exhibition

DO OR DIE: Samantha Dick at the HUBCAP Gallery

In what we hope will be the start of a significant new approach to our site we have asked current HND CAP students to submit content of publication. We were delighted to recieve the following from current hndCAP year 2 student Anna Brodie.

Each opening night at HUBCAP gallery so far has proven to be a certain type of good chaos and the same is to be said of the most recent from our very own Artist in Residence Samantha Dick, who is presenting their first solo show DO OR DIE. The exhibition is set in HUBCAP’S small but versatile space nestled in the back of Edinburgh College’s canteen and has shown how, once again, the committee of CAP students can pull off a very well executed and professional event.

This time around the space has been transformed through Samantha’s own artistic lens. Meticulously placed elongated black lines frame the room, putting purposeful constraints on the space, creating a simple black and white structure which is then disrupted by Dick’s colourful use of characterisation displayed across several different mediums.

Currently based between Edinburgh and Glasgow, Samantha studied at Edinburgh College before progressing on to Glasgow School of Art. After graduating from university last year, they have once again become a part of the Edinburgh College community. Initially as Artist in Residence (AIR) and most recently taking on the role of Learning Assistant (LA). In Samantha’s own words the basis of their practice is “their rejection of social expectation.” DO OR DIE extends their interest in this and questions “the structures of our complex contemporary world.”  Through use of what they call “theatrical play” and their characterisation of stereotypes Samantha reacts to the current socio-political climate. Taking influence from the 1950s nuclear family Samantha works to deconstruct societal ideals that traditional formulas as such represent, challenging the viewers own sense of normality. Samantha’s portrayal of Mr suit in “The Desk Studies” reflects current political and social chaos through balancing a “symbol of normality” with “acts of absurdity”. It shows how Samantha’s techniques in clowning and characterisation can address big issues just as well as, if not better than, more traditional mediums. The exhibition prompts us to question gender norms, social inequality and react to customary concepts of the dominant and subordinate.

Going forward Samantha is working hard as an LA and continuing their practice. Having recently shown work at Allsorts Royal Glasgow Institute Artist Film Festival as well as hosting exhibitions and events with the collective Where People Sleep of which they are a member and co-founder. You can find more information on Samantha at their website https://www.samanthadick.co.uk/bodies and keep up to date on recent work by following their Instagram @samanthadickart_

More information about Where People Sleep can be found on their Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/wherepeoplesleep/

Make sure you don’t miss out on the many exciting things to come from HUBCAP gallery by following them on Facebook by searching HUBCAP gallery and Instagram @hubcap.gallery

Be sure to look out for upcoming events connected to DO OR DIE.

Samanth Dick in Conversation: hubCAP Events

DO OR DIE: Panel Discussion: hubCAP Events

And if you haven’t already, get yourself down to Edinburgh College for a visit at HUBCAP to see the hard work of our students on the gallery committee, and Sam’s exhibition which will be open until Thursday the 5th of March. Gallery Opening times are Mon-Fri 10am-3pm.

CLICK to APPLY for HND CAP now!

hubCAP Gallery Opens

Edinburgh’s newest artist run space opens at Edinburgh College Granton Campus.

Developed as a core element of our new Professional Practice and Exhibition programme on the HND Contemporary Art Practice Course we were delighted to launch hubCAP Gallery with an exhibition of 2D work by all the current participants of the course.

The launch was a fantastic success and and was well attended by freinds, family, students and colleagues from across the college but in particular it was  fantastic to see so many of the CAPalumni family coming from as far afeild as Dundee, Galashiels, Bathgate and Glasgow.

hubCAP is the first in a series of initiatives in development that will provide CAP students with real world experiences that will enable them to gain key knowledge and skills to identify and progress in their developing area of contemporary art practice and beyond. Additional initiatives will include campus based opportunities including; a lecturer shadowing / metoring programme, library placements with the Art & Design Subject Specialist and art journalism / marketing along with external placement opportunities with our external partners.

The gallery adopts a model of Artist Run spaces and is organised and facilitated by a selected committee of current HND CAP students who will develop and deliver a programme of exhibitions by emerging and early career artists and complimented by a and events and workshops programme.

Life After Art School?

A massive thank you to #CAPetcAlumni Natasha Kemp, Karen Fleming, Natalie Doyle and Lynne McBride from the Reunification Collective for giving such an inspirational talk at their exhibition ETC… at Gayfield Creative Spaces. CAP1&2 colleagues were given great insight into what lies ahead for them in the coming years of developing as artists, getting used to crits and presentations, applying for art school,  what to expect when they get there and the realities of life afterward.

All four artists have made fantastic starts to their careers and are involved with a great range of projects with highly respected art organisations and companies. Natasha who graduated from the painting school at ECA is working from her new studio in Dunfermline and is represented by a London based gallery. Karen also a painting graduate of ECA is working closely with the company behind Ocean Terminal to develop studio and gallery space as part of a new creative hub at the terminal site. Natalie a GSA environmental art graduate is currently at Stills Gallery and working on a new body of work and finally Lynne graduated from DJCAD fine art has recently taken up a key role on the committee of Generator Projects in Dundee and is working at Dundee Contemporary Arts. (DCA)

#CAPetcAlumni REUNIFICATION ETC… Edinburgh Exhibition Opens

REUNIFICATION is a diverse collective of 9 recent graduates (2014/15) from 3 of Scotland’s Art Schools. However this is not the only thing they have in common as

the seeds of the collective were sown when the artists worked side by side in the HND Contemporary Art Practice studios of Edinburgh College Granton.

In their most recent exhibition “ETC…” opened last night at Edinburgh’s G4 Bunker, which is part of the Gayfield Creative Spaces project.

Coming hot on the heels of their successful show at the critically acclaimed Generator Projects space in Dundee this summer the current exhibition presents a variety of contemporary artworks including video, painting, sound work, performance, installation and sculpture which offer an insight into concerns around the passing of time.

IMG_1035                     IMG_1030

In the roughly constructed subterranean spaces of the bunker history is brought forward into the present, challenging the idea of finite timelines. This creates the opportunity for dialogues with an audience, as they are encouraged to deepen their understandings of past cultures and history. New meanings are explored in overlooked materials, be they behaviors, spaces or ephemeral objects, that hold specific importance to their respective times in history and culture.

REUNIFICATION Collective are:

ETC… is open daily until Thursday 10th Sept

See previous REUNIFICATION projects on their website: https://reunificationcollective.wordpress.com