Imagination is..’the capacity to reconnect, to bring together that which is separate.’ (John Berger, 2009. ‘Why Look At Animals. p. 52. London: Penguin).
Susan Askew makes artworks under aliases (Nasus Y Ram, Weksa Nosmada). Her research focuses on developing a methodology that makes strange or ‘defamiliarises’ normalising violence to the farmed nonhuman and ‘other’ nature.
The method adopted is Visual Utopian Experimentation (VUE), which itself is perceived as activist, and bringing about change. Using this methodology, Askew places herself and her viewer in a future peaceful world c. 2065. The peace has been arrived at after a Giant Rupture which massively altered the world of the 2020s. Currently Susan is focused on imagining narratives to explain the events of the Giant Rupture.
In 2065, the Museum of Human Violence archives past atrocities. Susan’s aliases make artworks for this archive. The archives may include found or made objects, drawings, films, maps, posters, and booklets – the latter can be taken away. All materials are vegan, and there is a commitment to be plastic-free where possible.
@the_museum_of_human_violence
https://themuseumofhumanviolence.com/
Susan draws on post-humanism, particularly its critique of the notion that humans are superior to all other life forms, and that other life forms exist for our use; new materialism, particularly an interest in entanglement of all matter; and Critical Animal Studies which has an intersectional approach, highlighting how capitalism and commodification impact our values and beliefs relating to the other-than-human animal.
Brief Bio
Doctoral Candidate, Fine Art. Kingston college of Art. 2024-present
MA Fine Art, Drawing. (distinction). Camberwell College of Art: 2023.
Graduate Diploma, Fine Art; drawing. Open College of the Arts, (distinction). 2022
2024. Founder of Critical Edge Collective
2025. Founder/curator of Seed_2065: a project inviting other artists to image peaceful futures rooted in harmony between humans and other-than-humans. For images from the first show see Instagram: @Seed_2065. https://seed2065.uk
Group Shows:
2025 (Curator) Seed_2065
2025 Critical Edge Collective at the Handbag.
2025 Critical Edge Collective at ASC gallery.
2024 ‘From The Ground Up’ Lewisham Arthouse
2024 ‘And you would have to believe it.’ Copeland Gallery
2024 ‘What We Bring To The Table. Safehouse1.
2023 ‘I Don’t Understand Your Drawing’. Camberwell art college
2023 Degree Show, Camberwell.
2023 ‘Spectrum’ ’Bargehouse, Camberwell art college
2023 ‘Forces of the Small. Filet. Camberwell art college.
Performances:
2023 ‘Xenotransplantation.’ Camberwell. October
2023 ‘Xenotransplantation.’ APT Gallery. November.
Drawing As Critique 