2016–17 1 Fine Arts 2016–17 Acknowledgements All works © the artists and architect Antonella Salvatore and Inge Lyse Hansen, John Cabot University, Rome Editor: Marco Palmieri Graphic design: Praline Juliet Franks, The Ruskin School of Art, Oxford Printed in Belgium by Graphius Sarah Linford, Accademia di Belle Arti di Roma, Rome Published in 2017 by the British School at Rome Ilaria Bozzi, Adriana Caneva, Martina Caruso, Eleonora 10 Carlton House Terrace Castagna, Clelia Colantonio, Marina Dacci, Adrienne Drake, London SW1Y 5AH Niccolò Fano, Marta Federici, Flavio Ferri, Bryony Harris, Jahan Khajavi, Ansel Krut, Shiro Nishimoto, Pier Paolo Pancotto, British School at Rome Marta Pellerini, Giulia Ruberti, Donatella Saroli Via Gramsci 61, 00197 Rome Claudia Canovai, Marie-Claire Desjardin, Valeria Frezza, A charity registered in England and Wales (no. 314176) Elaine Robertson www.bsr.ac.uk Photography courtesy of the artists and architect, except: Roberto Apa (pages 5, 6, 8–11, 14–17, 22–7, 29–36, 38–41) ISSN 1475-8733 ISBN 978-0-904152-78-4 The Bridget Riley Art Foundation The Derek Hill Foundation The Incorporated Edwin Austin Abbey with David and Pam McKee, Memorial Scholarships and The Wood Foundation Nicholas Berwin Charitable Trust with Ms Jennifer Dowling The donors to the Scholars’ Prize in Architecture Contents 4 Preface: Christopher Smith 7 Introduction: Marco Palmieri Exhibitors 14 Kelly Best 16 Chris Browne 18 Caroline Cloutier 20 Gary Deirmendjian 22 Maria de Lima 24 Maria Farrar 26 Grant Foster 28 Morgan Gostwyck-Lewis 30 Peter McDonald 32 Neil McNally 34 Catherine Parsonage 36 Kate Power 38 Sinta Tantra 40 Vivien Zhang 43 Biographies 51 BSR Faculty of the Fine Arts and Staff Preface This is my eighth and last preface to the British School National Art School, Sydney (with Jennifer Dowling); at Rome Fine Arts Catalogue, and gives me a chance the Nicholas Berwin Charitable Trust; and the William to look back, and forwards. Fletcher Foundation (NSW, Australia); as well as the The presence of artists at the BSR is more than private donors to the Scholars’ Prize in Architecture, simply a historical anomaly — it is part of our very including Bob Allies, Will Alsop, Tim Bell, Jeremy essence. The building we currently occupy began life Blake, Nicholas Champkins, Adam Nathaniel Furman, as a pavilion for British Art in 1911. The Fine Arts are Horatio and Emily Furman, Simon Gill, John Graham, written into our lease of the building, our charter and John Melvin, Steven Morant, Robert Voticky and David our mission. This breadth is one of the ways in which Wrightson. We are delighted that new residencies are we remain distinctive as an overseas research centre — joining established ones, and we are also very grateful no other of the British International Research Institutes to all those who have supported visiting artists’ talks can boast a century of supporting the highest quality and studio visits. This generosity is critical for our future, of artists, and our artists have always been themselves and for sustaining the vibrant culture of the BSR. international, and have become even more so. The As we look to the future, I am convinced that quality and innovation of work that emerges from the Fine Arts should play an increasing role in the way successive groups of artists is phenomenal. we demonstrate the importance of the BSR as part It has been a personal joy for me to be part of such of the cultural ecosystem that supports our collective a creative and exciting community, and, as happened values and helps our societies grow and transform. when I was an award-holder myself, my eyes have been The dialogue established between art and the world, repeatedly opened by the capacity of our artists to make a concentrated reflection on and engagement with us pause and focus or refocus our attention. Exposure form and substance, is a fundamental part of what to art of this quality changes the way we see the world. it is to be human. I have often been humbled by the Over the past years, we have sought to respond generosity of artists in sharing — and never more so to the immense contribution that our artists make by than in the extraordinary year of achievement — and I improving the environment in which they work. The feel immensely privileged to have been able to support studios and gallery have been renovated. We have such wonderful creativity. more artists’ talks, a more professional approach to documenting and presenting work, and we have maintained an integrated programme of events and visits. I am grateful to Jacopo Benci, Marina Engel, Stefania Gerevini, Joanna Kostylo, Sue Russell and Thomas-Leo True, who in their various capacities have done so much to foster this environment, and I wish to pay tribute to the work of Marco Palmieri in taking Fine Arts forward in recent years. The Fine Arts at the BSR receive no public funding, and it is through the extraordinary generosity of a series of trusts, foundations and individuals that we are able to support the residencies at the BSR. I would like to thank: the Arts Council of Wales (sponsored by the Welsh Government and supported by The National Lottery); The Bridget Riley Art Foundation; the Conseil des Arts et des Lettres du Québec; the Derek Hill Foundation; the Helpmann Academy (with David and Pam McKee, and the Wood Foundation); the Incorporated Edwin Austin Abbey Memorial Scholarships; the Linbury Trust; the 4 CHRISTOPHER SMITH — DIRECTOR December Mostra Installation view, 2016 5 December Mostra Installation view, 2016 6 Introduction Over the past four years as Visual Art Residency and and mentors. In this arena of exchange each opinion Programme Curator, I have been offered the wonderful is as valid or as questionable as an other. Views and opportunity to work with a constantly growing number opinions, whether the award-holder’s or the visitor’s, of artists, architects and filmmakers. Through the should not be accepted at face value; instead they residency programme at the British School at Rome, should be discussed, questioned, elaborated, and which sees new award-holders entering our studios possibly rejected or adopted. every three months, the dynamics and conversations I am extremely grateful to the numerous people between the numerous talented creative individuals who have come through the BSR to discuss their are in a constant and exciting state of perpetual views and opinions with our award-holders this year, flux; ideas are exchanged, works are produced, particularly to Ilaria Bozzi, Eleonora Castagna, Clelia collaborations are fostered and ambitious projects are Colantonio, Adrienne Drake, Marta Federici, Flavio developed — together with national and international Ferri, Emma Hart, Sarah Linford, Vivien Lovell, Marta institutions, galleries, museums and foundations. The Pellerini, Donatella Saroli and Pàdraig Timoney. achievements of all our award-holders, both new and The time spent at the BSR, in the studio producing old, stand as a permanent testament to the feverish work and developing nascent ideas, culminates every amount of activity that takes place here throughout three months during the three exhibitions held by our the year. award-holders, or Mostre, presented in our gallery As a renowned centre for multidisciplinary spaces. The shows offer the BSR a chance to present and interdisciplinary research, truly unique in its kind, the work produced by the award-holders during their we constantly endeavour to support and enrich the stay in Rome, and offers the Roman audience an experience of every award-holder — support that is opportunity to see and further explore what happens offered not only by the ambitious programme of events inside our walls. presented by Marina Engel and Jacopo Benci, but also The three shows were made possible by the hard through the series of visiting artists, who generously work of all our award-holders, and the continuous offer their time to visit the BSR and present insightful support of all the BSR staff. Further help was offered talks about their practice and ongoing projects. through the technical support of the Fine Art Interns: This year, we had the privilege of inviting five Claudia Canovai, Marie-Claire Desjardin, Valeria Frezza artists to stay at the BSR as our guests: Emma Hart, and Elaine Robertson. David Ryan, Ella Kruglyanskaya, Pàdraig Timoney The BSR residency programme, together with all and Marc Camille Chaimowicz. Each artist presented the artists, architects and filmmakers that become part a talk (in the case of Marc Camille Chaimowicz in of this growing family, will continue to support creative conversation with Roger Cook; and in David Ryan’s dialogue, research, collaboration and production, ideals case, a wonderful performance inspired by his previous that have been and continue to remain central to what stay at the BSR as an award-holder), offered studio visits the BSR represents. to our artists, and enjoyed a more informal encounter with our award-holders and scholars over dinner. The intimate atmosphere which is created around a dinner table is unique — and in my opinion vital — in creating meaningful connections between artists, curators, writers, gallerists and collectors. It offers a brief but truly enjoyable moment for spontaneous conversations. Dialogue, therefore, is central to the art of creative production. Through a series of studio visits, which are offered throughout the year with numerous members of the creative world, award-holders are offered the chance to explore and test out their ideas