Selected and curated by Royal Scottish Academy Exhibitions Coordinator Colin R Greenslade the exhibition show-cases new media works currently being produced by New Talent in Scotland. Colin Greenslade says “We were prompted to look at new films by graduates after the calibre of film-making being highlighted at our Annual Student Exhibition in February 2004. Having visited all of the degree shows in May and June, I asked a number of artists to submit films for possible inclusion in this show. The result is spectacular.
The artists deal with attitudes…. The films look at human relations….. Relationships and attitudes between the sexes, and society’s attitudes to the difference in the sexes….
Lucy Christian’s ‘Bouncing’ comments on the phenomenon of plastic surgery, the body beautiful and the striving for an acceptable image of beauty. Nadja Schrade’s films look at society’s (men’s) perception of women and turn it on its head. Maria Young looks back at attitudes between childhood classmates and how her personal relationships with those people have developed. Thomas O’Malley asks us to look into ourselves at our own level of morality and polite society. Sarah McDonald deals directly with the relationships and attitudes concerned between the sexes – our aspirations, dreams and hard reality….
Bringing these young artists to the Edinburgh to be presented in the fantastic Royal Scottish Academy Building heralds a shift in the activities and presentation capabilities of the Royal Scottish Academy. The RSA are committed to assisting with the development of new talent through support, funding and presentation initiatives.”
Nadja Schrade
Nadja Schrade is a creative force to be reckoned with, relentlessly challenging her own ideas and ability to express herself in a range of different media. Nadja veered towards film as a means of integrating herself more wholly with her art. “For me it is actually the biggest challenge; not making things for the sake of making them or creating them, but rather being within my work, living my work. I want to be included. I want to use myself, my body, my life.”
Nadja was born in Munich, Germany where she studied Law for 8 years. During that time she realised her true vocation as an artist and applied to Edinburgh College of Art. She graduated this year with a Ba (Hons) First Class Degree in Sculpture. She also works in glass, book binding, painting and poetry. Her film works explore personal and social questions with vigour and wit. Nadja was the first recipient of the Friends of the Royal Scottish Academy prize at the 2004 Royal Scottish Academy Annual Student Exhibition.
Shallow End “Do you remember when you were little and the popular girls were pushed under water by the boys? Well I always fought back and they left me in the water thinking ‘Hey! Where are you going? The fun is just about to start…’ Ever since I have been looking for a man who would push me under water.”
The Issue was a result of an unpleasant encounter with a man urinating on the pavement. She wondered if although it’s a culturally common albeit disgusting occurrence, men urinating in public perhaps displayed a kind of dominance and power that women were denied. She decided to try it and chose Princes Street on a Saturday afternoon. “And yes, it did feel good.”
Maria Young
Maria is a Photography graduate from Edinburgh College of Art. Roberton School 1988 is an emotional piece about memory and growing up. When Maria was at primary school in the small town in the Borders, there were only 16 pupils. She had caught sight of an old class photo and was moved to think of how much had happened in their lives since that time had passed and it inspired her to make this work. The film uses photographic stills, text and a voice over. With Auld Lang Syne recited in the background, she recalls memories of each classmate, what they have become and how they affected her. “The film explores the memory process and the i
Web Link: http://www.royalscottishacademy.org/pages/exhibition_frame.asp?id=93
