Featured Artist
Ima Pico
Imo Pico
Dislocation 2
Ima Pico is an artist based at Belfast’s Queen Street Studios. Over the past 15 years she has exhibited her work in solo and group exhibitions and participated in artist-in-residence programmes at home and abroad. Her recent work, in which she continues to question popular and historical depictions of women in art and culture, makes strong use of photography and computer-generated imagery. Ima received assistance through the Arts Council’s international artists profile scheme, to enhance her international profile and reputation.
My photographic digital compositions are original photographs that have been further developed using digital tools. The technique allows great flexibility in creating images, and allows me to explore distinctions between fantasy and reality.
The Arts Council award provided me with the services of a specialist to compile material about my art practice (images of my artworks, texts and CV) in a CD-Room.
After the completion of the CD-Room, a few months ago, I began a promotional strategy to reach a wider audience. This includes sending the profile material to galleries, exhibition spaces, art centres and artist-in-residence programmes, mainly in Ireland, the UK and the rest of Europe.
I am using the CD as a personal promotion and as support material for proposals. I find it very useful as so much information about my artistic practice is contained in the very small space of a CD. It’s a very convenient way for curators to get an initial impression of your work, and I believe that galleries and museums are starting to prioritise artists that can offer an artist profile in place of the usual bulky package of materials.
As with any professional career, a profile is an absolute must - it demonstrates that you are a capable, professional and ambitious artist and one that takes their career seriously. To this end, the CD-Rom is a useful tool that is helping me to develop my career, and the support by the Arts Council lends additional weight to my international profile.
To view more of Ima Pico’s art works, go to www.imapico.com