Robert Louis Stevenson refers to travel as the wish to be ‘Below another sky’, considering it an important means to sharpen creative intelligence and understanding. Below another sky was a set of international residencies, resulting in a collection of prints by twenty artists. Exhibited across Scotland in 2014-15, the prints have now been acquired by the British Council Collection.
‘Below another sky’ enabled Scottish artists to undertake residencies in any Commonwealth country of their choice, while international artists were invited to come to Scotland. All artists then worked alongside experienced printmaking staff at the Scottish Print Network’s studios: Dundee Contemporary Arts, Edinburgh Printmakers, Glasgow Print Studio, Highland Print Studio in Inverness and Peacock Visual Arts in Aberdeen. This gave the opportunity to artists, even those who frequently work in print, to explore unfamiliar techniques or materials, and investigate anew how printmaking traditions can be made contemporary.
A selection of prints from the Below another sky project, including those by Turner Prize nominees Jim Lambie (2005), David Shrigley (2013), and Janice Kerbel (2015), will be exhibited in the British Council headquarters, 10 Spring Gardens, London SW1A 2BN from 25 September to 2 November 2015.
Alexia Holt, Curator of Below another sky will give a public talk in 10 Spring Gardens, on Friday 9 October at 6:30pm focusing on the unique role the five print studios involved in the project play in the support, development and promotion of contemporary visual arts in Scotland. The talk will reflect upon the value of collaboration and the importance of research residencies and international exchange to the development of new work.
To reserve a space please email visual.arts@britishcouncil.org
