ALIGHT – Visual Arts Scotland 26 Jan – 22 Feb 2019
The 2019 Annual Exhibition, ALIGHT is displayed in the majestic upper galleries of the Royal Scottish Academy from this weekend.
This general open submission gives all artists at whatever stage of their career an opportunity to show their work at a flagship venue. Many of the artists are also eligible for many awards and prizes.Over 1200 entries came in from all over the world with a broad mix of disciplines. This year’s prize fund is standing at over £15,000.
Visual Arts Scotland (VAS) explores the regions where art forms cross over, especially those between the fine and applied arts, showcasing work that demonstrates conceptual thinking and innovation, as well as outstanding design and craftsmanship in jewellery and silversmithing. This year they have created a platform for practitioners who explore and promote sustainability and ethical practices.
VAS will again partner with Craft Scotland in the third of the planned series of media specific showcases inaugurated in 2016. Each year they come together to shine a spotlight on craft and they will highlight a different craft discipline in each subsequent VAS annual exhibition.
They will exhibit quality craft in a venue fitting of its stature, and in context alongside works of fine art. This year they explore how three different makers use wood in very different ways, differing in scale from the architectural to the sculptural, to the precious.
Craft Scotland Celebrates: Wood explores the diverse work of three makers Beth Legg, Naomi McIntosh and Charlotte Barker. This is presented within and alongside Hirta, a modular structure which acts as a focus for discussion around materiality, design and making.
The inches Carr Mentoring Award, is open to early to mid career makers, looking to advance their practice in conjunction with a mentor. In 2019 VAS will present work developed by Ffion Blench as a result of the inaugural award in 2018, along with a showcase of the short listed entries for the 2019 prize.
Having hand-picked a selection of the hottest emerging talents over the summer months, we have whittled a shortlist of eighteen artists down to just a handful of what we consider to be the rising stars in Scottish art for the Graduate Showcase 2019, generously supported once again by the Russel Trust. They are Daniel Craddock, Niklas Gustaffson, Jack Handscombe, Erin McQuarrie, Ailsa Morrant & Marcus Murison. (see images)
Founding Editor of The Edinburgh Reporter.
Edinburgh-born multimedia journalist and iPhoneographer.
