Alex Nichols
ALEX NICHOLS是一名致力於「關鍵接觸藝術(Critical Contact Art)」的跨領域藝術家及作家，透過身體經驗達到身份的探索、連接與溝通。Alex創作計畫的核心價值為實驗如何使身體成為能夠積極抵抗的場所，她透過身體探索自我身份，特別是自我與他人的關係。其目標是跨越語言、文化和性別，並透過原始肢體互動搭起交流的橋樑。
生長於舊金山，Alex在2011年從CCA（California College of the Arts 加州藝術學院）獲得了藝術創作碩士學位。也參與駐村，並在灣區展出她的成果，其他還包括Headlands藝術中心、重建藝術家居住計畫、Southern Exposure、柏克萊藝術中心、NUMU博物館、堡梅森藝術文化與現代主義西方中心等地。並於2016年在AIA（American Institute of Architects，美國建築師學會）中發表講座。
Alex是TMT（Think Make Tank）的執行董事，TMT是她與Mushi和Qinmin Liu幾位藝術家在2016年於舊金山創立的組織，TMT也是一個共同創作空間，開發各種計畫及活動，聚集各領域的藝術家和大眾一起思考並創造全新的經驗。她表示：「我們將TMT建立在『一個想法必須親身體驗後才會為自己的』基礎上。」
Alex和Mushi於2015年開始合作，他們的主要計畫是可攜帶式工作室，其計畫是一個可參與且公開的項目，也涉及多種文化。「主要目地是研究人們如何溝通與連結」Alex說，「我們正在努力嘗試超越性別、文化和語言條件，並建立對話。」Alex與Mushi自4月17日起至5月1日於竹圍工作室駐村。
關於移動式工作室：https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=60-6TJqDFv0
駐村照片集
駐村作品
駐村心得：
I work with Mushi Woo Seong James on a project called the Portable Studio. The Portable Studio is a community and interactive based project. Our goal is to look at communication and connection within different communities and countries. Using the box as a tool to create a space to isolate human connection we are looking at the core language of humans before words. Through the help of the Bamboo Curtain we took the Portable Studio to the Zhuwei elementary school and to Taipei MOCA.
What I learned during the residency is the power and the importance of having strong co-ordinators to help facilitate projects. Through the Bamboo Curtain Studio we were able to work with the community and gain trust within that community because it was already developed through the trust that Bamboo Curtain has built around itself. This is critical for projects and artists who want to interact with the community. Especially when artists are coming from different countries and languages.
Bamboo Curtain was a great retreat from the intensity of Taipei city. So it had the balance of high stimulation from the markets and the streets and then the quiet space to reflect. The theater troupe that works there was inspirational. Watching them make instruments, practice drumming, building sets, developing their ideas with so much freedom of thinking was exciting. It reminded me of the importance of communities and environment that support and believe in the arts. It is a sanctuary for thinking and making.
