Introducing David Titley, new Radar residency artist!

The Lost Artist

folly and Lancashire County Libraries and Information Service are delighted to announce the third Radar artist in residence, David Titley, who will engage collaboratively and creatively with users and staff alike at three libraries in Pennine Lancashire; Nelson, Brierfield, and Burnley Campus. On specific days in February and March, visitors to each of these libraries will find out about and contribute to David's unique and intriguing ongoing story:

David Titley engages with the virtual qualities of the internet. Indeed it has been said that he only exists on the web. That is… until now.

In the past his work has played on the presence of an absence and the existence of another virtual or digital realm. The narrative of The Lost Artist has so far developed through a series of interactions with digital communities, whether directly online, mobile technology or fax machines.

It all started in 2004, when he was displaced. He got lost via the internet, all his email contacts were informed of his disappearance via a series of progressive e-mails, which continued to inform people of the developing situation. Images were kindly sent in, reporting sightings from around the world.

Since then, his partner William, claims to have taken over his entire artistic practice until further notice and continues to operate as a professional artist based in the UK (William Titley – see www.williamtitley.org).

Occasionally, he has produced work on the theme of being lost. Of course, there are rumours about him being overthrown by William as people try to piece together the clues hidden in his work, which includes confessional digital animation, phone messages and a Myspace page: www.myspace.com/thelostartist

He now seeks sanctuary in the libraries in the hope that it will offer him a place to settle for a while, somewhere he can rest after much travel and instability.

Somewhere to continue exploring his own virtual displacement. A place which can act as a stabilising element in his displaced identity.

The Radar Residency means he has somewhere to stay, not just anywhere, (as at present) but somewhere concrete, a place, a transit camp or temporary home in the libraries of East Lancashire. To lay down some virtual roots in the form of new work, which could be just about anything connected with notions of home and displacement.

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Radar is an innovative programme of digital artists' residencies in public libraries across the county of Lancashire. Through collaborative arts activities and experiences resident artists consider the role of libraries as free and accessible public gateways to culture, and the implications of the evolution of digital culture on this core function.

http://www.folly.co.uk/programme/radar