disabilities
2023 || Action for Conservation, textile activism and mending workshops for young activists
2023 || The Wild Escape in the City, Guildhall Art Gallery for Studio Orta; The Lost Species mask making workshops for children
2023 || Sir George Monoux College, textile activism half-term programme for young people. Commission for Material Witnesses exhibition St Mary’s Walthamstow
2022 – 2023 || R-Urban Poplar, ecological creative workshops working with natural dyes, inks, food waste, foraging and circularity for Climate Companions series
2022 || Flags of Our High Street Treasures, delivery of 8 participatory arts and co-design workshops with Walthamstow communities – Waltham Forest College, The Gleaners at Hornbeam Centre, East London Mental Health Services, WF Twinning Association, The Mill
2022 || Aberfeldy Stories: Colours of Home, lead facilitator for natural dye workshop series and foraging research expeditions. With Hayley Caine for Lola Lely & Company, Place
2022 || The Lost Species Project, lead artist for community engagement for Studio Orta, Coal Drops Yard, King’s Cross
2022 || Reality, Reciprocity, Resilience with Centre for Sustainable Fashion, craft workshops for refugees and asylum seekers exploring cultural identity
2022 || Entelechy Arts, Meet me at The Albany, creative personal style and fashion upcycling workshops for isolated older people
2022 || Sounds Like Chaos, lead artist facilitator for an art and fashion activism programme Climate Futures as part of Climate Home
2022 || The Other Checkbox, art and craft facilitator for workshops exploring cultural identities
2021 – 2022 || Climate Emergency Network, contributor and facilitator of a variety of creative ecological workshops, panels, climate circles and gatherings
2021 || Timberland’s Build Forward Campaign and London National Park city, art facilitator for Embodying Ecological Emergency workshop experience & transformative journey
2021 || Re-enchanting Waltham Forest, a series of 4 workshops exploring art, craft, ecology, landscape and belonging at Arbeit Studios
2020 || Ecological Futures Imaginarium, game workshop sessions at Camden Think & Do, Climate Emergency Centre and Global Generation Story Garden
2019 || Niskua Mola, numerous mola-making craft workshops, Heal Her Festival, Commune Festival & Stour Space
2019 || Fashion Open Studio, Fashion Revolution Week, Craft workshops
Consultancy and Collaboration with Artisan Communities
Aug 2023 || Turquoise Mountain, Consultancy & textile education programme delivery, Al-’Ula, Saudi Arabia. Working with female Bedouin artisans in training and production units with focus on natural dyeing techniques, block resists, patchwork, applique and embroidery. Developing new skills, methodologies and design capacities within artisans to support production of authentic heritage artisanal products.
2018- 2021 || Niskua Mola, Project Lead and Consultant, Guna Yala, Panama. Initiating the development of an artisan cooperative led by indigenous Guna artisan women in Armilla village, supporting with training, business strategy and equipment. Month-long textile and product development training curriculum. Intergenerational co-design workshops and product development. Developing products with sustainability-focused textile narratives to propel interest, awareness, conversation, and action directed in response to environmental changes of these makers’ homelands. Funded by British Council and Craft Council Crafting Futures Programme.
2020 || Utsava Maa Festival, Art & Craft Programme contributor and manager, with Undergrowth Collective, Khimsar, Rajasthan, India. Curation of cross-cultural artisan exchanges. Running collaborative workshops and skill sharing for artisans.
2019 || Oshadi, Consultant & Capsule Collection designer, Tamil Nadu, India. Developing brand identity direction, design strategy, and capsule collection of modular products using innovative approaches to using traditional ikat dyeing and weaving techniques developed together with local artisan partners
2017 || WARP – Weave a Real Peace, training and exchange with natural dye artisans, Teotitlán del Valle, Mexico
2017 || Arquetopia residency, collaborative learning with embroidery artisans,Oaxaca, Mexico
Other Work Experience
2019 – ongoing || Socially-engaged & community artist, self-employed
2021 – ongoing || Associate Artist and Curator for Climate Emergency Network
2017 || Christian Joy, art department and costume design assistant, New York, US
2017 || Marc Jacobs, fabrics & print studio assistant, New York, US
2016 || Bernhard Willhelm, print design and digital specialist, Los Angeles, US
2015 || Sadie Williams, studio assistant
2014 || Leutton Postle, Studio Internship
Selected Press
2023 || Do London Differently Billboard Campaign for National Park City
2023 || Sum & Substance Mag
2023 || Waltham Forest Echo printed feature on Flags Of Our High Street Treasures
2023 || A-List Society of American Art, US
2023 || FE News: Community Cohesion Hold ‘Absolutely Essential’ Role, UK
2022 || Viewpoint Colour, Issue 11, Joy Issue, printed feature, UK
2022 || Pantone Colour Planner Publication for Autumn/Winter 2023, UK
2021 || Fonty’s Trend Research Feature on Dutch Design Week, Netherlands
2021 || Next Nature visual essay, Netherlands
2021 || The Future Laboratory, LS:N Global, Youth Media and Technology Futures trend report feature, UK
2021 || Elle UK, printed feature December/January Issue
2020 || Hyperallergic: Artists and Activists Address Climate Breakdown in a Pop-Up Exhibition, UK
2019 || Disegno Journal podcast with British Council’s Crafting Futures programme, UK
2019 || Fashion Revolution Zine #4:Fashion, Craft, Revolution, UK
Memberships & Affiliations
From 2022 || St Ethelburga’s Centre for Reconciliation and Peace, fellow
From 2021 || Climate Emergency Network, University of the Arts London, member
From 2021 || London National Park City, ranger for Waltham Forest and Hackney
From 2017 || WARP: Weave a Real Peace network, member
Further Development and Research
upcoming || Being with Pigments with Wild Pigment Project. Research course on natural dyes and pigments as embodiment of place, knowledge and communities
2023 – 2024 || Kincentric Leadership programme, Ecological leadership & research programme with more-than-human kin at the centre in the time of polycrisis
2023-2024 || Spiral Journey Facilitator Development Training Program in the Work That Reconnects, a form of group work designed to foster the ability to take part in the healing of the world in crises
2021 – ongoing || Apprenticeship in Contemporary Animism, UK with Animate Earth Collective and Embercombe, with Colin Campbell & Angharad Wynne
2023 || Art School + training, exploring best practice for early-career artists working in the public realm
2022- 2023 || Nurturing Talent Programme, Create Arts. Art facilitation training working with vulnerable communities
2021,2023 || We Will Dance with the Mountains Into the Cracks with Bayo Akomolafe. A course in post-activism
2020 || Fritjof Capra Institute, Systems Thinking course
2020 || Make at Story Garden: Education in Facilitating Meaningful Social Learning Spaces through Art Experiences, Global Generation and Central Saint Martins, London
2018 || 8 Shields and John Young at Schumacher College, Nature’s Path Towards Authentic Sustainable Leadership short course, UK