In Conversation with Kelly Bryant
Kelly Bryant is a multidisciplinary artist whose work bridges film, installation, and performance. In a compelling conversation, she takes us through her journey as an artist and the inspirations behind one of her latest pieces, A Thread Through History which was recently shown to huge acclaim at Dazzle, Devonport’s Festival of Light, Creativity and Heritage. Her works delve into history, emotion, and the intersection of technology with storytelling.
From Dance to Film: A Journey of Artistic Evolution
Born in Paignton, Kelly’s artistic journey began in the world of dance.
“Dance was a major thing for me. I struggled at school, but dancing kind of kept me sane, I guess” she shares. Her dedication led to a scholarship at the prestigious London Studio Centre at just sixteen.
For years, she pursued a career in dance, living in Soho and navigating the demanding world of performance. But one day, she felt the pull of change.
“I woke up one day thinking I can’t live in Soho anymore and go to Oxford Street for my toilet roll,” she laughs. A serendipitous invitation from friends led her to Norway, where she lived for six years working as a performer, director and producer. It was here that she discovered a passion for film, blending it with dance and immersive theatre. This fusion set the foundation for her later work—art that is not confined to a single medium but instead flows between physical movement, digital storytelling, and historical exploration.
A Thread Through History: Weaving Stories of Devonport’s Past
Kelly’s commission for A Thread Through History emerged unexpectedly.
“There was a course on video mapping through Real Ideas and The Media Workshop, and I thought, ‘I really need to up my game,’” she recalls. The challenge? Mastering video projection onto large-scale buildings.
Through this opportunity, she was introduced to a commission celebrating two centuries of Devonport’s history. Diving into research, Kelly uncovered a little-known but fascinating fact:
“There was this one paragraph I found in a history book. It said the Navy wives living in Devonport were incredible seamstresses. Some didn’t have enough money coming in from their husbands at sea, so they took on extra sewing work. They were so good that major fashion companies in London, in the 1800s, sent their patterns to Devonport because they knew they’d get the best quality garments.”
Photo by One Plymouth
This revelation sparked the idea behind A Thread Through History—a piece that would quite literally weave together the past and present through digital projections.
Her process was deeply immersive. She spent time at Market Hall, collaborating with Arts University Plymouth to conduct 3D scans, using cloud data to form a material matter from the fabrics of The Market Hall.
Photo by One Plymouth
“I wanted the building to have a sartorial gesture. It was being sewn—its own fabric, its own DNA—Its own history sewn back onto itself,” she explains.
She filmed the textures of the Market Hall’s stairs using extreme macro photography, revealing the hidden fibers of the building, searching for echoes of its past.
Photo by Jay Stone
Working with a textile artist Sam Doyle, she captured the action of sewing itself, integrating it into her projections. But one of the most profound elements came from the archives at The Box in Plymouth.
“I’ve never worked with archives before, and I can’t believe I haven’t! I could have spent a year there, and the team from The Box Media Archives were incredible” she says. Among the materials they found were two letters from the 1800s, written by Navy wives to their husbands.
“I recorded some of the words from those letters, and they’re in the soundscape,” she shares. “It was quite emotional reading them.”
The piece also incorporates footage filmed at Coldharbour Mill, where Kelly documented historic looms still in use today.
“I love old machinery. I guess I’m haunted by a lost future,” she muses. “I started thinking about Navy wives. When they marry a man in the Navy, it’s like they’re marrying the Navy itself.”
One of the most striking images in A Thread Through History is a woman dragging an anchor along a beach—symbolizing the weight these women carried, the waiting, the resilience and adapting when their husbands come home.
“The strength these women had… they are strong now, too, serving as officers themselves. That’s the story I found emerging.”
Water plays a recurring role in her work, despite her own fear of it.
“I’m quite scared of water, but I always film myself underwater—to force myself to put my head under,” she admits.
In this project, she imagines what sailors must have dreamed of while away at sea, longing for home.
“I found this beautiful footage of when Navy wives and husbands reunite. It’s quite emotional,” she says. “This project unintentionally became about the strength of these women.”
The soundscape for the piece was crafted by Jonas Bjerketvedt, a sound artist from Norway.
“I’ve worked with Jonas since I was 22. He’s an incredible artist, and his work adds so much depth to my films.”
As the project neared completion, Kelly reflected on the unpredictability of video mapping.
“I had this film now, and I think it’s finished—but then you just don’t know how on earth it’s going to look when finally projected onto the building. It’s exciting, but absolutely terrifying.”
Blurring Boundaries: What’s Next?
Kelly’s practice is ever-evolving, rooted in a deep curiosity about history, movement, and materiality. She thrives in non-traditional spaces and immersive environments.
“I love working with historical buildings and finding stories in their walls. The cracks and crevices all hold forgotten stories. I want the audience to experience the space from which these stories came”.
Whether working with archives, textiles, or projections, her work breathes new life into forgotten narratives. As she continues to blur the boundaries between mediums, her art remains a testament to resilience, connection, and the unseen threads that bind history together.
“I don’t like to make things easy,” she laughs. “But that’s what keeps it exciting.
