The Bulletin: Arts & Culture News | 20 May

GENERATION: 25 YEARS OF CONTEMPORARY ART IN SCOTLAND
Running from June until October next year, GENERATION is an important new exhibition showcasing the best visual art from Scotland in the last 25 years. A partnership between the National Galleries of Scotland and Glasgow Life, supported by Creative Scotland, GENERATION will feature exhibits in place at galleries around the country, including the National Galleries sites in Edinburgh, and at Glasgow's Tramway and Gallery of Modern Art. Details of the artists and works to be featured are currently a closely-guarded secret, although a few names have been announced, including David Shrigley, Ross Sinclair, Lorna MacIntyre, Toby Paterson (artwork featured on this page) and Cathy Wilkes.

Fiona Hyslop, Cabinet Secretary for Culture and External Affairs, said: “Scotland has an excellent record for producing visual art that is inspiring, thought-provoking and which prompts international acclaim. GENERATION will be an ambitious, national celebration which will see museums and galleries all over the country come together to showcase the very best of Scottish contemporary art; making it accessible to as wide an audience as possible."

VIDEO ARTIST RACHEL MACLEAN WINS MARGARET TAIT AWARD
Last week it was announced that Glasgow's Rachel Maclean has become this year's recipient of the coveted Glasgow Film Festival Margaret Tait Award. The award recognises Scotland-based artists who work within film and moving image in an experimental and innovative way. Maclean, whose visionary work centres around the use of green screen, composites and riotous colour has been a Skinny favourite since 2009, when we became the first Scottish publication to feature her work. She was later featured in our Culture Label collection in 2011. Most recently, we published a video interview with the artist, which can be seen below.

The award also comes with a £10,000 prize fund, which will no doubt help Maclean prepare for her hotly-anticipated solo show at Glasgow's Centre for Contemporary Arts next year. Maclean commented on her win: "I am delighted to have received the Margaret Tait Award and can’t wait to get started on a new video work. It’s a great opportunity to work with GFT and LUX and I am very excited to be a part of Glasgow Film Festival."

NEW MUSIC: WU-TANG CLAN, LIARS, MOUNT KIMBIE, MIRAGE, JUVENILES X FACTORY FLOOR
At the weekend, the first new music to emerge from the full Wu-Tang Clan for some time premièred online courtesy of RZA's Soul Temple label, the platform used to release Ghostface and Adrian Younge's Twelve Reasons To Die (reviewed here). The track, Execution in Autumn features verses from Raekwon, RZA, Inspectah Deck and Masta Killa.

The track is available as a digital download or a limited edition 7" vinyl, with Soul Temple commenting: "This is a Soul Temple customer appreciation offering. We are offering you this unreleased Wu-Tang Clan banger on 7" 45rpm Vinyl and Digital Download on a 'pay what you feel' basis until May 31st." Customers pay a minimum of 50c for the record, and the shipping. The digital download is free. It's unclear whether this track will feature on the forthcoming Wu album A Better Tomorrow, slated for a July release. This year is the 20th anniversary of the release of the band's seminal debut Enter the Wu-Tang: 36 Chambers. The Clan play the O2 Apollo in Manchester on 25 July, and the O2 Academy in Brixton on 26 July.

The emergence of new material by Liars prompted surprise and delight among fans and journos alike late last week, with the band unveiling two new tracks. I Saw You From The Lifeboat was uploaded to YouTube along with some tour photos, and in the description the band posted that track and another, Perfume Tear, for free download. Liars will soon embark on another epic tour, stopping in Manchester on 9 June for the Parklife Festival. Grab the free tracks here, in exchange for an email address.

Mount Kimbie, our May cover stars, have unveiled another track from Cold Spring Fault Less Youth (reviewed here). It's one of the collaborations with vocalist King Krule. The album is out on 27 May. In interview with The Skinny, Mount Kimbie's Kai Campos spoke about working with King Krule: "It was a really natural process for us, he came and played around with a lot of ideas and he was open to suggestions. I don’t think either of us are too precious about what we’re doing so it was really, really enjoyable, and I learned a lot from watching him write lyrics.” Read the interview in full.

The new track from Mirage, another of the acts built around the retro-futuristic compositional flair of superproducer and Italians Do It Better label-head Johnny Jewel, heralds the release of a new compilation from the revered label. After Dark 2 is out now, and features new material from Jewel's other collaborations, including Glass Candy, Chromatics and Symmetry. The album is available in digital format now, with a CD to follow in June.

And finally, Dominic Butler of Factory Floor this week dropped a remix of French electronic act Juveniles, reconfiguring their slick synth-pop as slowly-building minimalist techno. 

SHORTLIST ANNOUNCED FOR DUNDEE INTERNATIONAL BOOK PRIZE
The shortlist for the annual Dundee International Book Prize was announced last week, with recognition for thirteen authors, their novels spanning a range of commercial and literary genres. Iain Maloney's 'magical realist thriller' Dog Mountain, about the history of Japan, is up against Elizabeth Kay's Kafka-esque Beware of Men with Moustaches, and detective fiction by Nicola White and Neil Broadfoot.

The judging panel, which includes writer and comedian A.L. Kennedy and actor Brian Cox, will now read the thirteen extracts and pick a winner, who will go on to win £10,000 and a publishing deal with Cargo Publishing. Mark Buckland, the head of Cargo, commented: "After the great success of last year's winner The Man Who Wouldn't Stand Up, I'm really pleased that once again we have a diverse, exciting and eclectic shortlist that makes it tough for the judges to pick an overall winner." You can download an eBook featuring extracts from the thirteen shortlisted authors here, free of charge.  

WATCH: RETOX ON THE ROAD
Justin Pearson's punk supergroup Retox have shared a documentary online, featuring behind-the-scenes tour footage, interviews and performances from the band. It also features interviews with Buzz Osborne of The Melvins and Nick Zinner of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs. "You kind of have to ruin your life to be in a punk band," says Pearson in the documentary, offering an insight into the sometimes gruelling rigmarole of touring, recording and opting out of 'normal life'. 

STONES THROW'S JEFF JANK INTERVIEWED
In a rare interview for website Nothing Major, typically limelight-shy Stones Throw co-founder and art director Jeff Jank offers a telling insight into his aesthetic, his process, and the history of the label. "I'm just not comfortable with putting my name out there too much," says Jank. He reflects on some of the label's most iconic covers, such as the metal-masked DOOM's cover for his collaboration with Madlib, 2004's Madvillainy.

"I just wonder, am I doing anything that is really going to represent my time?" Jank wonders, in typically self-effacing style. "I have no way of planning it out. Looking back now, the Quasimoto stuff looks like it's from '99, 2000. I had no computer skills so it looks like that. I'm not sure if Madvillain represents the time. Our records are not that commercial, so we're not tapping into the look of the moment." Read the full interview here.

ON TOUR: DILLINGER ESCAPE PLAN, FENCE RECORDS TAKE ON BECK'S SONG READER
Mathcore legends Dillinger Escape Plan have announced details of a new tour – they will play the Garage in Aberdeen on 4 November, the Garage in Glasgow on 5 November, and Manchaster Academy on 6 November.

In other tour news, Fence Records have announced details of their involvement in a special one-off show at The Barbican in London – on 4 July; a performance of Beck's Song Reader project, an album released entirely on sheet music. Performing on the night will be Fence mainstays The Pictish Trail and James Yorkston, alongside Jarvis Cocker, Franz Ferdinand, Charlotte Gainsbourg, Beth Orton, Joan as Police Woman, Guillemots, and Beck himself. Tickets are on sale now.

FESTIVAL WATCH: GILLES PETERSON'S WORLDWIDE FESTIVAL, ATP, UNSOUND, VISIONS, JOHN WATERS AT HOMOTOPIA 2013, GLASGAY PROGRAM ANNOUNCED, CITY OF STARS
Gilles Peterson's Worldwide Festival (1-7 Jul) has just announced its lineup – the 8th annual festival will take place in Sète (in the south of France), and will welcome Four Tet, Thundercat, Mount Kimbie, Skream, Romare, Ben UFO, Kenny Dope, and Mala's In Cuba project, among others. Details and tickets here

ATP: End of an Era (22-24 Nov and 29 Nov - 1 Dec) have announced a second wave of bands for the farewell party for the UK's finest boutique music festival. The first weekend, curated by ATP and Primavera Sound, welcomes Godspeed You! Black Emperor, Tortoise, Har Mar Superstar, Low, Blanck Mass and more. The second weekend, curated by seminal band Loop, will feature Mogwai, Dirty Beaches, Ty Segall, Wolf People, Tall Firs, and Balam Acab among others. Details and tickets here. 

Unsound (13-21 Oct), taking place in Krakow, focuses on experimental electronic music. They will feature King Midas Sound, Monolake and many more at this year's festival. Details and tickets here. Also announcing its program this week is the Visions Festival (10 Aug), a one-day festival taking place in London. They welcome Iceage, The Haxan Cloak, !!!, Cloud Nothings, Still Corners, Micachu and Tirzah, Molly Nillson and Beacon to their party, which also features a record fair and a food market. Details and tickets here.

Homotopia (30 Oct - 25 Nov), a queer arts and culture festival taking place in Liverpool since 2004, have announced a very special guest to headline their celebrations – legendary taboo-breaking film-maker John Waters will be in attendance, bringing his one-man show This Filthy World. For tickets and details of other events, go here.

Glasgay! (9 Oct - 9 Nov), another queer arts and culture festival celebrating its anniversary – like T in the Park, Glasgay! is 20 this year – have announced details of their 2013 events, including new theatre productions from Jackie Kay, Stef Smith and Martin O'Connor; a live orchestral performance of The Wizard of Oz with the RSNO; and an appearance from performance artist Scottee. Writer Louise Welsh, who has been a patron of the festival since 2007, commented: "Glasgay! is a highspot on my calendar. It reflects the richness and variety of LGBTQ+ cultural engagement and welcomes audiences of all sexualities. A stimulating, challenging, fun festival that is one of the jewels in Glasgow's crown." Details and tickets here.

Finally, details of the City of Stars (27-28 Sep) festival have been announced. Taking place in Malawi and showcasing work by artists, musicians and fashion designers from the country and beyond, the festival celebrates its 10th anniversary this year. There will be a very special one-off event to launch the festival in Glasgow, at the Arches, on 30 May, with live sets from Bwani Junction and Rise Kagona (of the Bhundu Boys), as well as a DJ set from Auntie Flo. Entry to the launch is free. Details here.