Artist, Jahday Ford talks about why he wanted to be involved in the Future 20 Collective, as Last Place On Earth is revealed to the world.
What’s your artistic background?
Most of my practice and artistic expressions stems from my home country of Bermuda. Growing up in small towns, coastlines and culture rich in musical traditions I was able to allow my imagination to flow without the burden of city life. Heading into higher education my early works began to manifest from the natural resources around me which included clay, paper, mixed materials.
Tell us about your practice now – what’s the most satisfying thing? The most challenging? How has it evolved?
My practice currently dives into a multitude of design, installation, crafts and sound creation. I find the mixology and compatibility between these processes very liberating and beneficial towards growing in the industry. Given Covid restrictions my entire glass practice has been put on hold. However through Future 20 developments I’ve been able to work on soundtracking which I’ve not ventured until now – and it’s incredibly exciting!
What made you want to be a part of Future 20?
My initial interest lured towards the collectiveness of Future 20. Bringing together over 10 artists with very different backgrounds, skills and contrasting forms of artistic exploration caught my attention straight away.
What’s the most exciting part of this brief for you?
The most fascinating aspect for me is the collaborative evolution of the sounds, poetry and insolation recordings within the virtual world which have all come together in very unique ways throughout lockdown.
What do you think art brings to your life?
Art as a whole allows me to channel and express my imagination without any boundaries and limitations which is sadly a common thing in other types of international industries. When working in art and music it enables complete freedom and I’ve found anything is possible.
We’re living in very unusual times – how do you think art can help us deal with that?
Artistic expression not only helps to communicate things to the world, but also comes as a form of mental and emotional therapy. This aspect is the most important for me as it keeps you highly invested in yourself whilst keeping motivated throughout strange and difficult circumstances.
What’s your biggest artistic ambition?
My ambitions lie within installations, craft, design and bespoke sensory experiences in special environments on an international scale.
Future 20 is a year-long project – how has that affected your practice?
The year long residency has kept me aligned and focused nearly every week since we began last year in August. It helped to set off creative sparks and personal development on a consistent basis which I haven’t had since university two years prior.
What role do you think the arts should play in building the future?
The arts hold the most diverse and innovative parts of our society and the next generations to come. Most interestingly every artist or creative around the world has their own unique way of expressing themselves solely or whilst working with others. These infrastructures will play a vital role throughout all elements of human engagement especially now when we need more than ever.