Infinite greenery adorned with quaint stone cottages and
replete with beauteous creatures, within this bucolic landscape
six artists contemplate and create contemporary art. The
juxtaposition of two seemingly paradoxical viewpoints is not
uncommon in the Scottish Highlands, as the coexistence of both
modernization and an unwavering dedication to tradition has
always been an integral factor of the Glenfiddich philosophy.
The establishment of their Artists in Residency programme
in 2002 can be seen as a manifestation of such principles,
embracing the avant-garde through the long-standing institution
of art patronage. Each summer, the programme awards a
select group of artists worldwide the opportunity to live and work
at the distillery, as well as providing each artist with a generous
stipend. This year participants include Arabella Campbell, Blue
Firth, Alex Frost, M.P. Landis,ANIRBAN MITRA, Dathini Mzayiya,
Jun Jieh Wang, and Qi Xing. Offering a virtually uninterrupted
respite from the struggles of being a struggling artist, the
programme is a time to observe, absorb, revitalize, and create
work inspired by new surroundings.
Reality
Inspiration had to come via delivery and Internet for artists M.P.
Landis and Anirban Mitra. Due to changing Visa requirements,
each artist had to contribute to the program remotely. Mitra,
who has received awards from Japan“s Nippon Television
Network and recently from the Kolkata Art Foundation,
immersed himself in Scottish culture from his native India.
Concentrating on creating a fusion of both cultures, the artist
started by familiarizing himself with the history of Scotland and
the process of making whisky. In his work titled Blend Part 1,
Mitra embellishes Tartan fabric with Hindu imagery, referring
to the traditional iconography of Scottish and Indian cultures,
respectively. Although Mitra was unable to meet the seven
fellow recipients, Blend Part 1 also refers to the relationships
that develop between artists each year resulting in a “blending“
of ethnicities.
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Landis quickly decided to set up a studio in, what the artist
affectionately refers to as, the “highlands“ of Vermont, USA,
which provided a change of scenery from his studio in Brooklyn,
NY. Having worked with Landis over the past two years on
several projects, I am continually impressed by his integrity as
an artist. So committed to his craft, Landis creates one work
a day as part of an ongoing project titled W.D. Series. His
philosophy on art is reminiscent of artists Jean Michel Basquiat
and Joseph Beuys, requiring intellectual or physical interaction
or both from the viewer. Committed to the importance of his
materials, Landis asked for cask hoops to be sent to his studio
from the distillery, with the plan to utilize them in every aspect
of his work. The hoops acted as printing tools, mark makers,
and tracing objects and their appearance added a repetitive
abstract element to the artist“s work during his residency. The
viscous quality of the work is the result of multiple layers, which
Landis explains as, “representing both the multifaceted process
of distilling and the years of aging required to produce a
superior whisky.“ Being well acquainted with the artist“s body of
work, a natural comparison arises between Landis“ commitment
to his technique and that of Glenfiddich to crafting whisky. The
importance of maintaining quality, while present trends favor
mass production, is fundamental to the exceptionality in any
creation, being art or whisky.
Despite a physical absence, the presence of both artists
was still a force amongst those residing at the distillery. The
satirical title of Blue Firth“s piece Every Man“s Right To Roam,
a stone wall and ladder, partially refers to Landis“ and Mitra“s
inability to do so. Firth, along with Programme Curator Andy
Fairgrieve, daringly drove this message home by situating
the piece as an actual obstacle to the artwork of Landis and
Mitra, requiring viewers to symbolically also cross borders and
overcome barriers.
React
For Alex Frost, Dathini Mzayiya, and Qi Xing, the experience of
living amid the rustic terrain of the distillery became a source
of artistic stimulation, each artist distinctively interpreting his
temporary environment. The incongruous reality of living
within rural wilderness, yet accessing the world online, had
an immediate impact on Frost. Based in Glasgow, his work is
often a mèlange of irreverent humor and thoughtful observation,
examining the effects of consumerism on societal status and
vice versa. To achieve this, Frost intentionally uses, what can
be interpreted as, primitive methods and materials to create
artwork often depicting high-tech formats and products, for
example a mosaic revealing a logo for Compact Disc Digital
Audio. Frost describes his childhood as having “inherited two
very different homespun aesthetics from his parents, his mother
was a crafts person and father was into home computing from
the early days.“ Frost“s upbringing embodies the struggle
between the two methods, and I found his explanation of
such, that “craft is too human, and technology is inhuman“
as an interesting catalyst for his work. For the residency, he
continued on such themes with a site specific work titled The
Connoisseurs. Frost focused on the olfactory elements of
the distillation process as a starting point for the work. He
constructed several sculptures meant to resemble giant noses,
all of which were placed atop the pond at the entrance of the
distillery. The Brobdingnagian noses are indeed a reference
to Gulliver“s Travels, and also allude to societal divisions
associated with the sense of smell. Such distinctions include
the practice of “nosing“ a whisky during the tasting process
and, as Frost states, the “sophistication in part due to the
delicate nature of the smell sense.“ Furthermore, the piece
explores the implications of taste, which can be defined as an
action, sensory, or an opinion, based on refinement. Although
the piece is a multi-faceted exploration into Frost“s artistic
repertoire, he intended for the installation to be equally about
pure enjoyment for the viewer. Watching the reactions of staff
and visitors discovering the surrealistic vision of the floating
proboscises, the success of Frost“s installation was quickly
confirmed.
South African artist, Dathini Mzayiya, has stated that his work
“is inspired by everyday life experience, family and friends, work
environments, social gatherings and the cultures of communities
and its complexities.“ As part of this methodology, it is essential
for Mzayiya to acclimate himself to his surroundings. During
our interview, we shared experiences at the distillery and found
that we had both encountered a benevolent Highland cow
located near his cottage. We may have slightly romanticized
the experience, but for Mzayiya, the notion of owning land
and livestock resonates deeply, as it does for many in the
South African community. For Mzayiya, a hard working farmer
became an archetypal figure, representing the pride and stability
associated with owning and cultivating land. Mzayiya“s
admiration for Scottish farmers became the centerpiece of his
stunning large-scale oil painting. The work could be viewed
as a traditional landscape, in the spirit of John Constable,
except the artist reverses the established perspective. Instead
of the viewer looking out onto the vast splendor of nature,
the artist situates the farmer and livestock in close proximity,
appearing as if they are going to walk off the canvas. Mzayiya
furthers his manipulation of the conventional composition by
replacing a subdued color palette of greens and browns with
blazing oranges applied with fierce brushstrokes. The work
stands as a radical update to the classic landscape, and a
visual commentary on agrarian history perceived from an often
overlooked point of view.
Periodically, while I walked through the grounds at Glenfiddich,
the image of a mischievous bunny would stare back at me.
When I met Beijing-based artist Qi Xing, I noticed that he shared
a similar look in his eyes. Revealing his slightly subversive
nature through his work, I realized later in my trip that some of
the bunnies were actually smoking cigarettes. Although Xing
is early into his career as a painter, he is already a master
at color and composition. His representational paintings
convey an idiosyncratic narrative filled with excitement and
energy. Bold reds and whimsical images, such as rainbows
and exotic animals, bring his paintings to life with an almost
cinematic quality. The ambiguity of his characters brings to
mind films by Chinese director Wong Kar Wai. For his work
during the residency, Xing had originally planned to paint
Scottish landscapes. Upon arrival, he decided not to pursue
the project, feeling that a painting could not improve on what
is already present in nature. Xing soon found inspiration in
the plentiful rabbits residing at the distillery. The artist“s use of
animal imagery in his work adds both peculiarity and a gateway
to a fantasy world. Certainly, the equally adorable and curious
bunnies scattered through the grounds of Glenfiddich added
a fanciful element to the already fairy tale-like landscape. In
what could be viewed as a quiet rebellion against political
correctness, Xing dedicated his work to fellow smokers “whom
the images of rabbits can bring a sense of relaxation and
happiness.“
Research
For artists Arabella Campbell, Blue Firth, and Jun-Jieh Wang,
the meticulous cultivation of an idea is the defining character
of their work. Each artist“s chosen medium is a vehicle for
expressing his/ her unique concept; for Campbell this can take
form in the study of white paint, Firth utilizes local materials, and
Wang manipulates film and video to convey his vision.
The subtle uniqueness in a shade of white paint identifies each
contemporary art gallery, existing simultaneously as a detail
of absurdity and utmost importance. Such inconspicuous
minutia defines existence, and the work of Canadian artist
Arabella Campbell. Yve-Alain Bois defined Robert Ryman“s
work as “a return to the basics of basics,“1 a fitting description
of Campbell“s oeuvre, clearly influenced by artists including
Ryman and Sol LeWitt. Campbell is intrigued by the
abstruseness of, as she describes, “things taken for granted.“
Her observations of such are revealed through various methods
and mediums. The simplicity in Campbell“s work is truly
sublime. Her commitment to perfection seems effortless. The
subjects of her photographs convey such, as in a precisely
angular photograph of distillery architecture. Multiple triangular
steeples line up accordingly, accenting a straight line of sage
grass. Campbell captures the beauty of stillness, specifically
in buildings without apparent inhabitants, much like that of
Edward Hopper, although Campbell rejects nostalgia. Her work
is overtly contemporary with Minimalist sentiment, exemplified
by clean lines and bright hints of color. Campbell“s continuing
project for Glenfiddich concerns researching and visiting Hans-
Henrik Hansen, the foremost collector of Glenfiddich whisky,
in which she will create a portrait of him. Although Campbell“s
work during the programme ranges considerably, all are
intended to, as she states, “lead us to reflect on a work of art“
and “take us beyond the limits of perception.“
From the window seat of her cottage, Blue Firth conscientiously
observes the daily tourists to the distillery, studying their
interaction with a new environment, or as the artist explains,
“the borders, frontiers and limits in which visitors... and locals
have to navigate.“ Firth, born in Nottingham and currently
studying at the Royal Academy of Arts in London, may be as
anomalous in life as in art. Positively charming and gracious,
Firth“s works often places her in complete control, ardently
orchestrating viewers“ participation and in turn their trust in
her concept. Even in the actual creation of a piece, the artist
frequently employs local craftsmen to collaborate, as in the
construction of the aforementioned Every Man“s Right To
Roam. As I watched her diligently dust the ladder steps of
the work, it became clear Firth understands the importance
of preparation and presentation. It is also logical that her
previous work has included large-scale productions that are
a combination of performance pieces and happenings. The
driving force behind much of her work is an interest in the
esoteric nature of history. Firth is particularly fascinated with
the blurring of facts and fiction along with, as she describes, “a
hauntalogical feeling“ that the past and traditions leave behind.
Her work has an enigmatic quality that cannot be imitated and
leaves the viewer anxious for more, the way one reacts to
seeing a Matthew Barney or Cai Guo Qiang. Much like such
successful and prominent contemporary artists, Firth“s work
also has the potential to reach beyond the arts community and
attain an even wider audience.
An accomplished artist and curator in his native Taiwan,
Jun-Jieh Wang is revered as an early pioneer in the field of
multimedia arts in his country. Wang utilizes new media,
experimenting with film, video and installations, to create
palpable, visual experiences that explore themes related to
art, death and immortality. For his work at the distillery, Wang
further investigated the last work of Marcel Duchamp titled Etant
donnès, an idea he had been contemplating before his arrival
in Scotland. Depicting a slightly contorted naked woman lying
still within a dreamy landscape, the psychosexual imagery
of Duchamp“s work remains a mystery. Wang resolved not
only to recreate the piece as a moving image, using the lush
greenery of Scotland and the grounds of Glenfiddich as his
setting, but also add subject matter to the piece. In his work
titled Project Rrose: Real Flux, Wang employs actors as
surrogates for the limp woman, creating a love triangle scenario
emblematic of love, fear, and violence. Beyond what is visually
tangible, Wang“s updated adaptation deals with ever-changing
technologies, and Wang asks, “in this cyberspace age, how
do we explore art as a concept for reflecting contemporariness
again?“ As Duchamp questioned the fundamentals of art
through Dada, revolutionizing the perception of art, Wang,
too, attempts to ask what is art, only now, in the complicated
confines of the 21st century. Andre Breton once wrote, “Future
generations can do no less than make a systematic effort to
go back up the stream of Duchamp“s thought and carefully
describe its meanderings in search of the hidden treasure which
was his mind.“2
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Having arrived to the programme from New York City, I was
surprised to witness such a strong espirit de corps amongst
the diverse group of artists, culminating in an amalgamation of
ideas, influences and cultures. The fast-paced and competitive
nature of city life does not always allow for such comradeship to
develop easily. Silent was the superficial banter of what opening
did you attend last night, what gallery are you represented by,
did you see that, or meet him, or what have you sold lately?
These thoughts lose importance amidst the panoramic grandeur
of nature. Even more surprising to me was that after fifteen
years of working in galleries and museums in New York, I found
myself more excited about contemporary art in the remote
countryside of the Scottish Highlands. I commend Mr. Peter
Gordon for establishing the Artists in Residency programme,
and continuing this hidden treasure situated within the grounds
of Glenfiddich. What I found there I took back with me.
Kathryn Miriam
Dufftown, Vermont and New York
August - October 2009
Anirban Mitra
Distil. (detail)
44 Individually framed found photographs,
drawings & paintings in acrylic on paper.
Distil. (detail)
44 Individually framed found photographs,
drawings & paintings in acrylic on paper.
Anirban Mitra
Imagining Glenfiddich.
Acrylic on tartan and traditional textile
Anirban Mitra
Distil.
44 Individually framed found photographs, drawings &
paintings in acrylic on paper.
Anirban Mitra
Blend - Part 1.
Acrylic on tartan and traditional textile
Aniriban Mitra
Born 1981 Calcutta India, Anriban obtained a Bachelor & Master Degree
of Fine Art, from Kala Bhavana, Visva. In the early 1990“s he was a
awarded a number of bronze and silver awards in the International
Children“s Art Exhibition organised by the Nippon Television Network,
of Japan. More recently he was also granted an award by the Kolkata
Art Foundation as well as a number of scholarships. His work has
been included in a number of group exhibitions and is represented in
collections held in both Japan and the United States. In his work Anirban
seeks to represent the co-existence of different realities by a juxtaposition
of readymade images or signs taken from popular culture. Through which
he attempts to reveal a play of detached signifiers where the relationship
between two images is left unclear.
