Artist in residence aboard the SWAN

In a unique partnership between Shetland’s restored herring drifter SWAN LK 243, Shetland Arts and Taigh Chearsabhagh Museum and Arts Centre, North Uist, contemporary artist Imi Maufe has been appointed as artist in residence and will sail and work aboard the SWAN for the duration of the race series.

Currently working in Bergen, Imi has established an international reputation over the last decade and exhibited in Britain, Europe and the USA and in the UK her work can be found in the British Library, Tate Collections and the Victoria and Albert Museum. She has teaching and lecturing experience which includes Sheffield University, Bristol School of Art and Bergen Architecture School. Imi will join the SWAN in Waterford, Ireland on 30th June and sail aboard the vessel until the end of the race series in Halmstad, Sweden on 8th August. During that time the SWAN and the Tall Ships fleet will call at Greenock, Lerwick and Stavanger and the artist will work with trainees aboard the SWAN. When in port she will interact with crews of other participating vessels and visitors to the harbour areas.

This project aboard the SWAN, is a unique opportunity for an artist to record the Tall Ships Race and interact with a large group of people,

said Swan Trust secretary Peter Campbell.

The three project partners are excited at the prospect of having a contemporary artist aboard the SWAN and look forward to the continuation of her work on land in Lerwick and North Uist in August and September. We are confident that the artist, trainees and crew will all enjoy the experience of sailing and working together. There have been groups of musicians aboard the SWAN in previous Tall Ships Races but this is the first time that there will be a visual artist in residence aboard during a Tall Ships Race.

The artist, Imi Maufe said that she was,

excited and delighted to have been appointed artist for the project, LK 243 Undersail, and looking forward immensely to the challenge of working in the confined space of the SWAN.

The artist in residence project, LK 243 Undersail is funded by Creative Scotland, Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation and Scotland’s Islands 2011 Fund.
Accompanying photos by Clair Aldington.

For further information contact:
Peter Campbell, Swan Trust – [email protected]
Clair Aldington, Shetland Arts – [email protected]
Imi Maufe, Artist in Residence, website - www.imimaufe.com