In March 2003, No. 5 Porthmeor Studios opened its doors to Partou Zia. For the next six months this would be her working space, under the terms of the pioneering Tate St Ives Artists’ Residency Programme. Partou was the first recipient of the award, initiated to support the development of young artists in Cornwall. She was also the first woman to occupy this historically significant studio, previously inhabited by Borlase Smart, Ben Nicholson and then Patrick Heron. These iconic figures of twentieth century art had each left in their wake a reputation larger than life, together with liberal splatters of paint decorating every available surface.
