Scotland’s two leading arts organisations have joined forces for the second time to present an ambitious and dynamic annual exhibition.
This will bring together the best in contemporary art and design in a collaboration at the Royal Scottish Academy in Edinburgh.
The Society of Scottish Artists (SSA) and Visual Arts Scotland (VAS) present SSA | VAS OPEN, showcasing work from more than 150 artists and designers – from painting, sculpture and printmaking to installation, performance, moving image, furniture and jewellery.
The work was selected following a series of open calls, which attracted more than 2,500 entries from artists and designers around the world.
The exhibition will show some of the most exciting work being made by both societies’ members, as well as bringing powerful international artwork to audiences in Edinburgh. More than 30,000 visitors are expected over the duration of the show. The exhibition is produced and supported entirely by artists, with no public funding.
Both societies are pleased to present a diverse range of new and continuing prizes and collaborations with organisations including The Cordis Trust, CutLog, The Inches Carr Trust, Engramme and Lithographie-Werkstatt Eichstätt.
The SSA is also delighted to be working for the first time with the Wilhelmina Barns-Graham Trust, who will be presenting a new graduate award. To coincide with the award, a work by Barns-Graham (1912 –2004) will also be on show. The award is particularly significant as the SSA gave Barns-Graham her first opportunity to exhibit in a public exhibition while she was studying at Edinburgh College of Art in 1935.
VAS is also hosting a new award for furniture and design from the Scottish Furniture Makers’ Association, which places a focus on sustainable and ethical production. Makers showing include London-based furniture designer, maker and environmentalist Sebastian Cox, and Edinburgh-based designer and maker Isabelle Moore.
Andrew Mackenzie, president of Visual Arts Scotland, said: ‘Since their inception, both societies have focused on the new and adventurous, the challenging and contemporary. We will continue this commitment by presenting an exhibition that demonstrates fully the diversity of contemporary and applied art created today.’
Sharon Quigley, president of the Society of Scottish Artists, added: ‘The SSA and VAS have much in common yet are very distinct organisations. Working together, our mission once more has been to celebrate our unique qualities, whilst confirming our individual identities as two of Scotland’s leading art institutions. This exciting collaboration has allowed us to combine our expertise to present one ambitious exhibition, following an outstanding response from artists of the highest calibre.’
A work by Niall Strachan
SSA | VAS OPEN at the Royal Scottish Academy includes:
Large-scale, stainless steel sculptures by renowned artist Sam Shendi, which form part of his Calligraphy Collection. This is the first time the Egyptian-born artist has exhibited with either society.
BLOCO BLOQUEADO/ BLOCK BLOCK by Stephanie Black-Daniels – a performance installation exploring themes of gender and sexuality. The work is based on the artist’s experience of attending LGBTQI self-defence classes while on the Open Bodies residency in Brazil, which was run in association with the Fruitmarket Gallery.
New work by Louise Barrington, this year’s SSA invited artist. Barrington was invited following her work at last year’s annual exhibition, Messages Change Day by Day. She has made work in direct response to the landscape of her native Orkney.
GroĂźe LĂĽge (Big Lie), a large, wall-mounted text sculpture by Gary Gowans exploring and responding to contemporary issues including fake news and political propaganda. A QR code will allow viewers to discover more about the work.
Alba Down to Nippon, by James Alexander McKenzie: a large-scale painting and performance, drawing on the artist’s experiences during a research trip to Tokyo. The work looks at Japanese culture as experienced by a Scottish outsider.
Samantha Cheevers’ response to lost communities and derelict buildings in the Cabrach, northeast Scotland, following her recent residency at Glenfiddich Distillery.
Jeff Zimmer’s glass text sculptures, based on the poems of Edwin Morgan. Zimmer was awarded the Glass Biennale Prize at this year’s British Glass Biennale.
Discomforts, a mixed-media work by Susie Wilson, made in response to her research around the Scottish Women’s Hospitals during the First World War.
The annual exhibition of the Society of Scottish Artists and Visual Arts Scotland will take place at the Royal Scottish Academy, Edinburgh, from 22 December – 30 January 2020.
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