The six winners of the 2010 Commonwealth Connections international arts residencies are as follows:
Pakistani painter Irfan Hasan, a graduate in the art of miniature painting, fuses his strong skills with original ideas to create contemporary paintings which are part social commentary, part philosophical enquiry. His intention is to base himself at the Bengal School of Arts in Kolkata, India, to explore other media, and to work with well-known contemporary and traditional Indian artists.
Marlon Griffith from Trinidad and Tobago is an artist who connects visual art with the public performance based on Trinidad Carnival, fusing together the cultural, spiritual and political. During his residency in the Bahamas he plans to create work with communities on the outskirts of Nassau as part of the local performing visual tradition of Junkanoo.
Australian artist Krishna Nahow-Ryall, whose ancestors came from Vanuatu, works in a wide range of media including sculpture, installation, digital media and photography. She often creates site-specific works that fuse Pacific patterns with western motif. She will return to Vanuatu to connect with her heritage, engage with local artists and bring back elements of traditional cultures to pass on to younger Australian South Sea Islanders.
Yasmin Jahan Nupur from Bangladesh produces works which are a combination of photography, painting, video and performance installation. She is planning to visit Mauritius and work with local artists to encourage dialogue around social issues, including gender and religious co-operation.
Sculptor Peter Paul Oloya is a former child soldier from Uganda who was abducted from his home at the age of 11. Originally self-taught, he was awarded a Bachelor of Industrial and Fine Arts Degree from Makerere University in 2004. He now promotes art as a catalyst for social change and a solution to community problems. He will visit Nigeria to work with different communities to help promote a culture of peace, non violence and co-existence.
British artist Emma Smith is planning a residency in Kenya, using her inter-disciplinary and collaborative work, which includes events, encounters, performance, participation and photography, to explore the art of the everyday, working collaboratively with Kenyan artists and the local community.