Manchester-based artist Omid Asadi has been announced as the latest artist in residence at Energy House Labs.
Commissioned by the University of Salford Art Collection, the residency will run from Spring 2026 through to the end of the year, bringing together art and housing research in a unique interdisciplinary collaboration.
Born in Iran in 1979, Omid’s practice is shaped by a diverse background spanning engineering and boxing. His work explores themes of home, memory, identity and environment, often drawing on personal experiences of displacement and change.
The Energy House team first connected with Omid during his 2023 solo exhibition at Castlefield Gallery, where they supported the project by sourcing reclaimed building materials, including bricks from demolished homes. These material-led narratives continue to underpin his work.
During the residency, Omid will develop new work in response to ongoing retrofit research, with a particular focus on the recreated 1930s house. His work will explore the relationship between people, place and the built environment, offering new perspectives on sustainability and lived experience.
Stephanie Fletcher, Curator of the University’s Art Collection, said:
“Omid’s solo exhibition at Castlefield Gallery in 2023 was incredible. It has been fantastic to see his practice develop further since, and we’re delighted to be able to reconnect for this new residency. The recreated 1930s house poses a unique new challenge and opportunity for artistic response, and builds on our previous series of Energy House residencies.”
Grant Henshaw our Research Fellow at Energy House 2.0 added:
“It’s great to be working with Omid again through this new artist residency. His work has a really thoughtful way of connecting materials, place and personal stories, which makes him a fantastic fit for Energy House Labs”