North East landmark in focus: international artists’ new work inspired by Bennachie on view in Aberdeen
Preview 6.30pm Friday 4 April 2014
Seventeen, 17 Belmont Street, Aberdeen
Bennachie – hill of the breast – is an iconic landmark that has cast its shadow over the North East since it was formed 400 million years ago. This mass of rock was gradually worn away by glaciations, wind, rain and frost, revealing the familiar profile that stands dominating the horizon today.
In the shadow of the breast – opening at 6.30 pm on Friday 4 April and on view to 26 April 2014 at Seventeen in Aberdeen – shows the culmination of work created by six international artists during Natural Bennachie, a Year of Natural Scotland project, supported by Creative Scotland and Scottish Natural Heritage. Through films, sound installation and site-specific performance, the work created engages with the natural phenomena, cultural heritage, anthropological investigations and geographical forms of this remarkable place.
Focusing on contemporary fine art practice, the artists drew inspiration from the hill itself as well as the people surrounding it. From working with the Bailies of Bennachie, a group of caretakers who have been looking after Bennachie over the last 40 years, to the Forestry Commission, Aberdeenshire Rangers and scientists at the University of Aberdeen, the artists have explored how this landmark has come to reside in the heart of those living and working around it.
The artists include Henry Coombes, and his work ‘Two Zeds and a Disc’, which has gone on to be selected for the National Galleries GENERATION exhibition programme; Casali+Roubini audio-visual enquiry ‘Arrange your rocks naturally’, site-specific performance ‘The Colour of Red’ by Elpida Hadzi-Vasileva, and the artscience Pollen Analysis by artists collective ~ in the fields.
This exhibition is supported with funding from the National Lottery through the Creative Scotland Year of Natural Scotland Open Fund, and Seventeen, the city centre creative hub in Aberdeen, a space for workshops, events and exhibitions and is supported by Aberdeen City Council and Creative Scotland.
