15 April 2022 — Announcement

The Countdown to Venice Continues

An image still from the film Lagareh of a Black dancer wearing a kilt and a white shirt. The dancer holds two long knives in her hands and stands on green grass with a blue sky behind her and a castle-like building to her left.
Alberta Whittle, Lagareh – The Last Born, (film still – single channel video), 2022, Photographer Matthew Arthur Williams, © Alberta Whittle. Courtesy the artist & Scotland+Venice

With just over a week until deep dive (pause) uncoiling memory opens in Venice we are thrilled to continue the journey with our latest newsletter detailing what’s new and upcoming.

As installation wrapped up in Venice be sure to keep an eye on our Instagram Stories for a behind the scenes look at all of the installation action.

Will you be coming to Venice? Tell us when you’ll be around!

Email us at info@scotlandandvenice.com to let us know


Meet our Partners

Nicola Jeffs & Alberta Whittle stand on a carpeted staircase.

Image: Helen Nisbet, Artistic Director of our Scotland + Venice Creative Partner Art Night, with Alberta Whittle after Alberta’s Art Night 2021 performance at @twotempleplace

Collaboration is at the heart of much of Alberta’s practice and it’s a core value of the Scotland + Venice partnership. Over the course of this year’s Venice Biennale we will be celebrating and showcasing all of our partners across Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, and on our website.

Ahead of the opening, we’d like to take a moment to pause to thank Creative Scotland, British Council Scotland, National Galleries of Scotland, Architecture & Design Scotland, V&A Dundee, Scottish Government, Forma Arts, Dovecot Studios, The Elephant Trust, Henry Moore Foundation, Art Night, Glasgow Sculpture Studios and VIAD (Visual Identities in Art and Design Research Centre at University of Johannesburg, Supports Circle and the numerous individuals who have so generously contributed to the project.

In the first in our ‘Three questions with…’ series you can get to know Art Night as we speak with their Artistic Director, Helen Nisbet.

Meet Helen Nisbet & Art Night


The Milk of Dreams

Graphic in white writing on a teal background that reads: Biennale Arte 2022, The Milk of Dreams, Il Latte Dei Sogni

Image courtesy of Cecilia Alemani and La Biennale di Venezia

In a world emerging from the pandemic and at a time of inner reflection on how we nurture the bonds of society that hold us together, this year’s Biennale theme is an apt reminder that our dreams of peace, unity, and international cooperation can be possible if we dare to imagine and work together for a shared future.

The theme, imagined and curated by Cecilia Alemani, asks important questions of the art world and our responsibilities for the past, present, and future.

How is the definition of the human changing? What are our responsibilities towards the planet, other people, and other life forms? And what would life look like without us?

They are questions that find a home with much of Alberta’s deep dive (pause) uncoiling memory work and as opening week approaches, now makes for a perfect moment to reflect and dream about what tomorrow can bring.

Explore The Milk of Dreams


A Reflection on being Black and Scottish

 

Quote from Alberta Whittle on a purple background in white reading from her interview with The Art Newspaper. Quote reads: The work for Venice is very much a reflection about my feelings of being Black and Scottish, and what that means in terms of life expectancy and in terms of hope. Also, I’m thinking about togetherness: how do we really nurture new ways of thinking or looking at history and how do we actually bridge these geographic and historical gaps?

Graphic by Studio Tuku

Following Alberta’s feature on BBC 2’s Inside Culture episode on art and climate change, we were delighted to see her interviewed for The Art Newspaper ahead of the opening week of deep dive (pause) uncoiling memory.

Place, identity, and belonging play an integral role in Alberta’s work and with a rich heritage from Barbados and Scotland, her roots and life history paint a story of both searching for belonging and an innate acceptance when surrounded by the warmth of places she calls home.

Read the interview in The Art Newspaper


Dates for your Diary

The image is of the Scotland + Venice Opening Preview inviteon Thursday 21st April at 2-5pm with speeches at 2.30pm. The venue is Docks Cantieri Cucchini and the design features a watercolour painting of a cowrie shell to the right by Alberta Whittle. The background of the invite features a gradient in navy, purple, and emerald green.

Graphic by Agyei Archer

20th April – Scotland + Venice official opening week announcement
(please contact sophie@studiotuku.com if you are interested in profiling Alberta Whittle, Scotland + Venice, or deep dive (pause) uncoiling memory

21st April – Scotland + Venice Preview

23rd April – deep dive (pause) uncoiling memory opens to the public

Later in April – the launch of the Scotland + Venice podcast featuring
Alberta Whittle in our inaugural episode


Stay in touch

As the road to Venice nears Opening Week, don’t forget to sign-up to the Scotland + Venice newsletter to be the first to know what is happening and when.