Wild Geese and Local Landmarks to Feature in New Work for Scotland’s Year of Innovation, Architecture and Design
The Rural Mural team behind a series of bold new artworks in the Scottish countryside is working on its latest creation – in Glasgow.
Once complete the bright, partially abstract work will feature flying geese and local landmarks, bringing a 20m high splash of colour to The Barras, and can be seen at On the Corner, 253-257 London Road.
It is part of the Spring Fling Rural Mural (SFRM) project, organised by the Upland arts agency in Dumfries and Galloway and is a contribution to Scotland’s Year of Innovation, Architecture and Design.
As the theme for this year’s SFRM is exchange, Phase 1 brought together artists from Scotland, Germany and Italy to create murals in the depths of Dumfries and Galloway. Phase 2 turned the idea around and has seen three more works created as gifts to UK and European cities.
Glasgow is an ideal location as participating artists and project managers, Amy Whiten and Ali Wyllie of Recoat, are from the city – and have previously been commissioned to create other murals there, including for the Commonwealth Games.
Amy said: “It’s a fantastic project, and we really hope people will enjoy this new mural in Glasgow. It’s inspired by all sorts of ideas, like views of the city skyline, and also about nature and weather.”
The mural has a strong ecological element, which is a key interest of Morag Paterson, the Dumfries and Galloway artist involved in the Glasgow mural. Morag is internationally known for her landscape photography – something where the elements are of critical importance.
She said: “As someone who is constantly looking at the weather to see what’s going to be possible, and if I’ll be able to get out into the hills, the weather is something I’m always very aware of.
“One of the ideas of this mural is about how much the weather affects us, and how we all share the same air and climate. As the winds blow what we do in one part of the world inevitably affects everywhere else.”
SFRM is part of Spring Fling, Scotland’s premier visual art and craft open studios event, which will see 94 artists and makers across Dumfries and Galloway throw open their doors to the public from 28 to 30 May. The three countryside murals will be one of the main attractions as visitors from all over the world travel between studios.
The other SFRM city sites are Newcastle and Berlin. Spring Fling has close links with all three having previously held events and exhibitions in each of them.
Clare Hanna, Upland Director (Maternity Cover, said: “SFRM is all about creating big, bold and fun pieces of public art in Scotland and beyond. It has been a brilliant way of using art to strengthen links between some very diverse communities and environments.
“We really hope that the murals will draw people’s attention to the huge artistic talent we have in Scotland. We also hope it will encourage them to come to Dumfries and Galloway and see the incredible quality of art and craft that there is in our region.”
SFRM is supported by EventScotland, a team within VisitScotland’s Events Directorate, and by Creative Scotland.
Paul Bush OBE, Director of Events at VisitScotland, said: “The purpose of the Year of Innovation, Architecture and Design is to celebrate some of the most important aspects of Scottish culture, and Spring Fling’s Rural Mural project does just that.
“We’re confident that the creation of these stunning works by internationally-renowned artists will be an important showcase for Spring Fling and will encourage many visitors travel to Dumfries and Galloway for the event next month.”
It is hoped that people who like the urban murals may want to visit Dumfries and Galloway for the Spring Fling weekend. The Dumfries and Galloway sites are:
- The Mossburn Animal Centre, Hightae. On the side of a large, stone farm building at this centre for ill-treated and abandoned animals. It is visible from B7020. The creators were Berlin-based arts duo 44 Flavours (Sebastian Bagge and Julio Rölle) and Dumfries and Galloway visual artist Rory Laycock.
- Meiklewood Farm, Ringford, Castle Douglas. Tellas, from Rome, teamed up with Kirkcudbright-based Morag Macpherson to create a mural on a large steading near the A75.
- Craigdarroch Arms Hotel, Moniaive. Amy Whiten and Ali Wyllie from Recoat in Glasgow collaborated with Morag Paterson from near Thornhill. Their mural is on a gable end at a pub renowned for hosting arts events.
Visitors to Spring Fling can also still see some of the 2014 murals. The original project included created artists like 1010 and Will Barras.
Picture credit Colin Hattersley
