About the project

Locus - an art project with refugees, asylum seekers and members of the local community from Portsmouth. Artists Ania Bas & Les Monaghan were in residence at Portsmouth Friendship Centre for a year working with the participants to explore their personal LOCUS.

The residency took place between October 2009 and September 2010.

Some of the works developed during the residency continue their post-project life. This blog is being updated with any news on where the work can be seen, played, encountered. If you are interested in learning more contact Ania on aniabas{at}gmail{dot}com

Making films
















We are making films in Feb and March. We have only 3 sessions to record everyone who wants to be recorded. We have created a tiny studio in the Friendship House. We have a bit of trouble recording sound especially when large lorries are passing by exactly when interesting things are said. Recreating them does not feel same, nor sounds same.

We are working with filmmaker Lou Pack. Editing comes in next!


Sewing words
















We started sewing! Needles and cotton threads are the latest available materials. Sewing is seen as a very feminine activity, but some men are having a go! And there is a fair bit of helping going on, people finishing each other designs for each other, commenting on choice of colours and chosen shapes.

Loads of writing-sewing is going on in a few alphabets and languages.

On the picture: Winnie in the background and Rahim's hand with his work saying Allāh / the God.

Panoramic Centre






Panoramic pictures are a big hit especially with all the guys! Technology rulez! But pretty much everyone is having a go at using this function and we are coming up with pretty good results.
We have been experimenting with panoramic pics for a few weeks now and here are some of the attempts. We have managed to capture people more then one in the same picture (above Rosamund can be seen twice in the same photo; below Les also twice!)