José García Oliva is our first Artists For Future Policy commissioned artist, and is also undertaking an In Other Words residency in 2025 -26. He is a Venezuelan artist based in London and his practice addresses hidden socio-political oppressions surrounding migrant and outsourced labour, revealing them through participatory performances and public interventions. His work often unfolds as social provocations shaped by specific sites and the groups he engages with. Grounded in research, his practice explores the intersections of labour, identity, and popular iconography through drawing, sculpture, participatory performance, and writing. Oliva graduated from the Royal College of Art in 2020, and is currently an Associate Lecturer at Central Saint Martins.
Metal Welcome
For Metal Welcome José responded to how Metal can be more welcoming in all senses to help us shape our policy ‘Metal Welcome’. As part of José’s commission, he led a paper-folding exercise that invited us to rethink and share our perceptions of borders/barriers. Through this hands-on activity, we engaged with the paper to explore and embody ideas of openness, care, and inclusion making Metal a more welcoming environment. Explore José’s artist profile here.
José responded to the words, actions and reflections that emerged from each workshop by creating Welcome Isn’t a Doormat. There’s one doormat for each of our front-door sites, with an additional ‘free’ doormat, to be used wherever our work takes us.. The choice of object and material draws on his comments about institutional policies, suggesting that policies should be visible and accessible at the entrance of an institution. This limited edition doormat is also available in our shop.
In Other Words 3
During his In Other Words 3 residency, José will be spending time to revisit a project focusing on maintenance teams who work within contemporary art institutions in the UK.
