15 January 2008

`Four in Florence' - new exhibition

Lower Foyer Gallery, Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art and Design, Dundee
Preview : Friday 18th January, 5-7pm
Exhibition continues until 9th February

‘Four in Florence’ is an exhibition of work from four Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art graduates who were awarded the Royal Scottish Academy's John Kinross Scholarship to Florence in 2006.

‘Four in Florence’ aims to promote awareness of the Scholarship to forthcoming applicants. The £2,000 scholarship is intended to assist students in Scotland within the disciplines of Painting, Sculpture, Printmaking and Architecture to live and study in Florence for a period of up to three months, providing a unique opportunity for young artists.

The RSA, along with the Italian Cultural Institute, Edinburgh. arranges gallery and museum passes for the students allowing them free access to the city's artistic and historical treasures. Each artist has work selected at the end of the three months for the prestigious RSA permanent collection.

The four DoJ graduates showing their work at `Four In Florence' are Clare Brennan, Chris Park, Emma Reeves and Lara Scouller.

Since graduating Clare Brennan has been working on several commissions for private collectors and has received a Dundee Visual Artists Award to produce a painting for this exhibition. In February, Brennan gave a talk to the Dundee Art Society outlining her journey from graduating and her time in Florence. She has recently been selected for the Guardian Observer Future 500 list and her work is in the private collection of Ninewells Radiology Department.

During 2006, Chris Park’s work was selected by the RSA to advertise their annual Student Exhibition and he received the RSA Keith Prize Award. Park is the RSA photographer and has launched his own photography and publication design company ScarletPark: www.scarletpark.co.uk. He has work in the Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art and Design Collection.

Emma Reeves received the RSA Sculpture prize at the 2006 annual Student Exhibition. She was also awarded the George Duncan of Drumfork Sculpture prize: Travelling Scholarship. Recent exhibitions include Embassy Members Group Show, Edinburgh 2006, International Students Exhibition of Shanghai Biennale, 2006, Generator Members Show, Dundee, 2007 and Stolenspace Gallery Group Show, The Old Truman Brewery, London, 2007. Reeves is currently working on her next project Haas, New Space, Istanbul.

Lara Scouller was awarded the RSA Landscape Prize at the annual student RSA exhibition in 2006. In October 2007 she received two prizes from the Paisely Art Institute Drawing Competition; the Plein Air Prize (a residency in France) and Miller's City Art Shop Prize and has recently completed a commission for the Scottish landscape business Allseasons at the Meadows www.allseasonsscotland.com. Scouller’s work has been exhibited across Scotland and at the Pastel Society, Mall Galleries, London.

Chris Park, one of the participating artists has designed a catalogue which will accompany the exhibition and is available to buy at the price of £6. It provides a source of information based on each of the participating artist's experiences and working practice in Florence as well as showcasing the artists' work.

For further information or images please contact Jenny Brownrigg or Laura Simpson on 01382 385330 / j.brownrigg@dundee.ac.uk

Lower Foyer Gallery, Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art and Design, 13 Perth Rd, Dundee DD1 4HT Free Admission Gallery Opening Hours: Mon-Fri 9.30am-5pm, Sat 10.30am-4.30pm

T: +44 (0)1382 385330 E: exhibitions@dundee.ac.uk
W: www.exhibitions.dundee.ac.uk

For media enquiries contact:
Roddy Isles
Head, Press Office
University of Dundee
Nethergate Dundee, DD1 4HN
TEL: 01382 384910
E-MAIL: r.isles@dundee.ac.uk