Camille Baker

Camille Baker is an artist-performer/researcher/curator within various art forms: immersive experiences, participatory performance and interactive art, mobile media art, tech fashion/soft circuits/DIY electronics, responsive interfaces and environments, and emerging media curating. Maker of participatory performance and immersive artwork, Baker develops methods to explore expressive non-verbal modes of communication, extended embodiment and presence in real and mixed reality and interactive art contexts, using XR, haptics/ e-textiles, wearable devices and mobile media. She has an ongoing fascination with all things emotional, embodied, felt, sensed, the visceral, physical, and relational.

She is also a Senior Tutor for the Digital Direction Masters Programme at the Royal College of Art and Professor of Interactive and Immersive Arts.

Her current art work touring is INTER/her: An Intimate Journey Inside the Female Body inter-her.art/; LUMEN Prize 2021 shortlisted lumenprize.com/2021-3d/interactive-shortlist. he has started a new VR / haptic work called Mammary Mountain with collaborators Maf’j Alvarez and Tara Baoth Mooney on the treatment experiences and stories of survivors and patients of Breast Cancer.

In September 2022 Baker co-chaired the Extended Senses Symposium 2022 with Ghislaine Boddington held at University of Greenwich, which may happen again in 2023 or maybe 2024. She was also co-creator in a performance residency project Intangible Threshold in 2020 which was presented in September 2022 at the DRHA 2022 at Kingston University.

Baker also was Principal Investigator for UCA for the EU funded STARTS Ecosystem (starts.eu) Apr 2019-Nov 2021 and founder/ initiator for the EU WEAR Sustain project Jan 2017-April 2019 (wearsustain.eu).

Baker’s monograph New Directions in Mobile Media and Performance (pub. 2018), showcases exciting approaches and artists wearables, mobile phones and VR/AR, as well as her own work. She also co-edited the essay series Intersecting Art and Technology in Practice Techne/Technique/Technology as part of a long collaboration with Dr Kate Sicchio.

She co-ran meetup group with smart/e-textile artists and designers since 2014 called e-stitches (e-stitches.co.uk), where participants share their practice and facilitate workshops of new techniques and innovations.
irst with interaction designer/ artist Melissa Coleman and then from 2019 with interaction designer/researcher Emilie Giles until summer 2023.
Her long-time collaboration (2011-2016) with Dr Kate Sicchio on Hacking the Body 2.0 in wearable technology and e-textiles in dance and participatory performance resulted in many presentations, papers, talks and performances - more on https://camillebaker.me/hacking-the-body-2-0-performance/ or hackingthebody.wordpress.com

See also ART+TECHNOLOGY video by Hyundai for BloombergTV https://youtu.be/S63OvmTDq8U.

Professor Camille Baker
Media Artist / Performer / Curator/ Researcher
Senior Tutor, Digital Direction
Professor of Interactive and Immersive Arts
School of Communication
Royal College of Art
www.camillebaker.me / http://inter-her.art

• Networked and Live Cinema Performance
• Experimental Video, Non-linear and Interactive Narrative
• Interactive Art and Immersive Video Installation

Artistic Research Focuses
• Immersive Experiences, VR/XR Performance Design
• Smart Fashion, Soft-circuits, E-textiles & Sensory Experiences
• Mobile Media/Video, Locative and Participatory Performance

Presentations, Performances & Workshops
* February 5th, 2023 Tech & Care Panel Discussion, hosted be Valeria Salinas Toro - On technology for health and care and INTER/her project. Peckham Digital: Festival of Creative Computing, Peckham, London.

* November 28, 2022 – University of the Arts London, Creative Computing Institute, for the computational ethics unit, invited by Dr Anna Troisi, on the making the of VR artwork INTER/her and my practice.

* November 21, 2022 – Open Online Theatre (OOT) Festival 2022, panel on Wild Imaginings: The Future of Performing Arts and Tech, online panel chaired by Danielle Minns and Joumana Mourad of IJAD Dance and OOT.

* November 10, 2022 - Virginia Commonwealth University, School of the Arts, for the Wearable Technology MA class invited by Dr Sicchio to talk on my practice and the making the VR artwork INTER/her.

* September 5th, 2022 – DRHA 2022 Digital Research in Humanities and the Arts, Kingston University, London. Talk the on the Intangible Threshold collaborative performance residency in 2020 for Access Space and outcomes and insights from it in light of the COVID-19 pandemic HYPERLINK "https://www.drha.uk/2022/programme/"https://www.drha.uk/2022/programme/ and HYPERLINK "https://www.drha.uk/2022/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/DRHA2022_book-of-abstracts_amended-version.pdf"book of abstracts

* June 13, 2022 – ISEA 2022 International Symposium of Electronic Arts, Barcelona, Spain, Artist talk on INTER/her HYPERLINK "https://isea2022.isea-international.org/event/artist-talk-inter-her-inter-her-an-immersive-journey-inside-the-female-body/"https://isea2022.isea-international.org/event/artist-talk-inter-her-inter-her-an-immersive-journey-inside-the-female-body/

* March 25, 2022 – Leonardo Laser Talk for ArtSci Salon Series: Technologies of Care: Building communities and technologies of care. On my own experience with ovarian cancer and making the VR artwork INTER/her. Details and talk available here HYPERLINK "https://artscisalon.com/who-cares/building-communities/"https://artscisalon.com/who-cares/building-communities/ alongside exhibition of VR project here HYPERLINK "https://artscisalon.com/who-cares/camille-baker/"https://artscisalon.com/who-cares/camille-baker/

* February 10, 2022 - Wolverhampton Screen School, University of Wolverhampton FABSS; Talk: Extended Senses: Designing Emotional Immersive Experiences with VR Haptics, video archive HYPERLINK "https://youtu.be/U48OCkEtXpY"on YouTube available here

* September 10th, 2021 Ars Electronica 2021, UCA Artistic Presentation online on INTER/her Immersive Experience – HYPERLINK "https://ars.electronica.art/newdigitaldeal/en/uca-artistic-presentation/"https://ars.electronica.art/newdigitaldeal/en/uca-artistic-presentation/

* September 15th, 2021 Access Space at the Food Hall, Sheffield, UK Talk on INTER/her Immersive Experience design and experience.

* July 7-9, 2021 EVA London 2021 Conference on Electronic Visualisation and the Arts 2021 HYPERLINK "https://youtu.be/uk-kolOsx1Q"Keynote Address on the History and and Importance of S+T+ARTS; and INTER/her: An immersive journey inside the female body – HYPERLINK "https://youtu.be/hyxj03uIZA0"VR experience demo

* September 2020 Access Space Studios Oct-1st-Nov 5, 2020 - Online Residency Programme 2020 commission, Intangible Threshold. A collaboration between myself and Susanne Palzer – performance of outcomes here HYPERLINK "https://access-space.org/portfolio/coming-up-online-residency-event-with-camille-baker-susanne-palzer/" https://access-space.org/portfolio/coming-up-online-residency-event-with-camille-baker-susanne-palzer/

* October 2019 Online minidocumentary for ART + TECHNOLOGY series on BloombergTV, and Singapore Airlines for Hyundai  HYPERLINK "https://youtu.be/S63OvmTDq8U" https://youtu.be/S63OvmTDq8U

* Sept 7, 2019 Ars Electronica Festival 2019 Linz, Austria conference program, STARTS Day in the Legal frameworks for STARTS Collaborations panel, on collaborations and IP Issues HYPERLINK "https://ars.electronica.art/outofthebox/en/starts-day/" https://ars.electronica.art/outofthebox/en/starts-day/

* October 5, 2018–February 8, 2019 Exhibition Me Attempts, Failures, Trials and Errors of documentation of Hacking the Body live performances of Flutter /Stutter and Feel Me, curated by Hillevi Munthe and Tincuta Heinzel in Bucharest at the "Salon de Proiecte"; Nov 16-Dec 9, 2017 Piksel art gallery, Bergen, Norway. online HYPERLINK "http://salonuldeproiecte.ro/exhibitions/attempts-failures-trials-and-errors/" http://salonuldeproiecte.ro/exhibitions/attempts-failures-trials-and-errors/

* Sept 10-13, 2017 Digital Research in Humanities and the Arts 2017 (DRHA): DataAche, Plymouth, UK - on WEAR Sustain and ethical and sustainable wearable technologies and e-textiles HYPERLINK "http://drha2017.com/conference-information" http://drha2017.com/conference-information

* June 30-July 2, 2016 International Conference on Live Interfaces, Brighton, UK, performance of our Flutter /Stutter dance and wearables piece, created for February 2016 performances below. HYPERLINK "http://www.liveinterfaces.org/" www.liveinterfaces.org/

* May 16-22, 2016 ISEA: International Symposium for Electronic Arts 2016 Hong Kong, artist talk on performance development and wearable costume design for Flutter /Stutter and Feel Me

* February 16 & 18, 2015 Hacking the Body live performances of Flutter / Stutter and Feel Me, Watermans Arts Centre, London, February 16th, and Access Space Sheffield, February 18th – with dancers wearing custom wearable technology and etextiles garments. Performances here: HYPERLINK "http://hackingthebody.wordpress.com" hackingthebody.wordpress.com & HYPERLINK "https://vimeo.com/168129310" https://vimeo.com/168129310

* July–November 2015 Wear_NEXT Exhibition, Brisbane, Gallery Artisan, Australia & Asia HYPERLINK "http://artisan.org.au/whats-on/current-exhibitions/" http://artisan.org.au/whats-on/current-exhibitions/ and HYPERLINK "http://artisan.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/WearNext_Catalogue_Ex.pdf" online catalogue here. [Video] from R&D residency at UCA & Siobhan Davies – audio review here: HYPERLINK "http://mpegmedia.abc.net.au/rn/podcast/2015/09/bst_20150903_0843.mp3" http://mpegmedia.abc.net.au/rn/podcast/2015/09/bst_20150903_0843.mp3 call to action for more expressive wearable technologies and etextiles in art, design, fashion and performance.


Academic Experience
* Senior Tutor, Digital Direction and Professor of Interactive and Immersive Arts, in the School of Communication, Royal College of Art, , supporting MA/MRes and PhD students and programme development, with significant responsibility for research, Research Grant writing and development and more cross-college collaboration (October 24, 2022-present)

* Professor of Interactive and Immersive Arts, School Film, Media & Performing Arts (Sept 2020 to Oct 24, 2022) University for the Creative Arts, Farnham. Research development, mentoring of academic staff, PhD supervision, The X10DD Senses Laboratory Director (Nov. 2020 to present); Year Leader MA Games 2019-present.

* External Examiner for MSc Creative Computing, Creative Computing Institute, University for the Arts London, from March 3rd, 2020 to February 28, 2025;

* External Examiner for BA (Hons) User-Experience (UX) and User-Interaction (UI) Design course, Ravensbourne University London, February 2020 to July 2023;

* Reader, Interface and Interaction, in the School Film, Media and Performing Arts (Aug 2015 to present) Course Leader, Digital Communication Design BA (Aug 2014-July 31st 2015) University for the Creative Arts, Epsom. Research development and mentoring for academic staff.

* Senior Tutor, Royal College of Art, London, UK (Aug 1st 2015 to July 30th, 2016), Design Interactions MA, School of Design. Tutoring Masters projects in speculative, critical technological design practices and projects.

* Course Developer/Tutor (consultancy): Writing and development of an online Graphic Design course and module materials, syllabi and descriptions for validation; Resource Development International (RDI) - online education (validation via Anglia Ruskin University – Coventry, UK. (April 2012 - present).

* Course Director (2012-2014) and Lecturer (2007-2012), Digital Media in the School of Engineering and Design, Brunel University, London, UK, Broadcast Media and Multimedia Design (from Oct 22, 2007 to July 31st, 2014): Motion Graphics, Adv. Motion Graphics, Applied Video Aesthetics, Image in Motion, Digital Design Theory, 3rd year Final Project & Supervision.

Funding/Awards

* 2023 February 06 – Arts Council England National Lottery Fund Artist Project Funding for Mammary Mountain project – for the production and exhibition of the physical haptic corset interface and VR immersive installation for public engagement, co-creation and community building for survivors of Breast Cancer – sister project to INTER/her. FUNDED (£40,000) Duration: February 2023 -January 2024. Website to come.

* 2021 September 22 - shortlisted for the Lumen Prize 2021 of 65 from 1200 applicants HYPERLINK "https://www.lumenprize.com/"https://www.lumenprize.com/ for the INTER/her project: An immersive installation and virtual reality journey inside the female body, featuring personal health stories, with an accompanying haptic corset. HYPERLINK "https://inter-her.art"https://inter-her.art

* 2020-2021– Arts Council England National Lottery Arts Project Grant for INTER/her Immersive Experience project above. FUNDED (£15,000)

* 2019-2020 – University for the Creative Arts Internal Funding for INTER/her Immersive Experience project above. FUNDED (£4,500) December 2019 to September 30, 2020.

* 2019-2021 EU Horizon 2020 ICT-32-2018-2, Community Support Action, project 824950 - STARTS ecosystem: Support to STARTS Community and Lighthouse Projects through the creation of an ecosystem for hybrid talent. PI for University for the Creative Arts. FUNDED August 2018(€999,918.75 total across all partners/€160,875.00 for UCA) ) start date: January 2019, ending: December 2021.

* Jan 2017- April 2019 EU Horizon 2020 ICT-36-2016-1 Innovation action, project 732098 WEAR: Wearable technologists Engage with Artists for Responsible innovation. PI for University for the Creative Arts. FUNDED July 2016 (€2,998,925 total across partners) January 2017-April 2019.

* October 2015 – Arts Council England Creation and Performance staging of Hacking the Body 2.0 at Access Space, Sheffield and White Building/SPACE Studios, London in February 2016. FUNDED (£13,977) November 2015 to March 2016

* October 2015 – Arts Council England Creation and Performance staging of Hacking the Body 2.0 at Access Space, Sheffield and White Building/SPACE Studios, London in February 2016. FUNDED (£13,977) November 2015 to March 2016

* April and Oct 2015 – University for the Creative Arts Internal Funding for project Hacking the Body & HTB 2.0, for collaborative work with choreographer Kate Sicchio, combining wearable technologies with performance with a focus on live coded choreography, wearable tech, the ethics of data collection and its impact on identity and movement. FUNDED (£6,750) February to November 30, 2015.

* September 2013-July 2014: FET-ART/ ICT&ART Connect FP7 Support Action: Co-Creation call Future Emerging Technologies (FET) EU consortia grant. PI for Brunel University FUNDED (€550,000 total across partners) June 1, 2013-May 31st, 2014.

* June 2013 Canada Council Travel Grant for travel to Australia to conduct 3 workshops at: ISEA 2013, The International Symposia of Electronic Arts, Sydney, Australia; TekStar Technology Arts Festival, Byron Bay, Australia; and ACM Creativity and Cognition Conference, Sydney, Australia ($2,500)

* October 2007 BBC R&D Surrey, UK PhD Sponsorship for PhD studies at the SMARTlab Digital Media Institute, University of East London 2006-2011 (£20,000 yearly- 3 years).

Education
1/ October 2007-July 2009, Certificate in Postgraduate Teaching (Awarded PG. CERT July 2009), Brunel University, London, UK.

2/ October 2006-Dec 2011 (awarded Aug 2011): PhD Digital Media, focused on Mobile Media & Participatory Performance, SMARTlab Digital Media Institute, University East London, London, UK

3/ September 2001 – April 2004: Master in Applied Science – Interactive Arts. Computing Arts and Design Sciences Graduate Program, School of Interactive Arts and Technology, Simon Fraser University, Surrey, BC, Canada

4/ September 1985 to December 1990. B.A. Major: Sociology/ Anthropology. Concentration: Fine and Performing Arts/ Modern Dance. Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC Graduated: July 1991