Iconic single malt Glenfiddich host a massive art inspired competition each year, dubbed the ‘Artists in Residence’ program, which for the second year was open exclusively to Australian residents. Those participating spanned each state in the country, entering works across a multitude of mediums such as print, photography, animation, performance and installation, all for a chance to live and work for three months at the Glenfiddich distillery in Dufftown, Scotland alongside other winning artists from similar competitions held across the globe.
2016’s winner has officially been named, chosen by an assembly of authoritative judges, all of whom sat on the Advisory Council for the 2015 Sydney Contemporary Art Fair, including Group Fairs Director Barry Keldoulis and actor Rachel Griffiths. As a group they narrowed the entrants down to six finalists instead of the originally planned five, all of whom had their work showcased at the No Vacancy Gallery in Melbourne earlier this month.
Ukranian-born artist Stanislava Pinchuk emerged as the ultimate winner after a concluding round of judging by Artist in Residence Program Curator Andry Fairgrieve, who will help each winning artist bring their work to life as they take up residency in the distillery.
“This year has seen a continuation and amplification of the exciting talent we experienced in our launch year”, offered Fairgrive. “The work of the six finalists displayed a diversity of creative approach that merges skills and craft with innovation and experiment. It was no easy matter to select just one for our 2017 residency program, yet as if often the case once the final choice has been made it seems to be blinding obvious”.
Stanislava will take up her residence early next summer, building upon an already impressive portfolio that comes with being one of the youngest artists to be permanently featured by both the National Gallery of Australia and the National Gallery of Victoria. Stanislava’s work focuses on mapping topographies of conflict zones using textiles, illustrating how disaster can permanently change a landscape. She’s also a keen whisky drinker, so that definitely helps, especially because she believes her love of the drink and its connection to the earth will aid a visceral link to the origins and landscape of the Scottish Highlands. She will aim to showcase the scenery through pin-hole drawings, sonic recordings, photographs and textiles.
“I’ve never lived anywhere so isolated – not even close”, said Stanislava. “Being able to live in that landscape, with months on end to make something seems pretty magic to me. I’ve never experienced anything remotely like that in my life, let along in my studio practice…I can’t wait to really absorb the place, and to make and refine a large new work in such a different context”.
“Stanislava will focus not just on the visible topology of Speyside, but on the pathways between the land and the spirit, comprising of the water courses and contours of the hills. Through her pinhole drawings she also aims to discover and map the layers of hidden geology and ancient genesis stories of local folklore that make up the backbone and character to any locality,” explained Fairgrieve.
For more on the competition and Glenfiddich head to http://www.glenfiddich.com/
Image supplied.
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