This Week in Scottish Art: Radical Art Fund Launch
It’s mid-December, so this week is about catching shows before they close (with Scotland's galleries roughly syncing up for their winter breaks), Xmas parties with Paraphernalia and Transmission, and a little bit of shopping.
Before the partying, shopping and suggested last-minute pre-Christmas exhibition dash, this Thursday sees the launch of the Radical Renewable Art + Activism Fund at Glasgow's CCA. Initiated by artist Ellie Harrison, this new fund has been made possible by over 150 Kickstarter backers. From this initial money, the fund will now be replenished by revenue generated by a wind turbine, and no-strings grants will be provided for artists and art-activist projects in the UK.
From 6.30pm this Thursday night, there will be a series of presentations and discussions from Harrison, who started the fundraising campaign, some of the fund’s founders, and Georgia Davis from Community Energy Scotland. Tickets are free and can be booked here.
Around Eastvale Place this week, there are two events across Friday night. First is the closing event for Marco Giordano’s exhibition at the Voidoid Archive. We gave Giordano's show a shout-out at its opening, and this Friday from 8-9:30pm the Death Shanties & MacGillvray will perform a live improvisation in response to Giordano’s work.
A little later in the evening, from 9:30pm, Paraphernalia takes place next door in The Poetry Club. This event takes place monthly and assembles a one-night programme of performance, video, poetry and dancing. It’s a special one this month, as it’s also the launch party for the first two 7” vinyl releases from VoidoidArchiveRecords, one from songwriting duo Elara Caluna and another from Glasgow staple Sue Tompkins.
Tompkins will also be performing as part of the night’s programme, along with emerging artists Andrew Black and Ari Neilsson. As well as four artists’ screenings, there will be the preview of the Voidoid Billboard by artist-printmaker Scott Myles. Doors are at 9pm, and entry is £1.
Keeping the party vibe going, Transmission’s winter party takes place this Saturday from 9pm. After a lot of reflection and graft, they’re launching a new website and before the party from 6-8pm there will be a live broadcast from transmissiongallery.org. Getting conversation going, the topics are broad, with questions on whether art can have critical independence, and what is contemporary art? There’s an invitation to join the broadcasters online or in the gallery. Later, there will be special DJs and performers, all for a £3 entry fee.
For shopping, it’s the last week or so of the Edinburgh Sculpture Workshopshop. This is an exhibition as much as it is a shop, so browsing is recommended whether you’re planning to buy or not. There are new works from ESW studio-holders, programme artists and members. Work ranges from monochromatic and quiet to colourful and quirky ceramics.
The Edinburgh Sculpture Workshopshop was also featured in our Art Gift Guide, which is a round-up of the various fine art and design Christmas Markets and shops throughout Scotland this December. Add to that list the pop-up shop at Peacock Visual Art in Aberdeen. Supplementing their current Winter Exhibition, there will prints and posters for sale starting from £1. This weekend-only event takes place Saturday and Sunday from 11am-4pm.
Before getting to the last-minute exhibition tips, there’s an adult workshop this Saturday in the Tramway on Reading Objects. As part of the Tramway programme of events, talks and engagement sessions, this Saturday looks towards “the act of combining objects” and how it can change how they read. Tickets are £5/3, can be booked in Tramway or, with a £1 fee, booked online.
Finally, it’s the last days for a few shows around the country. Until Friday in Glasgow, the Modern Institute continue their 9-artist group show of artists from Brazil, Mexico and Spain, with works spanning 40 years. For the Cooper Gallery in Dundee, it’s the last few days of the showcase of Polish collage art and design exhibition Tomorrow was a Montage, also closing this Friday. In Edinburgh's Talbot Rice Gallery, it’s the last week to see the first Scottish show of influential painter Luc Tuymans’ show – and to see if you agree with our two-star review of the show.