Scotland and Venice 2007 - Homecoming Exhibition

Six of Scotland’s most exciting and innovate artists, selected to represent the country at the world’s most important showcase for contemporary art, this year’s 52nd Venice Biennale, present their homecoming exhibition, Scotland and Venice 2007 at Aberdeen Art Gallery.

Hosted by the Scottish Arts Council, National Galleries of Scotland and British Council, and curated by Philip Long, Scotland and Venice 2007 features the work of Charles Avery, Henry Coombes, Louise Hopkins, Rosalind Nashashibi, Lucy Skaer and Tony Swain.

Recognised as the world’s largest and most prestigious international showcase for contemporary visual art, the Venice Biennale takes place every two years. More than 65 countries participate in the 5-month event; each country hosting an exhibition or pavilion dedicated solely to the work of its chosen artists.

Scotland and Venice 2007 continues to build on a distinguished history of Scottish participation at the Biennale.  Scottish artists have exhibited work in Venice since 1897 (the 2nd Biennale), when works by the Glasgow Boys and others were shown. 

The Zenomap exhibition of 2003; the Selective Memory exhibition of 2005 and this years Scotland and Venice 2007 exhibition are the result of a strategic partnership of organisations with national and international remits, which aim to continue the legacy of Scottish artists who have gone before and who have paved the way for artists of today. 

The homecoming Scotland and Venice 2007 exhibition in Aberdeen offers Scottish audiences a singular opportunity to experience at first hand, this critically acclaimed presentation of work by artists emerging from Scotland.

Aberdeen Art Gallery is well known for its historic emphasis on collecting and exhibiting contemporary work as part of a collecting initiative administered through the Contemporary Art Society by which works by Jim Lambie, Kenny Hunter, Gavin Turk, Damien Hirst, Julian Opie, Ian Hamilton Finlay and Martin Parr have been acquired.

Meanwhile, the Gallery’s exhibition programme has most recently featured a major show of new work by Dalziel + Scullion along with new work, Knockturne, by David Blyth; an intervention by Ross Sinclair; La Vie Nouvelle: Lise Sarfati in partnership with Magnum Photos and David Beckham by Sam Taylor Wood in partnership with the National Portrait Gallery.

‘Art from Scotland is at one of its most progressive moments and our chosen artists represent this position in the form of six highly individual talents. As with the heterogeneous character of the Biennale, the work of (the six artists) is diverse, exciting and unpredictable.' Curator, Philip Long on Scotland and Venice 2007

Charles Avery
Avery was born in 1973 in Oban. Based in London, he is represented by doggerfisher/Susanna Beaumont, Edinburgh; Galleria Sonia Rosso, Turin and Galeria S.A.L.E.S, Rome.

Henry Coombes
Coombes was born in London in 1977 and completed his BA at Glasgow School of Art in 2002. He is based in Glasgow and represented by Sorcha Dallas, Glasgow.

Louise Hopkins
Hopkins was born in Hertfordshire in 1965. She studied at Newcastle-upon-Tyne Polytechnic and Glasgow School of Art, where she completed her MFA in 1994. She is based in Glasgow and is represented by doggerfisher/Susanna Beaumont, Edinburgh and Andrew Mummery, London.

Rosalind Nashashibi
Born in Croydon in 1973, Nashashibi studied at Sheffield University and Glasgow School of Art, where she completed her MFA in 2000. She is based in London and is represented by doggerfisher/Susanna Beaumont, Edinburgh and Harris Liebermann, New York.

Lucy Skaer Born in Cambridge in 1975 Skaer studied at Glasgow School of Art, graduating in 1997. Based in Glasgow, she has recently spent extended time in Berlin, Amsterdam and New York.  Skaer is represented by doggerfisher/Susanna Beaumont, Edinburgh.

Tony Swain
Swain was born in Lisburn in Northern Ireland in 1967 and studied at Glasgow School of Art, graduating in 1990. He is based in Glasgow and is represented by The Modern Institute/Toby Webster Ltd, Glasgow.

For full biographys on the six artists as well as further information on the Venice project, please visit the Scotland and Venice 2007 website. For venue and opening time details, visit the Aberdeen Art Gallery website.

The exhibition in Aberdeen is the result of a partnership between Scotland and Venice 2007 and Aberdeen Art Gallery & Museums.  This exhibition is supported by the Aberdeen City Council City Growth Fund.