7 April 2010

Art students set for study tour of Florence

Two Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art and Design students have received scholarships to enable them to undertake extensive study tours in Florence.

Ashley Nieuweinhuizen and Mary Somerville are among 10 art students from across Scotland who will spend up to three months in the Italian city after winning John Kinross Scholarships worth £2000 from the Royal Scottish Academy.

They will embark on the trip later this year and are expected to produce a substantial body of work as evidence of study. Subject to the satisfactory completion of the scholarship, selected works will be donated to the RSA collection upon their return.

Acting Dean of DJCAD Tracy Mackenna, praised the duo, saying, 'The John Kinross Scholarship is a jewel of an award, providing artists with the vital ingredients of time and focus in which to develop work without distraction.

'The RSA, in providing the award, forms a vital link between art college education and the professional development of our students whilst nurturing and sustaining artistic practice in Scotland. That Ashley and Mary have won these highly competitive awards is testament to their standing as emergent artists.'

Ashley (25), originally from South Africa and now living in Dundee, is currently studying for a Masters of Fine Art, while Mary, also 25, is a final year Fine Art undergraduate who moved to Dundee from the Inverness area to study.

'I work in a variety of media, specifically performance art and video works, sculpture and printmaking, of which I will most likely be challenging during the residency in Florence,' explained Ashley. 'It's a great honour to receive the award as it's going to give me the opportunity to continue and extend my current practice after I complete the Master of Fine Art course this September.'

Mary added, 'At this time, when all the focus is on the degree show, it’s really refreshing and exciting to know that I have this opportunity after I graduate. To get the chance to spend research time in Florence looking at the spaces, atmosphere, textures and light and seeing how that can feed into my future practice is really exciting.'

The John Kinross Memorial Fund was established in 1982 by Mr JB Kinross in memory of his father, John Kinross, a renowned architect who was greatly influenced by the beautiful Italian city which has been an inspiration to generations of artists and architects.

The scholarship is intended to provide young fine artists and architects in Scotland with the opportunity to live and study in Florence for a period of up to three months. The RSA also arranges a galleries and museums pass for the students allowing them free access to the city's artistic and historical treasures. Study visits to Tuscany and Umbria will also take place.

There will be a reunion for the scholars early next year when they will be expected to present a portfolio of all working material from Florence and any related work made subsequently.

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