News

 

I understand that I will never understand, however, I stand. I repeat this statement almost like a mantra over and over. While watching the horrifying news reports of George Floyd’s death, while scrolling through social media feeds tracking the developments of the protests or outpourings of grief and love, when looking at photos of marches around the world where signs emblazoned with this mantra fleck the crowds. Powerful posters on our news feed remind us, “Silence is Violence”, “Racism is a Pandemic”, “Being Black is Not a Crime”, and call to “Defund the Police,” all highlighting the need for urgent change. There have been mass demonstrations in the name of the Black Lives Matter movement before. This time though, the energy seems to be different; a unifying force is brewing; encompassing all ages, sexes, and races with a strong statement: ENOUGH IS ENOUGH!

The sudden emergence and virulent occupation of the coronavirus across the globe has forced the art world as we know it to move online. It started with the cancellation of Art Basel Hong Kong in early February, swapping VIP tickets for logins to their online viewing rooms, then followed by the Sydney Biennale, which became the first international biennale to go online just 10 days after opening to the public. By now, all major and minor museums and art institutions alike have migrated to the online sphere. With lockdown extensions and further cancellations of events, our notion of a  “place” for public gathering has unrecognisably transformed- it is now the internet.

 

In our latest interview, we chat to Glasgow-based mixed-media artist, Stewart Swan. Read on to learn more about key influences in his work, his love of 'chance marks and happy accidents' and his aversion to blank canvases.

 

Preferring to let the art speak for itself, I normally avoid giving my two penny's worth but given the circumstances, I wanted to say a few words. Firstly, I want to wish you and your loved ones good health and happiness during this difficult period. I hope, in some form or another, the art we share can bring you comfort and a salve for the pains of isolation.

 

Jorunn Mulen offers us a porthole into her serene studio in Bergen, Norway. Like a lot of countries around the world right now, Norway is in lockdown forcing many of its citizens to work from home. Jorunn, however, is no stranger to this having spent the last nine years painting in her home studio.