The 1000 Plateaus VJ Collective — though most people know us as 1KP — has been doing its thing in Portsmouth for quite a while now. We’ve been part of the city’s creative undercurrent since the early days, when we first came together as Kino Kult back in 2005 or 2006. Back then, it was all about experimentation and grassroots live visuals. We played wherever we could — back rooms of pubs, clubs, little galleries, odd corners of venues — anywhere that had space, a projector, and an audience up for something unexpected.
Live visual performance has always been at the heart of what we do. Not pre-rendered, not planned down to the last frame. Everything is responsive, improvised and created right there in the moment. That’s what makes it exciting — for us as much as for the people watching. No two sets are ever the same.
2024 was something of a turning point for us. After years of offering to get involved, we were finally invited into Aspex Gallery in Portsmouth. At the time, Ricardo Reverón Blanco had just stepped in as curator and was shaking things up with a new programme called Friday Lates. The idea was simple and brilliant: keep the gallery open late and bring in artists and creatives to open up the space. Thanks to Ricardo, the doors opened at last. We weren’t in the gallery itself but in the cafe and workshop space, and we transformed it with 360 degree. That first night felt like the beginning of something special.
It wasn’t a one-off either. We soon started running VJ workshops on Sunday afternoons, teaching people the basics and inviting them to come back and perform live at Friday Lates. That spirit of openness and collaboration has always been a key part of what we do. We’ve created space for new artists to experiment and for audiences to experience something fresh and unpredictable.
One of the highlights so far was curating an all-female platform for International Women’s Day in 2025. Hosted at Aspex in celebration of their Superimposed exhibition, it was a brilliant evening showcasing the talents of women working in live visuals — something that felt both celebratory and overdue.
Around the same time, we became involved with Syncing, Not Swimming, a new electronic music night started by Si Hartsfield, who many will know from the local scene. Si invited us to bring live visuals to the nights, and we’ve now supported around three or four events. These have quickly become another platform for emerging VJs and visual artists to get involved, play, experiment, and connect with audiences in real time.
That’s really what 1KP is all about. Live means live. No playlists. No fixed sequences. Just artists responding to the moment, to the music, to each other, and to the audience. That’s where the magic happens — in the unpredictable, the improvised, the now.
The collective itself has always evolved, and right now it brings together a mix of artists with different styles and approaches. Amelie Stephenson, performing as Amalog, is part of the crew. Freya Marley and Hannah Kilby were early participants and helped shape the group in its formative years. John Ashlin is a regular presence. Kim Balouch, who performs as Snowglobe, brings her own distinctive style. Rachel Jones, performing as Hampshire Mermaid, adds another unique voice. Luke Richards, performing as ArtisticOrange, both have joined us more recently. Holding it all together is myself, Roy Hanney — though in this context, most people know me as Dr Lighthouse.
Looking back, we owe a lot to Ricardo Reverón Blanco for making that first step into Aspex possible. He’s since moved on to bigger and better things, but his support was key in helping us establish a real home for live visuals in the city. That space, and the spirit of collaboration and improvisation that comes with it, has shaped 1KP into what it is today.
We’ll be sharing some videos soon from recent nights so you can get a feel for what we do. If you’re curious about live visuals, or fancy having a go yourself, keep an eye out for our workshops and open calls. Whether you’re experienced or just starting out, you’ll be welcome. There’s always room for new voices and new energy.
Watch this space.
