We’re thrilled to be working with award-winning artist Alberta Whittle and our Scotland + Venice partners to bring back to Scotland the major new tapestry, film and sculptural works Alberta presented at the 59th Venice Biennale in 2022. These ambitious pieces will be shown alongside a selection of further works by Alberta, in a range of media, to offer a compelling survey of her work to date.
Working in film, sculpture, print, performance and installation, Alberta frequently makes work in response to current events, drawing on her research into the African diaspora and the decolonisation of Western histories. Major themes include colonialism, xenophobia, climate change and the global pandemic. Born in Bridgetown, Barbados, Alberta has been based in Scotland since moving here to study at Edinburgh College of Art. She later completed a Master of Fine Arts programme at The Glasgow School of Art, and is currently a PhD candidate at the University of Edinburgh and Research Associate at The University of Johannesburg.
Alberta’s exhibition in 2023
Running from spring through to autumn 2023 at the Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art (Modern One), this expansive, free-to-enter exhibition will be an opportunity to explore the breadth of Alberta’s practice.
Bringing works back to Scotland is a key part of the Scotland + Venice project, and at the heart of the show will be Alberta’s expansive new film, Lagerah –The Last Born (2022), tapestry, Entanglement is more than blood (2022), and sculptural works which are currently on show in Venice. Alongside these will be a range of existing and new works by the artist, including digital collages, watercolours, and other sculptural and installation-based works. Together, the exhibition will draw attention to the central role of kinship and collaboration in Alberta’s work, and her invocation of self-care and compassion as means of resistance against racism and anti-blackness.
This is just a short preview for now and we look forward to sharing more about the exhibition and our accompanying plans with you over the coming months ahead.
The Venice Biennale in Italy – ‘La Biennale di Venezia’ – is a highlight in the international art calendar. Established in 1895, the art Biennale showcases the work of artists from across the globe.
Since 2003, Scotland has been part of the collateral programme at the Biennale through the Scotland + Venice partnership, an international project designed to promote the best of contemporary art and architecture from Scotland on the world stage. The project supports the development of new work, fosters international connections and exchange, and positions Scotland as a vibrant place for creative and cultural production.
Scotland + Venice is a partnership between Creative Scotland, British Council Scotland, National Galleries Scotland, Architecture & Design Scotland and the Scottish Government.
