Audrey Grant’s Award Winning Exhibition Opens to the Public

 

This week, Audrey’s exhibition at the Open Eye Gallery opens to the public. These new paintings arise from the artist’s collaboration with Scottish Ballet in rehearsal at their studios in Tramway, Glasgow. 

On receiving the award, Audrey, who is also a member of the Society, said,  “I was delighted and honoured to receive this prestigious award from the Open Eye Gallery at the 2015 Annual Exhibition, it has given me the opportunity to conceive and create a new body of paintings that I feel will work particularly well in one of their beautiful bright and light gallery spaces.

 
“Since spring 2012 I have had privileged access to Scottish Ballet’s rehearsals, spending full days observing and drawing with pencil in sketchbooks the movement of the dancers. In the rehearsals I focused on trying to capture something of the energy and shape of the movement, looking at the dancers and not my drawings, building up networks of marks that would take the shape of recognisable bodies and movements.”

Taking inspiration from these drawings, Audrey has created a new series of paintings focusing on the powerful and moving ballet premiered in Scotland at the 2016 Edinburgh International Festival – MC 14/22 (Ceci est mon corps), choreography by Angelin Preljocaj, and Christopher Hampson’s lyrical Cinderella.

MC 14/22 is a ballet for 12 male dancers and has been described as a hymn to the male body. The title is a biblical reference to the Last Supper, as told in Mark 14:22, in which Jesus says to the disciples, ‘Take, eat: this is my body’.

Sharon Quigley, President of the Society of Scottish Artists said, “We are very grateful to the Open Eye Gallery for their continued support of our Annual Open Exhibition and the fantastic opportunity they offer artists with this Exhibition Award. 

 

“For over 125 years, the Society of Scottish Artists has provided exhibition opportunities for artists through our Annual Exhibition. The awards given at the exhibition provide invaluable support to artists. 

 

“As we develop the opportunities and benefits we offer to suit today’s contemporary artist, the Society continues to grow and attract more members. Artists from anywhere in the world can become a member of the Society, and I’d encourage all artists to join our vibrant network.” 

 

The Society of Scottish Artists Annual Open Exhibition takes place every year at the RSA Academy Building in Edinburgh, showing hundreds of original artworks by artists from across the world selected by a panel of professional artists. Since 1891, the Society has been at the forefront of supporting and promoting contemporary art. Membership of the Society is open to all artists from across the world.

 

Audrey’s exhibition continues at the Open Eye Gallery until 29 May. She will discuss her new work at an Artist Talk on Saturday 20th May.