EVENTS
FINE ARTS AND FINE SCOTCH SHARE A COMMON BOND
Glenfiddich Partners with Banff in unique Artist-in-Residence Exchange
The Scots gave us bagpipes and kilts but many people don't know that they also helped build the Canadian National Railway. Banff, Alberta was named by one of the railway's founders for a small town in his native Scotland. Now another great Scottish invention, Glenfiddich Single Malt Whisky has partnered up with The Banff Centre in Canada to create an innovative exchange that celebrates artistry and craftsmanship in both countries. Canadian artist Dave Dyment and Kate Davis, a well known Scottish artist will be criss-crossing the Atlantic this year for a 4 month exchange. Each has been given an exciting opportunity to get outside their local environment to explore their discipline in a new setting.
Toronto-based installation artist, Dave Dyment will take up residency at the Glenfiddich Distillery as part of the company's Artist-in-Residence (AiR) Program. And, Scottish visual artist Kate Davis will travel to The Banff Centre, one of Canada's premier arts institutions, as part of a 7 week residency also sponsored by Glenfiddich.
Every year, Glenfiddich has been sponsoring artists from the around the world to come to Dufftown for the residency. However, this is the first year Glenfiddich has sponsored an artist exchange. The Banff Centre has partnered with Glenfiddich in providing the expertise to identify and recommend each artist. The exchange represents Glenfiddich's commitment to the arts and giving back to the community. Glenfiddich has in the past sponsored promising Canadian artist Jonathon Kaiser (2007), Annie Pootoogook (2006) and Myfanwy Macleod (2005).
Dave Dyment is the 4th Canadian selected to participate in the AiR program. Dyment (www.davedyment.com) is an artist, writer and curator, living and working in Toronto. His work mines song lyrics, album covers, and other pop culture iconography for shared associations and alternate meanings. Dyment's work has been exhibited in Toronto, Edmonton, Halifax, Philadelphia, Varna (Bulgaria) and New York City.
To celebrate his participation in the AiR Program, Glennfiddich, in conjunction with Truck Gallery in Calgary, will be hosting an event to mark Dyment's achievements. Beginning on June 27, 2008 and running until August 2nd, the Truck Gallery will be displaying Dyment's new exhibition entitled, Call and Response.
"Glenfiddich believes in the importance of giving back to the community," said Lindsay Prociw, Canadian Marketing Manager for Glenfiddich. "The distillery is committed to preserving the environment and cultural richness of the areas in which we operate. We are thrilled for Dave and wish him the best during his residency."
The Banff Centre's Vice President of Programming Sarah Iley said, "We are just delighted to be a part of this unique program that reinforces everything Banff Centre stands for by providing a nurturing and enriching environment in which artists can focus on their work."
About Visual Arts at The Banff Centre: Located in Canada's first National Park, The Banff Centre is one of the country's foremost arts, cultural, and educational institutions. Visual Arts programs at the Centre focus on professional development, research, and training opportunities in media and visual arts. The programs provide access to world-class facilities in photography, sculpture, print media and papermaking, ceramics, painting, performance, architecture, new media, television, video, curatorial, and critical studies, and support creative residencies, the Walter Phillips Gallery for Contemporary Art, and the Banff International Curatorial Institute.