Book cover image (2023)
BUDO - the way of being
This is a book about Budo – the martial Way – and its embodiment for developing one’s character and overall way of Being. It is a direct and candid exploration into the practicalities of living Budo through the eyes and experiences of internationally respected, Joe Thambu Shihan, Aikido 8th Dan.
(Cover image 'Joe Thambu Shihan / Budo' , Jess de Zilva, 2020)
Available from the Shudokan headquarters website, amazon and selected bookshops.
Art week / Kunstwoche
Secondary school, Oberschule Triesen, Liechtenstein, 2017
A workshop with Secondary school students. Looking at optical illusions and perspective we created a 5 x 3 meter large anamorphic painting. This is a heavily distorted image that when viewed from the correct viewing point gives a 3-D illusion.
On the side we experimented with similar ideas. The students used photography to create optical illusions.
The final piece and photos were presented at a private view.
Here you can see the work in progress and finished.
Specialist painting for Turner Prize Exhibition
Tate Britain, September 2016
Since it was established in 1984 the Turner Prize has become one of the most prestigious international visual arts awards and has both reflected and contributed to a growing public awareness and interest in contemporary art.
We painted a gigantic bottom to make it look like flesh. This “project for door” was part of Anthea Hamilton’s entry to the prize & exhibition at Tate Britain. We prepared the sculpture after it was installed, used water based paints as a base and finished with oils.
Team: Jess de Zilva/ Sue Day/ Josefine Reisch
photo: from Tate website. Photo by Joe Humphrey
s Hundertölferbuach va Mura book collaboration
Liechtenstein, London, France 2015
s Hundertölferbuach va Mura is a hard back book containing a collection of 111 (Hundertölf) real life stories of the past. The tales are told by people from Mauren, Liechtenstein, in their regional dialect and recorded as such which makes this book the first of its kind. It was published by the society for genealogy Mauren in November 2015. Prefaces are by the Minister of Culture Aurelia Frick, Mayor of Mauren Freddy Kaiser, Head of the society of genealogy Herbert Oehri and artist Jess de Zilva.
The team collaborated across three countries, met once during the project and then at the book launch.
Project : Herbert Oehri, Loretta Federspiel, Adolf Marxer
Editor: Loretta Federspiel
Graphic design: Medienbuero Oehri & Kaiser AG
visual concept, drawings: Jess de Zilva
Print: BVD Druck + Verlag AG
Rad Orchestra Promo Video
London, Summer 2015
Max Andre Rademacher from the Rad Orchestra http://www.radorchestra.com contacted me with a rough idea for for their new music video for their adaptation of Fat Boy Slim’s ‘right here right now’. I built on the ideas, including ways of to enhance the scenography using make-up/ body paints and cutting through the surface of the backdrops. I was responsible for for scenography, painted four large backdrops, and acted as artistic advisor.
Simon Blake (director) https://www.simonblake.co.uk/about and his team at Blunt Stuff then created this quirky promo.
Much fun we had!
Half tone
Old Truman Brewery, London 2011
“It is where Dark meets Light, Form becomes visible”
“half tone” is a collaborative artistic production originally conceived by Esther Fawcett-Wolf with music specially composed by John Sutton.
It is performed by dancer Dorothea Hübner, Yoshinkan Aikido practitioner Jess de Zilva, narrator Suzette Llewellyn, singer Lucy Thomas and pianist John Sutton.
It takes its inspiration from Schubert's song “Die Krähe” and from the idea of the sublimation and transformation of creative energy.
Half tone had it's debut at The Old Truman Brewery on Sunday 11 December 2011.
three shades of true
Shoreditch Town Hall 2010
"three shades of true" is a collaborative multi-media exhibition with photography, music and narrative.
Esther Fawcett-Wolf works with different media disciplines to stimulate the viewers’ senses. In “three shades of true” the atmospheric setting of the basement of Shoreditch Town Hall (29 April - 7 May 2010) and the Rad Orchestra’s musical concept interact with her photography and narrative. Visitors are encouraged to engage and reflect on the different scenarios in the photographs and question their perceptions. The storyline is written in the first person and in present tense in order to create immediacy and intimacy.
“I am driven by my investigation into the dynamics of the human psyche. My work is an exploration into the way we make sense of religion, morals, politics and social issues. I like to open up people's perception and question dogmas.“ (Esther Fawcett-Wolf)
The exhibition starts with a triptych of photographs alongside a narrative that acts as the start of a story to introduce the process of seeking clarity. Following on are pairs and individual pictures inviting the viewer to use their own interpretation. Finally there is a repetition of images, representing a journey of reoccurring memories.
Fawcett-Wolf’s photographs are predominantly devoid of people and portrayed in low light. By seeing the photographs from the artist’s perspective the viewer becomes involved and is placed into the ambiguity of presence and absence alike. The additional sense of hearing the accompanying musical compositions contradicts the initial perception of what one sees and adds another dimension to the experience.
The music by the Rad Orchestra stylistically underlines the literal “lifeless” spaces within the photographs.
As a result the musicians are placed in physical isolation to each other at different points within the exhibition space. Each musician plays their own part, the collective composition can then be heard at the "destination"
via speakers. The "destination" is the final room of the show where the visitors all come together, being directed by a series of “lights”. For the individual, being given guidance is an innate human desire e.g the righteous path, the red tape or the parental order, which is expected to be deviated from by some.
The public is drawn towards the music spilling from different rooms into the halls. In each room dedicated to music is a chair and a speaker. Recordings are played when the musicians are “absent”. The individual spaces evoke different moods or perspectives. Visitors passing through experience separate realities until they hear the concluding piece.
Esther Fawcett-Wolf & Rad Orchestra (Amy Jane Hosken: Viola, Jess de Zilva: Violin, Matt Bain: Violin, Max Andre Rademacher: Guitar, Ngoni, Paul Greenstein: Guitar, Glissentar, Rizwan Piracha: Bass)