Monday, July 8th, 2019:
Our new display Artstories, at ECA Library, Evolution House, features hand-made artists’ books and altered books, guest curated by Dr Pamela Harris Lawton, who holds a Fulbright Scotland Visiting Professorship with IASH.
Artstories UK is a research project examining the learning that takes place between participants making art together. Through narrative co-inquiry around a specific concept, participants learn art skills, build relationships, and find common ground through critical conversation on themes of human experience during the art-making process.
The artist’s books on display represent three different artstories events: a collaborative altered book created by Institute for Advanced Studies in the Humanities visiting scholars on the concept of feminism using feminist texts; 3 altered books exploring the concept of belonging created in the art studio classroom at Moray House School of Education with PhD students Jing Xu and Qinhan [Cate] Chen, Dr Denitsa Petrova [ECA] and Pamela Harris Lawton; 9 handmade books relating personal narratives and reflections on living a purposeful life by young people aged 13-18 in the SCOREscotland program [strengthening communities for race equality in Scotland] : Ayisha Ba, Priya Roy, Zakaria Hamraoui, Hala Hatim, Alaa Ali, Maxwell Pena, Tifney Aheimbisibue, Momina Mizra and Mariem Ndiaye.
Strengthening Communities for Race Equality Scotland (SCOREscotland) is a voluntary organisation serving the minority ethnic communities in the West of Edinburgh. The organisation strives to eliminate racism in our society by working for and with those who are affected by racial discrimination.
Dr Lawton, EdDCTA, MFA, is Associate Professor in the Department of Art Education at Virginia Commonwealth University Arts, and is a 2019 Tate Modern Exchange Associate.
The exhibition will close on 1st August.