Manchester-based writer, performer and producer Keisha Thompson has won the latest DARE Art Prize for her project DeCipher, which takes a creative approach to mathematics.
DARE is a partnership between Opera North and University of Leeds in association with the National Science and Media Museum and The Tetley art gallery in Leeds. The £15,000 commission is for collaborations between artists and scientists on new approaches to the creative process.
DeCipher was chosen for its "innovative and playful look at mathematics" that attempts to 'decipher' a subject that many people perceive to be difficult and make it more accessible. Thompson will create "an interactive performance piece which delves into the power dynamics attached to mathematics as content, history, pedagogy, and culture" to look at "how engaging with mathematics can potentially be used by people to reclaim agency and creativity."
Thompson explains, “mathematics has always been a creative subject for me. I was introduced to it via puzzles and games before I started school. When I got in the classroom, it was like meeting an old friend. However, as I moved through the education system, I found that I was in the minority in this experience. I want to use my skill, experience and enthusiasm to create engagements and outputs that support a new cultural appreciation for mathematics.”
As the DARE Art Prize winner, she will get the opportunity to work with scientists and artists from the various schools at University of Leeds.