Scottish distillery inspires artists from around the world

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The final artist, Yuan Yuan from China, has arrived at The Glenfiddich Distillery in Dufftown, Scotland to join the seven other artists who are participating in the single malt Scotch whisky’s prestigious art residency this summer.

Painter Yuan Yuan completes the troupe of artists from across the globe who will spend three months creating a collection of work inspired by The Glenfiddich Distillery, its surroundings, culture and people.

Only part way through their residency and with a vast range of different styles and mediums; from film to textiles to sculpture, this year’s works promise to challenge expectations and be thought provoking. Reflecting the freedom of the brief issued by Glenfiddich, this year’s work includes Juhikadevi Bhanjdeo’s wall hanging made from Indian hand woven cotton. Her work incorporates the shape of the Glenfiddich bottle, bringing together the cultures of India and Scotland. American artist Daniel Zalkus has completed over 50 charcoal drawings of the distillery’s processes and workers and South Korean Dongwan Kook’s series of 33 books and soft fabric installations provide a sensory experience, which makes the viewer experience a vague notion of dreaming from within. 

Andy Fairgrieve, curator for Glenfiddich's Artists in Residence programme, commented:

The residency has only just passed the halfway mark and already we have some remarkable pieces of work from this year’s artists. Each year, throughout the residency we hold a series of exhibitions, and from these the artists choose their final pieces to be donated to Glenfiddich’s collection. Given the work already created this year, we can expect to see final pieces which are truly pioneering, a sentiment embodied by William Grant, who founded The Glenfiddich Distillery 125 years ago.

The artists participating in the 2012 residency are:

From 1–16 September, the latest artworks will be on display to the public at the Glenfiddich Gallery and around the grounds of The Glenfiddich Distillery, which also acts as home to the eight artists during their residency. The final works will be displayed at the distillery from 29 September to 14 October 2012.

For more information about exhibitions and the Artists in Residence programme, visit the Glenfiddich website.