Squircles, 2023
Aphra Shemza, Stuart Batchelor and Peter Todd in collaboration with the public
Commissioned by Middlesbrough Institute of Modern Art
Materials: Digitally printed window vinyl
Dimensions: 820 x 82cms
Squircles is a collaborative public artwork that reimagines the geometric visual language of Anwar Jalal Shemza through digital technology and collective creativity. Commissioned by Middlesbrough Institute of Modern Art (MIMA) in February 2023, the project invited students from the School of Arts & Creative Industries at Teesside University and gallery visitors to create individual digital compositions using a bespoke painting application developed by Aphra Shemza, Stuart Batchelor and Peter Todd.
Inspired by Anwar Jalal Shemza's recurring square and circle motifs, participants explored the relationship between these fundamental geometric forms, creating individual squircles that were brought together to form a large-scale window installation on MIMA's Roof Terrace. The resulting artwork transforms individual expressions into a shared composition, celebrating the interconnectedness of its participants through a common visual language.
The commission also creates a dialogue with Anwar Jalal Shemza's Magic Spiral (1970), held in the Middlesbrough Collection. By bringing his artistic legacy into conversation with new generations, Squircle explores how simple geometric forms can generate endless possibilities through collaboration, participation and collective making.
Click HERE to read Aphra Shemza’s Hearing From Artists interview.