Four more years announced for visual artists on the Jon Schueler Scholarship at Sabhal Mòr Ostaig
Sabhal Mòr Ostaig, the National Centre for Gaelic Language, Culture and the Arts on Skye announces its call to international visual artists for the fifth annual Jon Schueler Scolarship Artist Residency. The Scholarship which began in 2013 will run for a further 4 years until 2020, and applications are now being invited for the 2017 residency.
The Scholarship is a unique partership between SMO and the Jon Schueler Charitable Trust with support from the Royal Scottish Academy. It was established to celebrate and remember the life, work and artistic influence of internationally renowned artist and abstract expressionist painter, Jon Schueler (1916-1992), and in recognition of his very special relationship with the landscape and environment of the Sound of Sleat.
The residency is open to international, Scottish and UK artists working to the highest level of professional practice in a visual medium and with a particular interest in the landscape and environment. The scholarship enables an artist to base him or herself for 3 months in the Visual Arts Studio housed within the Fàs Centre for the Creative Industries at SMO. This year it will run from 25 September until 15 December and the successful applicant will have the opportunity to research, develop and produce work in the dedicated artist’s studio in a spectacular setting overlooking the Sound of Sleat, the place that so inspired Schueler.
Kath MacLeod, Arts Development officer at SMO says: “We are delighted that this artist opportunity will continue for four more years with the support of our partners. It is now an important part of our arts programme here at SMO and a fitting manifestation of the continuing artistic legacy of Jon Schueler. Artists, students and the wider community are able to engage with the artists while they are here through open studio events, talks and collaborative events, promoting the exchange of ideas. This complements our long-running artist residency programme for Gaelic writers, musicians, drama and visual artists.
We will continue to share the work of the scholarship atists with audiences through exhibitions (such as the first showing in the UK of Japanese photographer Takeshi Shikama in 2013). Last year, three of the artists exhibited alongside an exhibition of work by Schueler, as part of Sabhal Mòr’s international symposium, AN LINNE, celebrating the centenary of Schueler’s birth. Work developed and produced here by the artists continues to be exhibited around the world such as in Singapore, Galicia and Japan, expanding audiences for this new work from the Gàidhealtachd responding to the Gaelic language, culture, landscape and environment.”
The Scholarship programme has attracted over 1,100 international applications so far from around the world and contributes to putting Skye and the Gàidhealtachd firmly on the map as an exciting place to develop contemporary visual art in Scotland. The previous recipients have been Takeshi Shikama from Japan, sound artist Helmut Lemke form Germany, Scottish film artist Oliver Mezger and Agathe de Bailliencourt from Paris but who is now based in Berlin.
“ Being given the opportunity to work for three months in the unique context of Gaelic Culture and Language, based on the breathtakingly beautiful island of Skye and surrounded by supportive and engaging people has opened new routes in my work for me. This residency is absolutely one of the most stimulating I have ever been involved in.” Helmut Lemke.
For more information including information on how to apply visit http://www.smo.uhi.ac.uk/en/ealain-is-cultar/jon-schueler/