Paul Holmes
Paul Holmes

Paul Holmes MA, BSc (Hons), MInstP, FHEA, FRSA

Associate Professor

Biography

After completing a physics degree, I spent two decades as a director in film and television before redirecting my practice towards visual art.

I work with still and moving images, sound and light to harness and examine the gestures and actions of the human body, face and voice. I am interested in investigating the essential aesthetic properties of these media, and in developing new, non-narrative audio-visual grammars. I have exhibited in galleries and other spaces in the UK, continental Europe and across Asia, and have been invited to speak about my work in universities, conferences and public events around the world.

I joined Edinburgh Napier in 2006 as lecturer in film directing and subsequently ran three post-graduate courses in the moving image. At the same time I worked on and developed international collaborations with art colleges, film schools and universities around the world.

Over the years I have successfully raised hundreds of thousands of pounds of funding: for project development and production prior to my arrival at the University and for scholarly activities since then.

Since 2015 I have headed up international partnerships, collaborations and recruitment for the School of Arts and Creative Industries.

Research Areas

Esteem

Conference Organising Activity

  • Harnessing the Obsolete in Contemporary Art at Technology and Tradition conference, Futureworks, Manchester, UK
  • Self Portrait in the Form of a Geometric Net by Paul Holmes at Progressive Connexions: Storytelling and the Body, Lisbon, Portugal
  • "Figure Study in Light by Paul Holmes" at Progressive Connexions: Storytelling and the Body, Verona, Italy
  • "Storm Piece - a sound work by Paul Holmes" online In Media Res: Sound week
  • "One and Three Discs (After Kosuth)" at DHRA: Creative Legacies: Collaborative Practices for Digital Cultural Heritage, St James's Cavalier, Valetta, Malta
  • "Gastric Tones: A Study in Sound" at Cumulus 2017, Shrishti Academy, Bangalore, India
  • "Temporal Sculptures: Beyond Narrative in the Moving Image" at Troubling Time: An Expoloration of Temporality in the Arts, The University of Manchester, UK
  • "Uncovering Music through Silence: Outside the Box" by Paul Holmes at Azimuth Sound/Image, CCA, Glasgow, UK

 

External Examining/Validations

  • BA (Hons) Digital Film Production, University of Suffolk
  • MSc Emerging Media, Dublin City University
  • BA Film Production, University of Chichester
  • BA (Hons) Film Production, The Northern Film School.
  • BA (Hons) Filmmaking and Creative Media, University of the West of England.
  • BA (Hons) Media Production, Northumbria University.

 

Fellowships and Awards

  • Indian Council for Cultural Relations Senior Research Fellowship award for "Memory's Journey"
  • Fellow of the Royal Society for the encouragement of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce (FRSA).
  • Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (FHEA).

 

Invited Speaker

  • “Video Art as a Tool of Aesthetic Investigation” Keynote at the International Forum on Cross Media Art and Design, Shanghai, China
  • Video Art as a Sculptural Form: An Aesthetic Investigation Through Practice: FICUNAM International Film Festival
  • "Performance in Motion - video works by Paul Holmes" at British Council GREAT SCOTLAND rally Mumbai
  • "Performance in Motion - video works by Paul Holmes" at British Council GREAT SCOTLAND rally Bangalore
  • "Performance in Motion - video works by Paul Holmes" at British Council GREAT SCOTLAND rally Delhi

 

Membership of Professional Body

  • Institute of Physics (MINSTP)

 

Visiting Positions

  • Visiting lecturer, Shanghai University of Engineering Science
  • Visiting lecturer Shanghai Film Art Academy
  • Visiting lecturer, Zhongkai University
  • Visiting lecturer La Universidad de la Comunicacion
  • Visiting lecturer, North University of China
  • Visiting lecturer, Amity University, Kolkata
  • Visiting lecturer, Kala Bhavan
  • Visiting lecturer, University of Calcutta
  • Visiting tutor, National Film School of Ireland
  • Visiting tutor, Aalto
  • Visiting lecturer, Shanghai Normal University
  • Visiting lecturer, Amity University, Jaipur
  • Visiting tutor, Engage European film co-production lab

 

Date


49 results

Ballygunge Phari [HD video]

Digital Artefact
Holmes, P. (2017)
Ballygunge Phari [HD video]. [Gallery exhibition]
HD Video, black and white, silent. Named after one of South Kolkata's busiest intersections, this work captures the roaming inhabitants of the city, and its relentless strea...

The Persistence of Vision. In Azimuth Sound/Image

Exhibition / Performance
Holmes, P. The Persistence of Vision. In Azimuth Sound/Image. Exhibited at Centre for Contemporary Arts, Glasgow, Scotland. 7 December 2016 - 11 December 2016. (Unpublished)

)
Holmes, P. The Persistence of Vision. In Azimuth Sound/Image. Exhibited at Centre for Contemporary Arts, Glasgow, Scotland. 7 December 2016 - 11 December 2016. (Unpublished
A showing of works by Scottish and Japanese artists, including video work "The Persistence of Vision" Curated by Katarzyna Kosmala and Kumiko Kushiyama.

Uncovering Music through Silence: "Outside the Box" by Paul Holmes

Presentation / Conference
Holmes, P. (2016, December)
Uncovering Music through Silence: "Outside the Box" by Paul Holmes. Presented at Azimuth Sound/Image
Paul Holmes speaks about "Outside the Box", his silent video portrait of composer and guitarist Haftor Medboe's jazz quartet.

Outside the Box. In Azimuth Sound/Image

Exhibition / Performance
Holmes, P. Outside the Box. In Azimuth Sound/Image. Exhibited at TMU and Miraikan National Museum of Emerging Science and Innovation, Tokyo, Japan. 21 April 2016 - 28 August 2016. (Unpublished)

)
Holmes, P. Outside the Box. In Azimuth Sound/Image. Exhibited at TMU and Miraikan National Museum of Emerging Science and Innovation, Tokyo, Japan. 21 April 2016 - 28 August 2016. (Unpublished
A group exhibition of Japanese and Scottish artists, featuring video work "Outside the Box". Curated by Katarzyna Kosmala and Kumiko Kushiyama.

GREAT Scotland India event.

Presentation / Conference
Holmes, P. (2015, November)
GREAT Scotland India event

GREAT Scotland India event.

Presentation / Conference
Holmes, P. (2015, November)
GREAT Scotland India event

Outside the Box. In Jazzfest 2015.

Exhibition / Performance
Holmes, P. Outside the Box. In Jazzfest 2015. Exhibited at Dalhousie Institute, Kolkata, India. 27 November 2015 - 29 November 2015. (Unpublished)

)
Holmes, P. Outside the Box. In Jazzfest 2015. Exhibited at Dalhousie Institute, Kolkata, India. 27 November 2015 - 29 November 2015. (Unpublished
This annual festival of jazz artists from around the world featured jazz-themes video work "Outside the Box". Curated by Varun Desai.

Outside the Box. In Royal Scottish Academy open exhibition

Exhibition / Performance
Holmes, P. Outside the Box. In Royal Scottish Academy open exhibition. Exhibited at Royal Scottish Academy, the Mound, Edinburgh, Scotland. 27 November 2015 - 14 February 2016. (Unpublished)

)
Holmes, P. Outside the Box. In Royal Scottish Academy open exhibition. Exhibited at Royal Scottish Academy, the Mound, Edinburgh, Scotland. 27 November 2015 - 14 February 2016. (Unpublished
This annual exhibition, featuring the best work from artists in all media from around Scotland, included video work "Outside the Box". Curated by the RSA.

GREAT Scotland India event.

Presentation / Conference
Holmes, P. (2015, November)
GREAT Scotland India event

An Interactive Discussion with the Artist

Presentation / Conference
Holmes, P. (2015, July)
An Interactive Discussion with the Artist
On the final day of his solo show, "Outside the Box, an exhibition of new works by Paul Holmes", the artist delivers a lecture about his work.