http://www.edinburghartfestival.com/ en Copyright 2010 2010-02-22T16:11:49+00:00 http://www.edinburghartfestival.com/news/coleman-and-hogarth-awarded-expo-emerging-artist-commission/ http://www.edinburghartfestival.com/news/coleman-and-hogarth-awarded-expo-emerging-artist-commission/ Kim Coleman and Jenny Hogarth are to follow their recent Frieze Art Fair project with a commission for the 2010 Edinburgh Art Festival. The new work, Staged, will be a multi-channel video installation incorporating stage-managed performances with live events filmed around the city by CCTV cameras, transforming the Edinburgh Festival into a mise-en-scène and the visitors, tourists and locals into players. Produced by Collective Gallery, the work will be shown in a city-centre venue. “Kim Coleman and Jenny Hogarth are two of the rising stars of Scottish visual arts,” says Joanne Brown, Director of the Edinburgh Art Festival. “We are delighted to be able to support the creation of this new artwork for the 2010 EAF which builds on the work the artists have been developing over the last five years.” “Edinburgh, especially during the Festival, is an iconic and theatrical city raising questions of what is real and what is fictional,” says Kate Gray, Director of Collective. “People come to see performances and at the same time form part of a human drama. In Staged they will become part of a production that navigates the real and fictional.” Set in the overlooked and underground spaces of Edinburgh while the festival takes precedence in the city, Staged will obscure and abstract well-known vistas playing with what is real and unreal/ natural or artificial. The work will go someway to capturing the complex relationship the city has with performance, heightening the viewers’ awareness of the staging of the Edinburgh Festival by mixing the premeditated with the spontaneous; the organized with the randomized; what’s intended to be scrutinised with what is not; what’s appreciated with what is taken for granted. Videos projected within the work will explore performativity and editing, particularly within the creation of visual effects, blurring the boundaries between abstract and representational. The work will create a digital camera obscura, proffering an inverted view of the performances - back-street spaces and invisible labour will gain equal billing with visitors' play. This funfair will be viewed as if through a Claude glass, abstracting and transfiguring the intricate carnival within it, with human adventurous playful qualities. Many of Coleman/Hogarth’s videos and performances involve visual simile or metaphor through the abstraction of everyday objects and actions. Themes of the artificial and the natural and of the fundamental elements of light and dark are prevalent. They draw attention to hidden beauty, aestheticising the overlooked. Using devises such as mirroring, repetition and reflection, they document events as performance with actions happening repeatedly in loops. Staged will see loops in which the performance changes for each cycle confusing what is recorded repetition and what is re-enacted. Contemporary CCTV cameras pan, tilt and zoom and can be programmed to film a series of shots at different positions at specified timings within the radius of its sight. The camera can be programmed to create a rhythm of images, which, like a string of stanzas in a poem, keep to a structure yet allow changes and developments in content. Using the city’s CCTV cameras Coleman and Hogarth will film a programmed series of shots at certain times of day, shots which will vary day to day due to volumes of people, the weather and the changing light. The footage will both capture how people perform and equally how reflections - the sun, the moon, the clouds and the birds - appear to perform as they interact with reflective surfaces and the cameras. Footage recorded from previous days will be mixed with live footage of the same shots (with and without actors) projected in their repeating patterns. When the viewer enters the installation space, set within a round building, they will be confronted with a series of five video projections, which will be being mixed live by the artists and a series of invited guests. The projections will be received from three different feeds: live video footage from CCTV cameras from pre-negotiated sites around Edinburgh, showing life as it happens; live video footage, which incorporates, live performances by actors/volunteers deployed by the artists, who reference the camera; pre-recorded video footage of the artists performing scenarios in the studio and in the sites of the CCTV cameras. Staged will launch on 29 July at the opening of the 2010 Edinburgh Art Festival running until 5 September. For the full press release including notes for editors, please click here Coleman and Hogarth awarded Expo Emerging Artist Commission 2010-02-22T15:11:49+00:00 http://www.edinburghartfestival.com/news/edinburghs-visual-arts-ebulletin-february-2010/ http://www.edinburghartfestival.com/news/edinburghs-visual-arts-ebulletin-february-2010/ Edinburgh’s Visual Arts eBulletin: February 2010 Edinburgh’s Visual Arts eBulletin: February 2010 2010-02-10T10:40:44+00:00 http://www.edinburghartfestival.com/news/call-for-proposals-for-the-2010-art-festival/ http://www.edinburghartfestival.com/news/call-for-proposals-for-the-2010-art-festival/ 2010 Edinburgh Art Festival 29 July - 5 September We are now inviting proposals from museums, galleries and artists to be part of the 2010 Art Festival. This year we have broadened the spectrum of catergories to include: Exhibitions; Events; Open Studios; and Artist Films. We decided to do this both to allow more artists to get involved and to offer visitors more ways to access the fantastic art at the Festival. The deadline for submissions is 8 March 2010, so don't be late! If you would like to submit a proposal, please download the proposal form here. Please contact us at info@edinburghartfestival.com if you encounter any issues. Call for Proposals for the 2010 Art Festival 2010-01-07T11:08:24+00:00 http://www.edinburghartfestival.com/news/richard-wright-wins-the-prestigious-2009-turner-prize/ http://www.edinburghartfestival.com/news/richard-wright-wins-the-prestigious-2009-turner-prize/ 2009 Turner Prize Edinburgh Art Festival congratulates Richard Wright and the Ingleby Gallery     Richard Wright in the Dean Gallery where he will make a new painting for the 2010 EAF   “Richard Wright is a worthy winner of the Turner Prize,” says EAF Director Joanne Brown. “We are delighted that the calibre of his work has been recognised in the award of this prestigious prize. Congratulations also to Edinburgh’s acclaimed Ingleby Gallery whose exhibition of Wright’s work led to his nomination for the Prize. ”   Earlier in 2009 Richard Wright was awarded an EAF commission to create a new work for the Dean Gallery (Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art). Wright will be given access to the two stairwells of Thomas Hamilton’s Dean Orphan Hospital to make a painting which will be unveiled as part of the 2010 Edinburgh Art Festival.   “The Edinburgh Art Festival is a key platform for the capital’s galleries and artists,” adds Brown. “Although the Festival does not curate exhibitions we support the galleries and artists who make and show work. We are delighted that a grant from the Scottish Government’s Edinburgh Festivals Expo Fund has allowed us to support the commission of this exciting new work by Richard Wright which promises to be one of the highlights of the 2010 EAF.”   Speaking at the time of the Expo announcement Keith Hartley, Chief Curator and Depute Director of the Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art, commented: “Ever since Richard Wright made two exquisite, but ephemeral wall paintings for our exhibition Correspondences: Art from Scotland and Berlin in 1997,we have wanted to have a permanent painting by the artist in one of our Gallery buildings. When the opportunity came to apply for EAF Expo funding to commission Richard to make a major painting in the Dean Gallery, we seized the opportunity eagerly. We are delighted that we were successful in being selected and look forward to working with the artist and the Edinburgh Art Festival in the coming months.”   The sixth Edinburgh Art Festival will open on 29 July 2010 running until 5 September. Richard Wright wins the prestigious 2009 Turner Prize 2009-12-08T14:46:33+00:00 http://www.edinburghartfestival.com/news/edinburghs-visual-arts-ebulletin-november-2009/ http://www.edinburghartfestival.com/news/edinburghs-visual-arts-ebulletin-november-2009/ Edinburgh’s Visual Arts eBulletin: November 2009 2009-11-17T13:37:41+00:00 http://www.edinburghartfestival.com/news/edinburghs-visual-arts-ebulletin-october-2009/ http://www.edinburghartfestival.com/news/edinburghs-visual-arts-ebulletin-october-2009/ Edinburgh’s Visual Arts eBulletin: October 2009 2009-10-15T10:57:39+00:00 http://www.edinburghartfestival.com/news/edinburghs-visual-arts-ebulletin-9-september-2009/ http://www.edinburghartfestival.com/news/edinburghs-visual-arts-ebulletin-9-september-2009/ Edinburgh’s Visual Arts eBulletin: 9 September 2009 2009-09-09T11:24:32+00:00 http://www.edinburghartfestival.com/news/bbcs-the-culture-show-discusses-the-edinbrugh-art-festival/ http://www.edinburghartfestival.com/news/bbcs-the-culture-show-discusses-the-edinbrugh-art-festival/ Last night's edition of The Culture Show kicked off with an 8 minute discussion on the Edinburgh Art Festival. Go to this link on BBC iPlayer to take a look and enjoy: http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b00mg0gb/The_Culture_Show_2009_2010_The_Edinburgh_Festival_Show_3/     BBC’s The Culture Show features the Edinbrugh Art Festival! 2009-08-27T13:32:17+00:00 http://www.edinburghartfestival.com/news/expo-commissions-announced/ http://www.edinburghartfestival.com/news/expo-commissions-announced/ 2010 Expo Commissions Announced Details of three major Edinburgh Art Festival commissions, supported by the Scottish Government’s Expo Fund, were recently announced. Internationally acclaimed Scottish artists Richard Wright and Martin Creed will each make a new work: Wright will make a major new painting at the Dean Gallery and Creed is set to create a public work in the centre of the city. The third commission will introduce Scotland’s new generation of visual arts talent to the international audience at the summer Festivals. Curators, artist-led groups, galleries and artists are invited to apply to the fund for the creation of new work by a Scottish born or based visual artist, to be unveiled at the 2010 Edinburgh Art Festival. If you would like to download information and an application form for the 2010 Expo Commissioning Fund for an Emerging Artist, click here.  THE STAIRWELLS PROJECT The Stairwells Project at the Dean Gallery will see 2009 Turner Prize nominee, Richard Wright, make a major new painting on the fabric of Thomas Hamilton’s Dean Orphan Hospital, now the Dean Gallery, part of the Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art. The Dean Gallery is one of Thomas Hamilton’s most important buildings and the stairwells, both outside and inside, are key features of his design. Both of the stairwells will be made available to Richard for his work. Richard Wright in one the Dean Gallery stairwells, the site for his Expo Commission painting. Photograph by Angela Catlin. The Buildings of Scotland volume on Edinburgh describes the inside of the stairwells thus: ‘their great height is exaggerated by inward inclination at the clearstorey stage.’ This is indeed one of their key features. The inward inclination of the windows makes it look as if the towers are falling in on themselves. It is a very dramatic effect. The other major and singular feature of the stairwells is the exaggerated height of the banisters. This is so that the orphans could not climb on to them to slide down and possibly hurt themselves. “The design gives an Alice-in-Wonderland effect to the stairwells,” says Keith Hartley, Chief Curator and Deputy Director of the Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art. “It is as if they had been built for giants. The idea of having twin stairwells is that one would be for the girls, the other for the boys. All of this provides a rich visual vocabulary and historical context for Richard Wright’s wall-painting.” “Ever since Richard Wright made two exquisite, but ephemeral wall paintings for our exhibition Correspondences: Art from Scotland and Berlin in 1997,we have wanted to have a permanent painting by the artist in one of our Gallery buildings. When the opportunity came to apply to the Scottish Government’s Expo Fund to commission Richard to make a major painting in the Dean Gallery, we seized the opportunity eagerly. We are delighted that we were successful in being selected and look forward to working with the artist and the Edinburgh Art Festival in the coming months.” THE SCOTSMAN STEPS PROJECT Meanwhile, in the city centre, 2001 Turner Prize winner, Martin Creed, will make a new work on Edinburgh’s historic Scotsman Steps. Curated by Fiona Bradley of the Fruitmaket Gallery, the work will premiere at the 2010 Edinburgh Art Festival as a destination artwork within Edinburgh’s World Heritage Site. “The Scotsman Steps are an historic artery between Edinburgh’s old and new towns,” says Fiona Bradley. “Siting an artwork on the Steps will bring Martin’s work to the attention of people who use the Steps, but who would not normally consider themselves an audience for art. At the same time a new work by a Scottish artist of such high international repute will raise the profile of The Steps, encouraging art audiences, who will seek the work out, to use this landmark highway.” The Scotsman Steps, location for Martin Creed's new Expo work. Photograph by Angela Catlin. The Steps, which are presently somewhat dilapidated, have been identified by Edinburgh City Council and Edinburgh World Heritage as a priority for refurbishment. This work is scheduled to be completed in time for the 2010 summer festivals with Martin Creed’s artwork a key part of the refurbishment. “Built into the fabric of Edinburgh, Martin’s work will engage audiences outside the gallery environment, becoming part of their everyday experience of navigating through the city and highlighting the Scotsman Steps’ existence and purpose – they have historically always been designated as a road, linking the old and new towns. The work will also challenge audiences, encouraging them, as much of Creed’s work does, to think again about how they inhabit the world.” Commenting on the opportunity that the Expo commission offers, Martin Creed said: “It will be great to be back in Scotland. I am happy, excited and nervous to be playing at home”   Expo Commissions Announced 2009-08-26T09:10:08+00:00 http://www.edinburghartfestival.com/news/edinburghs-visual-arts-ebulletin-26-august-2009/ http://www.edinburghartfestival.com/news/edinburghs-visual-arts-ebulletin-26-august-2009/ Edinburgh’s Visual Arts eBulletin: 26 August 2009 2009-08-26T08:57:19+00:00