Crafted Selves: The Unfinished Conversation
14 October 2023 - 3 August 2024
St Andrews Museum
14 October 2023 – 24 February 2024
Kirkcaldy Galleries
23 March – 12 May 2024
Gracefield Arts Centre
18 May – 3 August 2024
Curated by Cat Dunn and programmed by Fife Contemporary, the exhibition Crafted Selves: The Unfinished Conversation showcased the work of thirteen Scotland based artists exploring dual identities in their work.
The exhibition featured artists Adil Iqbal, Alberta Whittle, Ashanti Harris, Eden Dodd, Emelia Kerr Beale, Harvey Dimond, Joy Baek, Li Huang, Rae-Yen Song, Sara Pakdel-Cherry, Sekai Machache, Tilda Williams-Kelly and Viv Lee.
Crafted Selves: The Unfinished Conversation takes its title from a continuing discourse between curator Cat Dunn and the 13 Scotland based artists featured – What does it mean to have a dual identity, and how is this sense of self reflected in work being made by Scottish craft artists today?
Working in sculpture, painting, ceramics, textiles, installation, moving image films and creative writing responses, the artists all in some way carry a dual identity. Many have a sense of their own self born from having a cultural heritage which is both Scottish and one which is rooted in another cultural home. The show also explores other dualisms and expressions of identity, including artists who express their, sexuality, disability, or trans and non-binary selves through their work.
As a Bajan-Scottish artist turned curator, Cat Dunn brings her unique understanding of what it means to maintain a dual-identity, the challenges that can be faced as an artist of colour, as well as the strength it can bring.
Being dual identifiable carries a sense of pride and strength. While there can be sorrow and pain, there is also joy. Having a dual identity can be used to celebrate one’s social identity, or it can be used as a platform to express and teach others what life can be like from a different perspective. I am incredibly proud to merge my two cultures as it makes me unique. – Cat Dunn
Cat Dunn is a social justice researcher/producer, activist, and artist. Her work seeks to engage and create dialogue about identity as seen through marginalised communities, and engages additional inclusive subjects such as the civil rights movement, slavery, racism, and feminism, often investigating those aspects that are all too frequently hidden or misrepresented. The overall basis of her practice is grounded on creating or adding to Black Space, where inclusivity and diversity are key. Dunn holds an MLitt Curatorial Practice (Contemporary Art) with Distinction from The Glasgow School of Art and The University of Glasgow, and a BA Hons in Jewellery Design and Silversmithing from The Glasgow School of Art. She is a doctoral candidate at DJCAD. She has been a trustee for Transmission Gallery, mentor with Thistles & Dandelions, and started the GSA PoC Collective to challenge/change the curriculum to bring about a more inclusive environment.
Header image: Emelia Kerr Beale, trust for support, 2022. Install view at French Institute. Photo by Sally Jubb Photography.
Associated Events
Alberta Whittle: The Axe Forgets, But The Tree Remembers
As part of the exhibition Crafted Selves: The Unfinished Conversation, Fife Contemporary is pleased to present the …
