UK-based Māori artist Frederick Worrell awarded Arts Council England grant for new immersive light project

UK-based Māori artist and designer Frederick Worrell has been awarded £12,500 through Arts Council England’s National Lottery Project Grants programme for a new research and development project exploring immersive reflective light environments.

Scaling Reflection: Research and Development of Reflective Light Systems builds on Worrell’s recent participation in Light Lab and will support the continued evolution of his large-scale light-based artistic practice.

“To receive this support from Arts Council England feels incredibly encouraging,” Worrell said. “A large part of being an artist involves following ideas instinctively, experimenting constantly, and developing work without always knowing where it will lead.

“This funding creates the opportunity to properly explore and develop ideas that have been growing over the past year and push the work much further.”

Working across installation, sculpture, reflective materials and projection systems, Worrell’s work investigates the relationship between audience, movement, perception and space, creating visually shifting environments shaped by light and reflection.

The funding will support a sustained period of experimentation, technical development and prototyping as Worrell expands both the scale and ambition of the project.

Worrell has become increasingly recognised for creating immersive visual experiences that transform through audience interaction, reflective distortion and changing light conditions.

The project marks a significant next step in the development of Worrell’s practice and is expected to lead to future exhibitions, collaborations and public engagement opportunities.

For further information, check him out on Instagram at @frederick_worrell.