Uprooted Visions is an exhibition of new work assembling a multiplicity of practices and cultural reference points, print processes and ways of experimenting with printmaking. The culmination of a two year project funded by Creative Europe and led by Edinburgh Printmakers as one of a network of five European print studios sees this large scale exhibition showcase the work of 30 exciting international artists. The established artists selected for the residency programme and Uprooted Visions exhibition have all had their art practices disrupted by the lived experience of migration. For some including Ukrainian artists Wiktor Zwolskyi, Kateryna Svirgunenko, Irynka Gvozdyk, Anastasiia Melnykova-Blidar and Antony Reznik the experience is more recent and others including Zory Shahrokhi , Azad Karim and Amir Zaorin have developed their careers over decades in their new home countries.
Each artist was awarded a non-prescriptive month-long residency to provide space to experiment, explore and work with studio technicians to discover new techniques or develop current projects. Uprooted Visions will include a range of work created in print, textiles, video, sculpture and photography. The artworks reflect a range of responses including those that delve into the concept of home, the enduring experience of war, the mundane, experiential nature of journeying across borders and re-configuring notions of self-identity while other artists have chosen to use their residency time to create artworks linked with different themes.
Uprooted Visions is the culmination of the wider European programme of Studios of Sanctuary residencies. Led by Edinburgh Printmakers, the In from the Margins project has been possible with the support of the Creative Europe Programme of the European Union and is a collaboration with studio hosts AGA LAB Amsterdam, Cork Printmakers, Funen Printmaking Studio, Odense and International Centre of Graphic Arts, Ljubljana.
The full list of participating artists are:
Dareen Abbas (Syria-Belgium), Najma Abukar (Somalia-Scotland), Mousa AlNana (Syria-Scotland), Shatha Altowai (Yemen-Scotland), Rezan Arab (Syria-Denmark), Arafa and the Dirars (Sudan-UK), Aqsa Arif (Scotland-Pakistan), Mohammad Barrangi (Iran-UK), Qëndresë Deda (Kosovo-Slovenia), Paria Goodarzi (Iran-Scotland), Azadeh Hashemzadeh (Iran-Slovenia), Naila Hekmat (Syria-Denmark), Irynka Gvozdyk (Ukraine-Denmark), Azad Karim (Iraq-Slovenia), Diaa Lagan (Syria-Ireland), Leanne McDonagh (Ireland), Anastasiia Melnykova-Blidar (Ukraine-Ireland), Barbara Miše (Croatia-The Netherlands), Thaís Muniz (Brazil-Ireland), Ceyda Oskay (Turkey-Ireland), Antony Reznik (Ukraine-Germany), Lina Rica (Croatia-Slovenia), Zory Shahrokhi (Iran-UK), Kateryna Svirgunenko (Ukraine-Denmark), Francisco Tomsich (Uruguay-Slovenia), Amir Zainorin (Malaysia-Denmark), Maja Živko (Bosnia and Herzegovina-Slovenia) and Wiktor Zwolskyi (Ukraine-Denmark).
Speaking ahead of the exhibition Edinburgh Printmakers CEO Janet Archer said: “Brought together for the first time, this exhibition invites us to encounter an assembly of makers, each motivated by distinct creative intentions and bringing their own unique individual perspective, while creating room for conversations around meaningful threads that resonate across different works.
The purpose of the residencies has been to offer a space to artists to explore their art in a way that works for them whether it is to deepen their artistic practice, develop new techniques or simply enjoy the freedom of a flexible open residency without any expectations on their work. From the sharing of knowledge to a greater understanding of the artists’ experiences we’re privileged to have hosted such a diverse range of talent. The connections established not just with the artists in the studio but across the entire European network of print studios has enriched Edinburgh Printmakers and I’m excited to see the resulting artworks take over the entire building at Castle Mills in Fountainbridge.”
Stuart Cameron, Equalities & Diversity Officer at Creative Scotland said: “The coming together in person of Scottish based artists with International peers is so important to building meaningful and mutually supportive peer networks. It also presents a vital opportunity to platform these artists’ work and generate greater visibility of it within the wider Scottish arts sector, promoting better understanding of the barriers that displaced artists experience in developing their careers in Scotland. As part of our aim to foster a more integrated approach to removing those barriers and to sharing best practice within the cultural sector, we’re so pleased to be a part of this valuable work.”
Uprooted Visions and the In From the Margins project have been made possible with the support of the Creative Europe Programme of the European Union. Additional support provided by; City of Edinburgh Council, Creative Scotland, the Arts Council of Ireland, Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Slovenia and the Embassy of Slovenia in London. Uprooted Visions is kindly sponsored by StayCity.
You can find out more information on the exhibition's viewing room, here.
