To escape the hustle of university life I went to spend the afternoon in Castle Mills exploring Edinburgh Printmakers’ latest exhibition, From Where I Stand. The exhibition consists of a collection of artworks from seven young Indian and Scottish artists. It focuses on themes of cultural identity and the environment, while also acknowledging the ongoing relationship between both countries. This exhibition marks the end of the creative fellowship programme Future Flow, which has supported 18 young Indian and Scottish art workers in collaboration.
Exhibited are print and multimedia artworks that all connect under the concept of reflecting on our past to understand our future. This message feels particularly poignant today as we continue to learn to acknowledge past wrongs in history, whilst also striving for a fair and just future.
The exhibition runs across two rooms. In the first, a series of three hand-woven mats by Anupa Gardener are hung from the ceiling which explore the theme of identity and home. The weaving of different strips of dried grass emphasises her experience of cultural duality and movement. The arrangement in ascending height implies home is beyond reach as one must crane our neck to view the artworks. They are suspended over three disks with thought-provoking questions that spiral around, thus encouraging the viewer to instinctively follow the words around and automatically interact.
The exhibition was centred around the printing technique; a guidebook by graphic designer Ashish John Mundu detailed the different processes of printing artworks. The different presentation of the artworks; framed, simply nailed to the wall or suspended from the ceiling demonstrate the strength in collaboration between multiple curators. What stood out to me was the exhibition felt dynamic as no wall was displayed the same. The curators were successful in allowing each piece to be presented in the most relevant and appropriate format.
Gardener’s reduction lino print The Lookout and screenprint Musing on an Onion are most powerful displayed naturally without being confined by a border or frame as this would risk detracting attention from the intricate linocuts and screen printing. Instead, one can intimately see the carvings along the sheet of lino. This is crucial in exploring the concept of belonging as we can see the physical indentions, symbolising carving her own path and identity in the world. Alternatively, Nishi Chodimella’s letterpress prints Impatiens Glandulifera feel more challenging for the simple white frames linking the senses together.
From Where I Stand is a celebration of printmaking, the art of curation, and the relationships between Scotland and India. In embracing multiple perspectives, the exhibition encourages an honest and critical view of this historical relationship. I would highly recommend visiting Edinburgh Printmakers before this exhibition closes on the 3rd of December.
Image via Mili Greener