Share

Record-breaking Fabric of the Land exhibition set to open

The University of Aberdeen will open its doors to hundreds of art lovers this week with the launch of its Fabric of the Land exhibition on Saturday (August 27). The organisers also anticipate the geology-inspired event being a draw for visitors heading to the city for Offshore Europe during the first week of September.

Almost 70 creative works will feature at the annual exhibition which attracted a record-breaking number of submissions from artists across the UK wanting to showcase their talent at the event.

Fabric of the Land is organised by the University’s geology and petroleum geology department and has been sponsored by Aberdeen-headquartered diversified energy services company, Senergy, since its inception three years ago. The event, which attracted more than 700 visitors last year, involves inviting artists to explore the relationship between art and science with this year’s theme being Elements.

Professor Andrew Hurst, of the University’s School of Geosciences, said: “The fact that this year’s exhibition has exceeded expectations by attracting almost double the number of entries received in 2010 shows the significant appeal of Fabric of the Land and its subject matter. We are grateful to Riveroak Properties Ltd in Aberdeen for their support this year which has enabled us to get match funding from Arts & Business through its New Arts Sponsorship Grants scheme.”

Henry Allen, head of business sustainability at Senergy, said: “Visitors to Fabric of the Land can expect to see a fascinating range of works born through the amalgamation of art and science. At Senergy, we believe creativity is as important to business success as academic qualifications and it is fascinating to see first hand the parallels that have been drawn between geology and art.

“Given that geology is at the core of the energy industry, we hope that visitors to Offshore Europe will take up the opportunity to see the exhibition.”

Fabric of the Land is held at the University’s geology department, which is transformed into a contemporary gallery, and runs until September 18.

The exhibition, which is curated by SMART Consultants, attracted more than 200 creative works from over 100 established and promising artists. The artwork featuring at the exhibition was chosen by a selection panel and spans more than 50 artists including more than 20 from across Aberdeen City and Shire.

The selection panel included Mozambique-born artist Nuno Sacramento, who is currently director of the Scottish Sculpture Workshop near Huntly, which provides residencies, training and exhibition opportunities for visual artists. Also on the panel is renowned Scottish artist, Frances Walker, who since her early retirement from Gray’s School of Art, has travelled extensively, taking inspiration from the wildest, most remote terrains. Frances Walker is represented in many private and corporate collections including the Art Gallery, Ontario, Canada, the Robert Fleming Collection, London, the Royal Scottish Academy, and the University of Western Australia.

For more information about Fabric of the Land, visit: www.fabricoftheland.com

143 views