Staff profile

Dr Victoria Sharples


she/they

Lecturer in Creative and Cultural Industries

ORCiD ID

0000-0002-8903-244

Email

V.Sharples@derby.ac.uk

About

I am an artist, researcher, curator and academic based across Yorkshire and Derbyshire. I am Co-Director of GLOAM (Gallery & Studios) in Sheffield’s Cultural Industries Conservation Area (CIQ). I am a Lecturer in the School of Arts at the University of Derby and Co-lead NMRG (the New Materialist Reading Group) with Dr Rebecca Howard. 

I am a Member of Plant (Embedded Research Network), the University's Early-Career Academics Forum, SLSA (Society of Literature, Science and the Arts), The British Academy Early-Career Researcher Network (ECRN) & British Art Network (BAN). I am on the Community Board for Bloc Projects as part of GLOAM. 

Teaching responsibilities

I am L4 Year Leader and Module Leader for 'Introduction to Studio Practice' (L4) & 'External Professional Contexts' (L5). I primarily teach studio-based practices, but also teach into theory modules on BA (Hons) Fine Art. My specialisms include material research and sculpture-based practices. I have also led many studio visits for students to artist-led galleries to meet with curators and industry professionals to support their progression.

I support students through all years of their education on the following modules: 'Introduction to Studio Practice' (L4), 'Contextualising Practice' (L4), 'Experimentation & Curiosity' (L4), 'Practising Theory' (L5), 'External Professional Contexts' (L5), 'Critical Inquiry' (L6) and 'Professional Practice' (L6).

Professional interests

Research interests

My practice meditates on post-humanist performativity and ecological philosophies relative to macroscopic and microscopic matter. Research areas include microperformativity, forensic architecture, (im)materiality, and necro-ecologies/economies. The works produced as part of this practice often take the form of time-sensitive performances, sculptures, photography, and written scores. 

Membership of professional bodies

Qualifications

Recent conferences

  • (2024) 'The Material Conditions of Making' at Talking Sculpture: Dialects of Making, symposium & exhibition in association with TSM: Talking Sculpture Making at Vessel Gallery, York St John University. Keynote: Dr. Grizelda Pollock. Curated by Dr. Charlotte Cullen. (Presentation by Dr Victoria Sharples)
  • (2024) Bodies: Art, Architecture & Archaeology, the New Materialist Reading Group (NMRG). Prof. Cordelia Warr, Dr. Lenore Thompson, Dr. Xristina Penn, Dr. Rebecca Howard & Dr. Victoria Sharples (Convened by Dr. Rebecca Howard & Dr Victoria Sharples)
  • (2023) ‘The shelled gastropod: trans-corporeality in necro-ecologies’ as part of the Trans Ecologies Symposium, Department of Geography at Durham University. Co-led by Dr.  Sage Brice & Dr. Felix McNulty. (Presentation by Dr Victoria Sharples)
  • (2023) 'An Elastic Continuum' with Ellie Barrett, Bethan Hughes, Sinéad Kempley, Victoria Lucas & Stephanie Rushton, ‘New Materialist Reading Group’ (NMRG). (Convened by Dr. Rebecca Howard & Dr Victoria Sharples)
  • (2023) ‘On Not Knowing: How Artists Teach’, The Glasgow School of Art convened in partnership with Uniarts Helsinki’s Academy of Fine Art). (Presentation by UoD Fine art)
  • (2022) ‘Our Civic Agreement as a University and the Role Research Plays in Having an Impact Locally’ with Dr Rhiannon Jones (Associate Professor/Civic), Amanda Baxendale (Head of Research and Innovation), Adam Doyle (Head of Business Engagement and Employability), and Helen Harrison (Senior Research Manager) (Presentation by Dr Victoria Sharples)
  • (2022) ‘Interdisciplinary Research in the Creative and Cultural Industries', symposium with Valeria Carnevale (Architecture), Dr Rebecca Howard (Photography) and Dr Victoria Sharples (Performance), University of Derby (Co-authored Presentation)
  • (2022) ‘Material, Economics and Ecology’, Civic-Lab Symposium, convened by Dr Rhiannon Jones at Artcore and Derby Theatre. (Presentation by Dr Victoria Sharples)
  • (2022) ‘Material, Economics and Ecology’ at Derby’s Museum of Making with Jumana Manna, Laura Wilson, Dr Onya McCausland, Tony Butler, Rafael Pérez Evans, Sonia Levy and Ravi Agarwal. (Convened by Dr Victoria Sharples)
  • (2021) 'The (In)separability of Matter: On Prāṇa, Energy and Permeation', presented for the Society for Literature, Science and the Arts (SLSA). International Conference ON ENERGY at the 34th Annual Meeting and Exhibition at Penny W. Stamps School of Art and Design at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor (Paper by Dr Victoria Sharples)

Experience in industry

I am a Co-Director of GLOAM, a collectively-run exhibition and studio space located in Sheffield’s Cultural Industries Quarter Conservation Area (CIQ). GLOAM has professional connections through practice-led research, consultancy, commissions, HE teaching, collaborations, residencies, exhibitions, curation, event management, fundraising, communication and technician work with national industry partners.

Select GLOAM exhibitions include: 

  • (2024) Locusts of the Sickly Sun with Speculative Proxy, Alexandra Searle & Joel Wycherley
  • (2024) Twenty Truant Shapes with Nathan Walker
  • (2024) Yellow June (Juin Jaune) with Roland Orépük, Ollie Guyon, Meg Shirayama, Shawn Stipling & Jo McGonigal
  • (2024) Ground Test with Surf's Sunny Vowles, Kristina Nenova, Jesse McMahon, Hannah Ackroyd, Adam Burntown, Charlotte Cullen, KP Culver, Melissa Burntown, Donna Coleman, Seren Oakley, Jill McKnight & Joshua Hart
  • (2024) Arid Lanscapes and Ancient Waters Lucie Kordacova & Miroslava Vecerova
  • (2024) Entropy Madeline Adams
  • (2023) Tread Softy with Kelan Andrews, Brianna Beckford, Alana Lake & Renee Nie
  • (2023) Material Action with Florence Peake, Hester Reeve, Mark Titmarsh & John Latham
  • (2023) Tracing Matter, Lucy Crouch & Matthew Vaughan
  • (2023) Courses for Discourses with Roo Dhissou, in partnership with PRIMARY
  • (2023) Undress me with your eyes... with Nisa Khan
  • (2022) Creating Patterns with Dr Harold Offeh
  • (2022) Beneath the Pewter Sky with Dan Chan, Charlotte Cullen, Gusty Ferro, India Garry, Kumbirai Makumbe, David Reynolds, Will Hughes, Conner Shields, Danielle Williams
  • (2022) Figureheads: Bloc Projects Member’s Show with Dr Julia McKinley, Sam Hutchinson, Will Hughes & Duncan Poulton, curated by GLOAM
  • (2022) Offering from the River with Dr Victoria Sharples
  • (2022) Forehead on Glass with Celeste McEvoy
  • (2022) Doves and Crossbones with Alistair Wood
  • (2021) FOCM: Spring-Summer with Flo Main
  • (2021) Children’s Media Conference with TATO
  • (2021) The Magician with Dr Stella Baraklianou
  • (2021) MTPA (million tons per annum) with Joe Singleton

Additional interests and activities

  • (2024) Arts, Humanities & Education (AHE) Research Fund
  • (2023) Early Career Researcher Development Fund, Research & Knowledge Exchange Office (URKEO)
  • (2022) Early Career Researcher Development Fund, Research & Knowledge Exchange Office (URKEO)
  • (2021) Early Career Researcher Development Fund, Research & Knowledge Exchange Office (URKEO)

Recent publications