A Q+A with Jess Scott

Jess Scott was selected for our 2026 KIND x KARST collaboration, where a KARST studio holder is awarded a solo exhibition at Studio KIND. Jess' exhibition I Think This Is Where I Live explores the intersection of identity, memory, and place through documentary style photography and film of the artist's family home. We chatted with Jess to find out more about the experience!

How did you find the experience of pulling together your first large scale solo exhibition? What did you enjoy most from the process?

I found this exhibition quite emotional actually. I knew I wanted to explore family archives, and when my Nan developed dementia it became clear I needed to create the archive myself. Having the exhibition in mind throughout really helped guide the process. Trying to imagine how people could see these images and how I could recreate the feeling of Marpool Crescent without carbon copying it. Memory is rarely perfect so I didn’t want to focus on being representational. This is where the incorporation of objects from the house came from. Curated alongside my work so that they mimic their position in the house, but being works of art on their own. 

What skills did you learn from installing the show? 

I learnt a lot about curation. While volunteering at KARST I have helped with a few installs and watched the curation process from a distance. Working with Laura was a great opportunity to learn from a professional. I mainly learnt that I can trust my own instinct, with Laura reassuring me throughout the process. Curation was a lot of walking around and looking at the works from different angles, in different orders. Making sure that no matter where the audience comes from I knew they would experience the work as intended. I also learnt that no matter how long I do that, people will experience my work in their own ways. Bringing their own meaning, from their own lived experiences.

What is the significance of this exhibition opportunity for you and your practice?

As an emerging artist, this has been an incredible opportunity. Especially not coming from a fine art background, it’s been a lot of ‘learning on the job’. The support from Studio KIND and KARST has really given me the confidence to trust my own practice and think about what it is I want to make, and what I want to work towards.

What are you looking forward to developing from this body of work and what have you got coming up next?

As part of this collaboration I have a two week residency at KARST, followed by an exhibition. I don’t really know what I will do next, but I want to keep exploring the themes of the show. Particularly memory and identity, and what they mean for me. I am also looking forward to working on a bigger scale, in a bigger space and seeing how that informs my work.

Jess' exhibition is open 30th May - 4th July 2026.

Continuing our long-standing collaboration with KARST in Plymouth, this exhibition is the fourth solo exhibition brought to Studio KIND by a KARST studioholder. The exchange encourages artistic collaboration across North Devon and Plymouth, and supports Studio KIND's ambitions to ensure that North Devon is connected with exciting and critically engaged dialogues across the South West, strengthened by KARST's invaluable organisational support. KARST was founded in 2012 by artists who wanted to develop an artist-led space in Plymouth to produce and show the best international contemporary art. It is the South West's largest independent artist-led contemporary arts gallery and studio space, renowned for provocative and experimental work. Previous KIND x KARST solo exhibitions include: Katy Richardson, Anna Boland and Tom Milnes.