Artist Nicole Sheppard is an art graduate from Manchester University. Nicole was chosen to showcase her work for the Bloomberg New Contemporaries 2022 show. What made Art the chosen subject for you at Uni? I’ve always preferred learning in a hands-on approach through making, sculpting, bending objects together, so art seemed like the only choice for me. What inspires your artwork? My work explores the relationship between human, non-human and non-material matter and its relationship with our everyday life. I am inspired by theories of New-Materialism and Post-Humanism. What is your favourite piece and what is the story behind it? I don’t have one stand out favourite. But the work I am most proud of would be Intra-action:I and Intra-action:II due to their material composition and the skills I acquired to make them. Formed from Hemp-crete a biocomposite alternative to concrete, made using hemp waste product and lime binder. With a setting time of three months the creation of these piec