Castlefield Gallery Associates Spotlight: Omid Asadi
Posted on 24 November 2022
Omid Asadi has been a member of Castlefield Gallery Associates since he participated in our graduate mentee programme in 2017. Omid is a multidisciplinary artist. Before pursuing art full-time, he was an engineer and a champion boxer in Iran. His practice focuses on contrasts and paradoxes. In his work he investigates issues regarding migration, identity, the environment and childhood memories. He has participated in a number of events at Castlefield Gallery including most recently, Peer to Peer: UK / HK and SUSTAIN: Artist Digital Exchange with Aarhus Billedkunstcenter. He has developed work with KULTURFÖRENINGEN, SVENSHÖGEN STATION, Sweden, PROFORMA Pavilion, Venice, Venture Arts ‘Narratives’, the project Creative Lives, a collaboration between artists, academics and other stakeholders at the University of Sheffield and SODA’s 2123 Art Institute, Vilnius, Lithuania.
Why did you become a member of Castlefield Gallery Associates?
In 2017 I was awarded the Castlefield Gallery Graduate Mentorship following my BA graduation exhibition at the Manchester School of Art. The Mentorship programme came with one year membership of the Associates. I have continued to be a member since then.
What’s been the most positive/useful thing you have experienced about it so far?
I believe being part of the art community is necessary for artists. The Castlefield Gallery Associates membership is very useful and beneficial in many ways for instance: providing free project spaces, hosting exhibitions, programming art events and talks, providing members with help/guides around communicating their practice, etc.
Would you encourage other artists to join?
I always encourage my friends or anyone who asks me about the next steps in their art practice to join Castlefield Gallery Associates.
If you would like to join Castlefield Gallery Associates you can find out more about the programme here and see if you might be eligible for a funded membership here
Image: Omid Asadi, Dammam, Blenheim Walk Gallery, Leeds Arts University, 2022. Photo by Hamish Irvine.
