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IRON: Translating Territories

Past viewing_room
January 8 - February 6 2022
  • IRON: Translating Territories

    8 JANUARY - 6 FEBRUARY 2022
  • RSA Lower Galleries - Finlay Room and Members Lobby

    Free entry, no booking required

     

    Artists: Paweł Czekański | Clare Flatley | Gordon Munro RSA | Rachel Nolan | Ewan Robertson | Oana Stanciu | Michał Staszczak

     

    Over our long history the Royal Scottish Academy and its artists have fostered an international outlook. In the nineteenth century, the RSA began inviting artists from overseas to exhibit in our Annual Exhibitions and collected artwork that brought European ideas to students of Scottish art.

     

    Today, artists from around the world are involved in our award programme and exhibitions. The ideas, projects, and dialogues flow both ways as artists return home or travel abroad. The RSA values the links it has developed with its European neighbours, and we are pleased to welcome artists from Poland and Romania to join the UK artists exhibiting in Iron: Translating Territories.

     

    This exhibition continues an enduring relationship we have with eastern Europe, which began in 1941 when a special Polish section was included in our Annual Exhibition. More recently, exhibitions such as 10 Dialogues: Richard Demarco, Scotland and the European Avant-Garde (2010-11) and Tutaj/Teraz (Here/Now): An Investigation of Polish contemporary artists in Scotland (2012) have strengthened this relationship.

     

    This legacy formed part of the inspiration for Academician Gordon Munro to bring together a diverse group of artists for Iron: Translating Territories. The idea was cemented in 2019 after visiting Wrocław, Poland, with Ewan Robertson and Edinburgh College of Art students to participate in a weeklong iron-casting workshop at The Academy of Art and Design. Their hosts, Michał Staszczak and Paweł Czekański are exhibiting in Scotland for the first time here as a result.

     

    Gordon Munro RSA is a lecturer at Edinburgh College of Art and Assistant Director at Edinburgh Sculpture Workshop - which he co-founded in 1986, with RSA Past President Bill Scott, a hugely influential figure. In these roles, Gordon values community and collaboration in the making of art. It is no surprise that over the last decade his practice has focussed on a conceptual and physical investigation of iron, a material that connects people and planet together in so many ways.

     

    Iron is fascinating; it is a regulator in the human body and the welcoming glow of its appearance as it reacts to the world and rusts give it a fallible human quality. It is the main element in our planet’s core and it’s falling to earth in meteorites began humanity’s path to technology. Some Sumerian and Egyptian objects were made of meteoric iron and these early civilisations named it an-bar (fire from heaven) and bia en pet (thunderbolt from heaven) respectively.

     

    Iron exists in liquid, gaseous and solid states. Its weight and presence ground it physically, while as tiny particulates of dust it is located with the foundations of life. Magnetite, a form of iron oxide, exists in whales, dolphins, sharks, bees and homing pigeons. Its magnetism is their navigational device. Iron is pivotal to our existence, whatever we do to iron it won’t go away or diminish, the same quantity will always exist.

     

    Despite these fantastic qualities, iron probably feels ordinary to most people due to its common presence in our lives. In fine art, its low aesthetic and difficulty to work with meant it was unused in sculpture until the emergence of abstraction in the twentieth century.

     

    Gordon Munro has invited the artists in Iron: Translating Territories to consider and respond to iron in making work for this exhibition. For some the material is a familiar part of their practice, where the collaborative act of pouring and casting liquid iron is intrinsic to their relationship with the material, but for others it is a new conceptual challenge. Compare Munro and Robertson’s Cloud Dialogue of forms created from recycled iron objects, to Oana Stanciu’s performative exploration of iron and Clare Flatley’s materialistic response to its place in theories of alchemy. Or see Michał Staszczak and Paweł Czekański’s extension of traditional methods into contemporary sculpture, in contrast with Rachel Nolan’s ethereal iron inspired imagery.

     

    The diversity of artistic responses, and the film made for Iron: Translating Territories, are a rewarding encapsulation of the wonder of iron, and a manifesto for revising how we consider it in our lives.

     

    Sandy Wood, RSA Collections Curator, and Gordon Munro RSA.

    • Paweł Czekański On the Swing Film 2:29 mins
      Paweł Czekański
      On the Swing
      Film
      2:29 mins
      £ 550.00
    • Paweł Czekański Swing, 2021 Cast iron, steel, led lights 268 x 135.5 x 116.5 cm
      Paweł Czekański
      Swing, 2021
      Cast iron, steel, led lights
      268 x 135.5 x 116.5 cm
      £ 1,600.00
    Close
    • Clare Flatley Planetary Bodies I, 2021 Stoneware, iron glaze 30 cm diameter
      Clare Flatley
      Planetary Bodies I, 2021
      Stoneware, iron glaze
      30 cm diameter
      £ 460.00
    • Clare Flatley Planetary Bodies II, 2021 Stoneware, iron glaze 25 cm diameter
      Clare Flatley
      Planetary Bodies II, 2021
      Stoneware, iron glaze
      25 cm diameter
      Sold
    • Clare Flatley Planetary Bodies III, 2021 Stoneware, iron glaze 20 cm diameter
      Clare Flatley
      Planetary Bodies III, 2021
      Stoneware, iron glaze
      20 cm diameter
      £ 310.00
    • Clare Flatley Planetary Bodies IV, 2021 Stoneware, iron glaze 20 cm diameter
      Clare Flatley
      Planetary Bodies IV, 2021
      Stoneware, iron glaze
      20 cm diameter
      Sold
    Close
    • Clare Flatley Planetary Bodies V, 2021 Iron stoneware, iron glaze 12 cm diameter
      Clare Flatley
      Planetary Bodies V, 2021
      Iron stoneware, iron glaze
      12 cm diameter
      Sold
    • Clare Flatley Planetary Bodies VI, 2021 Porcelain, iron glaze 10 cm diameter
      Clare Flatley
      Planetary Bodies VI, 2021
      Porcelain, iron glaze
      10 cm diameter
      Sold
    • Clare Flatley Core, 2021 Porcelain 24 cm diameter
      Clare Flatley
      Core, 2021
      Porcelain
      24 cm diameter
      £ 860.00
    Close
    • Gordon Munro RSA Ark, 2022 Cast iron and concrete block 175 x 86 x 94 cm ( l x b x h)
      Gordon Munro RSA
      Ark, 2022
      Cast iron and concrete block
      175 x 86 x 94 cm ( l x b x h)
      £ 23,500.00
    • Gordon Munro RSA Conversations Over Time, 2015 Cast iron 19 x 10 x 24.5 cm
      Gordon Munro RSA
      Conversations Over Time, 2015
      Cast iron
      19 x 10 x 24.5 cm
      Sold
    Close
    • Rachel Nolan Rhizo, 2021 Double exposure 35mm film print on aluminium 90.5 x 60 cm
      Rachel Nolan
      Rhizo, 2021
      Double exposure 35mm film print on aluminium
      90.5 x 60 cm
      £ 1,000.00
    • Rachel Nolan Ferric, 2021 Triple exposure 35mm film print on aluminium 90.5 x 60 cm
      Rachel Nolan
      Ferric, 2021
      Triple exposure 35mm film print on aluminium
      90.5 x 60 cm
      £ 1,000.00
    • Rachel Nolan Silica, 2021 Double exposure 35mm film print on aluminium 90.5 x 60 cm
      Rachel Nolan
      Silica, 2021
      Double exposure 35mm film print on aluminium
      90.5 x 60 cm
      £ 1,000.00
    Close
    • Ewan Robertson Narwhal vs Particle Article, 2022 Cast iron, reclaimed shale brick, bright steel, mild steel Dimensions variable
      Ewan Robertson
      Narwhal vs Particle Article, 2022
      Cast iron, reclaimed shale brick, bright steel, mild steel
      Dimensions variable
      £ 2,450.00
    • Ewan Robertson Untitled (Longshore’s chantepleure), 2022 Cast iron, mild steel, netting Dimensions variable
      Ewan Robertson
      Untitled (Longshore’s chantepleure), 2022
      Cast iron, mild steel, netting
      Dimensions variable
      £ 1,650.00
    • Ewan Robertson Non-nuclear Semiotics, 2022 Cast iron, reclaimed wood, reclaimed brick, glass, galvanised nails, matches
      Ewan Robertson
      Non-nuclear Semiotics, 2022
      Cast iron, reclaimed wood, reclaimed brick, glass, galvanised nails, matches
      £ 850.00
    Close
    • Oana Stanciu The Iron Pour: Armour, 2021 Gicleé print Framed: 87 x 59 cm Unframed: 84 x 56 cm Edition of 10
      Oana Stanciu
      The Iron Pour: Armour, 2021
      Gicleé print
      Framed: 87 x 59 cm
      Unframed: 84 x 56 cm
      Edition of 10
      £ 1,850.00
    • Oana Stanciu The Iron Pour: Protected, 2021 Giclée print Framed: 87 x 59 cm Unframed: 84 x 56 cm Edition of 10
      Oana Stanciu
      The Iron Pour: Protected, 2021
      Giclée print
      Framed: 87 x 59 cm
      Unframed: 84 x 56 cm
      Edition of 10
      £ 1,850.00
    • Oana Stanciu The Iron Pour: Smelting, 2021 Giclée print Framed: 87 x 59 cm Unframed: 84 x 56 cm Edition of 10
      Oana Stanciu
      The Iron Pour: Smelting, 2021
      Giclée print
      Framed: 87 x 59 cm
      Unframed: 84 x 56 cm
      Edition of 10
      £ 1,850.00
    • Oana Stanciu The Iron Pour: Iron Maiden, 2021 Giclée print Framed: 87 x 59 cm Unframed: 84 x 56 cm Edition of 10
      Oana Stanciu
      The Iron Pour: Iron Maiden, 2021
      Giclée print
      Framed: 87 x 59 cm
      Unframed: 84 x 56 cm
      Edition of 10
      £ 1,850.00
    Close
    • Oana Stanciu The Iron Pour: The Crucible, 2021 Giclée print Framed: 87 x 59 cm Unframed: 84 x 56 cm Edition of 10
      Oana Stanciu
      The Iron Pour: The Crucible, 2021
      Giclée print
      Framed: 87 x 59 cm
      Unframed: 84 x 56 cm
      Edition of 10
      £ 1,850.00
    • Oana Stanciu The Iron Pour: Molten, 2021 Giclée print Framed: 87 x 59 cm Unframed: 84 x 56 cm Edition of 10
      Oana Stanciu
      The Iron Pour: Molten, 2021
      Giclée print
      Framed: 87 x 59 cm
      Unframed: 84 x 56 cm
      Edition of 10
      £ 1,850.00
    • Oana Stanciu The Iron Pour: Shards, 2021 Giclée print Framed: 87 x 59 cm Unframed: 84 x 56 cm Edition of 10
      Oana Stanciu
      The Iron Pour: Shards, 2021
      Giclée print
      Framed: 87 x 59 cm
      Unframed: 84 x 56 cm
      Edition of 10
      £ 1,850.00
    Close
    • Oana Stanciu Smelting, 2021 Film
      Oana Stanciu
      Smelting, 2021
      Film
    • Oana Stanciu The Crucible, 2021 Film
      Oana Stanciu
      The Crucible, 2021
      Film
    Close
    • Michał Staszczak The Wishing-Table, 2015 Cast iron and bronze 48 x 32 x 27 cm
      Michał Staszczak
      The Wishing-Table, 2015
      Cast iron and bronze
      48 x 32 x 27 cm
      £ 1,300.00
    • Michał Staszczak Pioneer, 2021 Cast iron 44 x 18 x 32 cm
      Michał Staszczak
      Pioneer, 2021
      Cast iron
      44 x 18 x 32 cm
      £ 1,100.00
    • Michał Staszczak Lost Wonder (from the Cabinet of Curiosities), 2021 Cast iron, aluminium and bronze 14 x 14 x 73 cm
      Michał Staszczak
      Lost Wonder (from the Cabinet of Curiosities), 2021
      Cast iron, aluminium and bronze
      14 x 14 x 73 cm
      £ 1,600.00
    • Michał Staszczak (D)evolution, 2021 Cast iron, stainless steel (5 parts)
      Michał Staszczak
      (D)evolution, 2021
      Cast iron, stainless steel (5 parts)
      £ 1,700.00
    Close
  • Artist Interviews

     

    Insight into the creative process of the exhibiting artists in Iron: Translating Territories. Interviews conducted by Sandy Wood. Directed and edited by Rachel Nolan. 

  • We would like to thank Edinburgh Sculpture Workshop, Edinburgh College of Art and the Consulate General of the Republic of Poland in Edinburgh for supporting this exhibition.

     

                                     

Royal Scottish Academy of Art & Architecture  The Mound  Edinburgh  EH2 2EL

exhibitions@royalscottishacademy.org     royalscottishacademy.org

Scottish Charity No. SC004198

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