OPEN CALL – ALASTAIR MACLENNAN – BEYOND THE ARCHIVE
Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art and Design (University of Dundee), GENERATORprojects together with Bbeyond are collaborating to celebrate the work of Alastair MacLennan
We are calling for proposals for two artists working in the field of performance to respond to the archive of Alastair MacLennan, held at DJCAD, University of Dundee. One artist based in Northern Ireland and one based in Scotland will be selected to work on this exciting project.
We are looking to commission two new works of performance art that respond to the archive, which may be in response to an Alastair MacLennan Performance/Installation or Performance/Installation object or drawings held in same.
This project will run between mid-June and late-October 2022. The selected artists will make two visits to the Archive in Dundee during this time (dates T.B.A. in discussion with selected artists). The first visit will be a solo visit, and on the second visit the artists will be accompanied by Alastair MacLennan. In response to these visits to the archive and conversation with Alastair MacLennan the selected artists will create a performance to be showcased in October 2022 (dates T.B.A.) in Dundee, at a venue decided in conversation with the artist, The University, Bbeyond and GENERATORprojects.
Selected artists will receive a £1,500 artists fee (+ travel expenses and accommodation).
Application Information
Please send a short bio of no more than 200 words
Please send 400 words MAX describing your practice and intended process and approach to connecting with the archive.
Please send 3 good quality images of previous work of at least 300dpi
Please send on a link to an online source to view your work (Website or Facebook etc.)
Northern Ireland Applications
Please send Applications in a single pdf to Sandra Corrigan Breathnach at bbeyond@europe.com
Deadline for Applications Thursday the 12th of May 5PM (no late applications will be considered)
Please Note - Applications are welcome in a non traditional form (video/audio recording) from artists with additional access needs. Please contact Sandra at bbeyond@europe.com if you wish to discuss this, or any other access needs and how we can best support you, further.
Artists need not come from a formal arts education background but must be able to demonstrate they have an ongoing practice. Please note we cannot accept applications from those in full-time education during the period of the project.
Scottish Applications
Please send Applications in a single pdf to Rhona Jack at mail@generatorprojects.co.uk
Deadline for Applications Thursday the 12th of May 5PM (no late applications will be considered)
Please Note - Applications are welcome in a non traditional form (video/audio recording) from artists with additional access needs. Please contact Rhona at mail@generatorprojects.co.uk if you wish to discuss this, or any other access needs and how we can best support you, further.
We will only be accepting applications from emerging artists based in Scotland. Artists need not come from a formal arts education background, but must self-identify as emerging. We cannot accept applications from those in full-time education during the period of the project.
Alastair MacLennan is Emeritus Professor of Fine Art, School of Art and Design, Ulster University in Belfast. He is one of Britain’s major practitioners in live art.
Since 1975 he has been based in Belfast and was a founder member of Belfast’s Art and Research Exchange. He is also a member of the European Performance Group called ‘Black Market International’. During the 1970’s and 1980’s he made long durational performances in Britain and America, of up to 144 hours each, non-stop, usually neither eating nor sleeping throughout. Subject matter dealt with political, social and cultural malfunction. MacLennan travels extensively in Eastern and Western Europe, also America and Canada, presenting ‘Actuations’ (his term for Performance/Installations).
In 2019 he donated his entire archive to DJCAD at the University of Dundee, where he studied in the 1960s. The archive comprises of photographic and digital documentation of more than 600 actuations from the 1970s to the present time including drawings, performance and installation-related artefacts, personal papers and publications.
Bbeyond is committed to promoting the practice of performance art and artists in Northern Ireland and beyond. Our aim is to raise people’s consciousness of live/performance art as being integral to the world in and around us, inspiring reflection and enriching lived experience. We host artists of international reputation throughout the performance art world and encourage newer artists to experience performance art practices for themselves. Bbeyond encourages greater access to and appreciation of this visually based art form. Bbeyond’s approach to promoting performance art and artists is by way of developing individuals and the collective, with the total process involving communities and audiences alike. Bbeyond strongly believe that creativity and the arts are for all. Bbeyond is committed to being an equal opportunities organisation which strives to be open to artists from every background, we welcome engagement from artists of different religious beliefs and political opinion, ethnic groups, differing marital status and sexual orientation, gender and persons with access needs, persons with dependents and persons without.
GENERATORprojects is a Dundee based artist run initiative founded in 1996. As a volunteer organisation, we facilitate a varied cultural programme of exhibitions and events. The GENERATOR committee strives to highlight the importance of grass roots activity and its imperative role in sustaining and developing the careers of emerging and graduate artists. We work with local and national artists to bring new and exciting projects to the city while maintaining a welcoming environment for all those who wish to engage with and support the organisation. We aim to generate vibrant culture in Dundee through providing sustained support towards a diverse programme of exhibitions and events.
The project is a collaboration between Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art & Design (University of Dundee), Leisure and Culture Dundee, Generator Projects and Bbeyond. Funded by the Arts and Humanities Research Council.