Beetson visited Kluge-Ruhe from February 7 – March 2, 2016. During her residency, Beetson worked with students from the Department of Art and the International Residence College at UVA and members of the community to construct a kitsch version of a possum skin cloak made from the red Sesame Street character, Elmo. She lined the cloak with American flags. The Elmo-skin cloak was exhibited at the end of the residency during a reception at the Department of Art in Ruffin Hall (Final Fridays). Later, it was added to her exhibition at the Kluge-Ruhe Collection. Beetson also worked side-by-side with Professor Megan Marlett to learn the process of building a large head (capogrosso) in the Spanish papier-mâché tradition. Such big heads are typically used in European street festivals. Beetson completed her big head and took it back to Australia. Students and community members engaged with Bianca Beetson through a number of public speaking events, including a gallery tour and artist talk, and more casual meetings at receptions. She delivered a guest lecture on The Black See for a class on Art and Athletics and consulted with a team of students in an Arts Administration class about how to construct a code of ethics for museums. Beetson gave a live radio interview on UVA’s station, WTJU and also assisted with a writing/art project from English as a Second language (ESL) students from a local middle school.

This exhibition and residency were supported by Australia Council for the Arts, Queensland College of Art, the UVA McIntire Department of Art, and the Office of the Provost and Vice Provost for the Arts, UVA.