Scoping Trip to Canada and USA

Edinburgh Sculpture Workshop’s Director, undertook a scoping visit to Canada and the USA during the final two weeks of February 2020. This trip was hosted by the extraordinary Fonderie Darling in Montreal and comes out of a developing relationship, which saw Fonderie Darling’s Founder and Director, Caroline Andrieux, come to Scotland as part of the Momentum Visual Arts Delegation in summer 2019, timed to coincide with the Edinburgh Art Festival. The two organisations wish to develop a residency exchange for artists living in Scotland and Quebec and the initial trips have been supported by the British Council and Creative Scotland.

Simpson’s trip focused around nine days in residence at Fonderie Darling alongside several other residents and studio holders. Through a structured schedule of museum, gallery and studio visits she was able to get an excellent insight into the art scene in Montreal and to better understand the Quebecois and Canadian approach to artist development, commissioning and engagement activity by speaking to artists, curators and organisers.

Table top with reference material; titles include: RESET, FAIT MAIN, The Artist Studio is Her Bedroom, Phil Collins, Eva & Franco Mattes, Montreal Museum of Fine Arts, Simon Bilodeau
Artist Cynthia Girard holds open a book showing a past performance; there is past prep and photographs on the table
Artist Martin Kroll in his studio holding up a photograph of a foot
A work in progress with photographic element, pen and stitching by artist Marlon Kroll
Detail shot of artist Karen Kraven's work in progress; Blue denim fabric with contrasting stitch elements and pattern cut outs visible
Black vinyl lettering on a white wall with dates; Part 1 and part 2 crossed out with yellow dash; part 3 of the programme selected by Kitty Scott includes: Gordon Matta-clark
View into the Learning Suite at Musée d'art Contemporain de Montréal; work tables set up for a course
View into an open space with co-working irregular tables and benches set up; text reads: Learning suite, Montreal Museum of Fine Arts