22 February 2011

Italian adventure beckons for scholarship winners

A talented trio from Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art and Design have received scholarships worth £2000 each to undertake an extended Italian study tour.

Claudia de la Pena, Hannah Imlach and Usman Malik are among the 10 students from art colleges across Scotland who successfully applied for John Kinross Scholarships from the Royal Scottish Academy, and who will now spend up to three months in the city of Florence.

The three artists from DJCAD, part of the University of Dundee, will embark on the trip later this year and will be required 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.

Final year Fine Art students Claudia (22) and Hannah (21) are both originally from Edinburgh. Twenty six-year-old Usman, from Pakistan, is studying on the Master of Fine Art programme.

Professor Gareth Fisher, Fine Art programme leader at DJCAD, said the scholarships represented a significant achievement and opportunity for the trio.

“Claudia, Hannah and Usman have all done exceptionally well,” he said. “They faced competition from more than 70 of the best young art students in Scotland, and the fact they were successful demonstrates their considerable talent.

“They have a wonderful opportunity to study and work in a truly inspiring setting. I’m sure they will produce some exciting work which will do justice to their talent, as well as reflecting well on DJCAD and the training they have received here. I’m very much looking forward to seeing their output when they return from Florence.

“The John Kinross Scholarship is an important award for students and the RSA, by operating this programme, helps to provide a vital link between study and professional development.”

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 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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