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      Encore + The Valleys Re-Presented /  Reviewed by Anna Falcini  for Photomonitor / 15.05.13 Alicia Bruce: Encore – Solo presentation at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama The Valleys Re-Presented – Group exhibition at Tramshed including work by Alicia Bruce To read the full review visit: http://www.photomonitor.co.uk/2013/05/alicia-bruce-encore-the-valleys-re-presented/

  “The battle for conservation will go on endlessly. It is part of the universal battle between right and wrong.” John Muir (1838-1914) inscribed into the wall of The Scottish Parliament  Today I accompanied Menie residents David and Moira Milne to the Scottish Parliament to hand over David’s petition calling for a public inquiry into handling of the Trump resort which now has 19,178 signatures. “We are calling on the Scottish Parliament, through the Public Petitions Committee, to urge the Scottish Government to hold a public inquiry into the way local government, Scottish Ministers and other relevant public bodies conducted themselves throughout their dealings with the Trump Organisation in relation to the Menie project. Why is this important? Only a full public inquiry can now get to the bottom of this story. We need to know how local and central government dealt with the Trump Organisation, what was offered by whom and when, and we need to establish why planning guidelines and environmental regulations were simply unable to protect our community and the unique environment we live in. Finally, we need to know what changes can be made so the planning system again works like it is supposed to.” “But [...]

‘The Valleys Project’ was featured on Phil Coomes ‘In Pictures’ on BBC News website on Wednesday 1 May to co-incide with the opening of my two exhibitions at -Diffusion: Cardiff International Festival of Photography. View the full post here:  http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/in-pictures-22365027     A feature on ‘The Valleys Re-Presented‘ is also on BBC website  here: Cardiff tram shed converted to gallery for Diffusion festival        

Ffotogallery are hosting the first International Festival of Photography in Wales this May.  I’m very excited and honoured to be exhibiting alongside some of my photography and art heroes including Robert Capa, David Bailey and Jeremy Deller. I will be exhibiting works made during my three month 2011 residency in Blaenavon in two exhibitions.   I made a significant body of work in South Wales in collaboration with residents of the ex-mining town and often in direct response to National Museum of Wales collection.  The people I photographed included shopkeepers, B&B owners, ex-miners, knitters, families, rockers, volunteers, historians and the legendary Blaenavon Male Voice Choir. Encore – The Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama Encore stages two complementary series of portraits of musicians in Blaenavon, a former mining town in the south Wales Valleys. Inspired by historic portraits in the National Museum Cardiff collection, Alicia Bruce’s photographs highlight the individuality of the sitters while retaining their identity as a collective. Both series were shot on stage in Blaenavon Workman’s Hall during Bruce’s residency as part of Ffotogallery’s recent Valleys commission. They depict distinct groups of performers from different generations who are tied together geographically and share a love of performance. By restaging compositions from celebrated [...]

My ongoing Menie project has been recognised in a parliamentary motion deeming the work to be of National significance.  This accolade came shortly after bringing the Menie photographs to The Scottish Parliament for Scottish Environment Week  and discussing the issues of Trump’s  ”bully boy tactics” with First Minister Alex Salmond.     “Motion S4M-05749: Patrick Harvie, Glasgow, Scottish Green Party, Date Lodged: 27/02/2013 Menie Community Photography Project That the Parliament congratulates the award-winning Aberdeenshire photographer, Alicia Bruce, on her ongoing photography project about Menie, an area of outstanding natural beauty on the Aberdeenshire coast; understands that her photographs from this series have gained international acclaim and have been published in The Times, The Scotsman and several arts magazines, and that two of the portraits have been acquired by the National Galleries of Scotland, and welcomes that Alicia’s photographs, many of which restage compositions from celebrated paintings, have helped to tell the story of the residents of Menie, whose homes came under threat due to what it considers the bullish golf course development of Donald Trump, and to portray a side of that story that otherwise might have gone unheard.”     Mike Forbes was recognised in a motion in 2012 following winning Top Scot at Spirit of Scotland Awards. [...]

Today First Minister Alex Salmond came face to face with the residents of Menie at my exhibition in the Members’ Lobby of The Scottish Parliament. We spoke for about 12 minutes about my project. “Beautiful, powerful photographs” said Mr Salmond as he began to explain why he “greatly admires the Forbes family” saying they are “real characters”.  It was clear that bringing the Menie exhibition to The Scottish Parliament had my desired effect of reaching my target audience, The Scottish Government. He also told me he had “met Donald Trump once” at a Global Scots meeting in New York attended by sixteen others.  Mr Salmond says he does not agree with Trump’s bully-boy tactics but he thinks the golf course is a good idea.  I pointed out the undeniable damage on the fourth tee of Trump International Golf Links Scotland ‘as nature fights back’ leaving large areas of the course unsafe & unplayable.  It was useful to have a 30×30 inch un-edited print right there to refer to.   I also had the opportunity to point out the exact spot in residents Susan & John Munro’s garden where Trump’s angry security guard threatened to smash my camera and get back-up as I walked [...]

  Photographs from my ongoing series ‘Menie: a portrait of a North East coastal community in conflict’ are currently being exhibited in the Members Lobby of  The Scottish Parliament.  MSPs will this week come face to face with the community on the front line of Donald Trump’s development.  The exhibition also features shocking new photographs of nature fighting back against the manufactured landscape created by Trump International.  A large-scale print of the damaged fourth tee which has collapsed in on itself during the winter months.  About eight meters of the course has literally fallen into the sea. I’m pleased to be showing these photographs at The Scottish Parliament as it brings the images straight to my target audience, the Scottish Government.  I have witnessed first hand the horrifying treatment of the local residents and the destruction of an SSSI for a short lived commercial development. I urge the Scottish Government to think seriously about the damage and irreversible impact which would be caused by the proposed second golf course. Nature is already fighting against the first course and, as my photographs show, the result is bitter sweet.  I hope this exhibition will kick start a public inquiry into the handling [...]

The public have voted Menie resident & local hero Michael Forbes ‘Top Scot’ in the Glenfiddich Spirit of Scotland Awards.  Other nominees included Sean Connery & Chris Hoy. Read The Scotsman’s article here ‘Farmer who took on Trump triumphs in Spirit awards’ I’ve been working on a project about Menie and the Trump development since 2010.  I now consider the residents of Menie among my good friends.  Mike has stood up against Trump for his family heritage & is now officially a national hero.  The recent BBC screenings of You’ve Been Trumped have brought further public attention to what’s really happened in Menie. I’m unbelievably proud of Mike right now. Here’s the first snapshot I took of him in his barn in 2010.  A kind, generous and funny man surrounded by friends & family. In 2009 Donald Trump said in a vicious statement “Mr Forbes is not a man that people in Scotland should be proud of.”  He branded Mike’s property a slum and claimed he was ‘The Village Idiot’.  Mike’s response?  ’If I’m The Village Idiot then he must be The New York Clown’ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s9rRjTkDREM&feature=related You can see my portrait of ‘Mike & Sheila Forbes: Mill of Menie’ at The Royal Scottish Academy until 31 [...]

  Two photographs from my ongoing Menie series are featured in a new exhibition at The Royal Scottish Academy, Edinburgh. ‘Mike & Sheila Forbes: Mill of Menie’  and  a landscape photograph from the series ‘Please don’t pretend to care about my country’s scenery in order to make yourself even richer’* are both on display. This exhibition comes at an another unsettling stage in the Menie story.  Donald Trump is now seeking permission to build a second golf course at Menie in spite of concerns from local residents and environmental groups. It is important for me to help keep the residents side of the story in the public domain as well as highlight the environmental impact caused to what was “Scotland’s equivalent of the Amazon Rainforest” (Dr Jim Hansom).  The image above shows geese flying over what was a dynamic mobile sand dune.  The pattern on the dune is marram grass which has been ‘plugged in’ to stabilise the dune.  These actions have lost the area it’s accreditation as a site of special scientific interest (SSSI), the future impact of these actions is unknown.   Michael & Sheila Forbes wrote the following statements to accompany their portrait which we made in collaboration with them outside their home. “I’ve stayed here for [...]

I’ve written a case study about one of my multiple experiences with Trump Security in Aberdeenshire for Duckrabbit blog.  This story was then featured in The Daily Mail on Saturday 10 November. To read the case study go here: http://duckrabbit.info/blog/2012/11/not-the-usual-highland-welcome-im-going-to-smash-your-camera/

I’m proud to have the first exhibition opening of my series ‘Menie: a portrait of a North East community in conflict’ featured in the full length cinematic version of You’ve Been Trumped directed by Anthony Baxter. This documentary eloquently and directly captures what happened in Menie in 2010 when I began making photographic work about the area.  Anthony captures the humanity, dignity and humor of the residents whilst highlighting the lack of empathy and bully boy tactics demonstrated by the Trump Organisation.  At the time of filming the residents homes were under threat of Compulsory Purchase Order.  They’ve kept their homes but have been blocked from the view of the golfers by large banks of sand & scots pines surrounding each property.  Menie’s dynamic dune system had been an SSSI (Site of Special Scientific Interest), Scotland’s equivalent of the amazon rain forrest.  Sadly the area has now lost this accolade, this un-reversible damage, like the treatment of the locals was always avoidable.  The landscape has been bulldozed along with all planning legislations. The film shows the horror of Menie at that time and highlights an infringement to the rights of image makers.  Anthony films the moment he and his producer Richard were arrested by Grampian Police, brutally handled and [...]

I’m delighted to announce that a selection of photographs from ‘Menie: a portrait of a North East community in conflict’ will be exhibited in the Members Lobby of  The Scottish Parliament. The exhibition runs from Monday 18 February throughout Scottish Environment Week 2013. This unique opportunity was made possible with MSP sponsorship from Patrick Harvie MSP, Malcolm Chisholm MSP and with good wishes from First Minister Alex Salmond.  Menie is the constituency of Mr Salmond. The Scottish Parliament Edinburgh EH99 1SP Please note that this exhibition is not open to members of the public. www.scottish.parliament.uk  

I’m honoured to be selected as Artist of the Month by Axis: the online resource for contemporary art. Read the interview here: http://www.axisweb.org/atSelection.aspx?SELECTIONID=170303    

I’ve been invited to speak about ‘Menie: a portrait of a North East community in conflict’ at a conference in Regensburg, Germany on Saturday 29 September.  As well as giving a talk I’ll be joining an International Panel discussion with photographers from The Netherlands, Hungary, Germany and Scotland to debate national identity within contemporary photography. ‘Molly Forbes: Paradise’ is featured in a group exhibition to compliment the symposium. The city of Regensburg, Germany is twinned with Aberdeen, Scotland. VENUE: Kunst- und Gewerbeverein Regensburg e. V., Ludwigstrasse 6,  93047 Regensburg

  I’m showing work as part of this group show during Edinburgh Festival.  We’re offering everyone the chance to get involved.  For a donation of as little as £2 you can sponsor the show & be listed on the wall of sponsors.  There are also limited edition signed prints, pamphlets and comics up for grabs. http://www.sponsume.com/project/self-reliance-1841 I will use this exhibition as a test space for showing work in progress from my ongoing Menie series.  Menie was area of outstanding natural beauty on the Aberdeenshire coast.  The landscape and the locals have gained International attention as the area is ‘Trumped’ over to create what is claimed to be ‘The World’s greatest golf course’. Menie was previously renowned for it’s dynamic dune system which was noted to be ‘’Scotland’s equivalent of the Amazon Rain Forrest’ The area has now lost it’s accreditation as an SSSI (Site of Special Scientific Interest). It has become an area of conflict. The locals have fought back. The Trump organization have offended the First Minister. Will nature fight back? Self Reliance (1841) 2nd – 7th August & 12th – 30th August Out of the Blue, 36 Dalmeny Street, Leith, Edinburgh EH6 8RG 10am – 5pm (Not Sundays)  Free entry    Exhibition Launch – Thursday [...]

  Menie: a portrait of a North East community in conflict’ featured on Phil Coomes ‘In Pictures’ on BBC News website on Thursday 19 July. ”Alicia Bruce has been collaborating with the residents of Menie, indeed this is very much a long term project for her, and one that looks to the wider art world for inspiration. By restaging compositions from celebrated paintings (the majority of them in the permanent collection of the local Aberdeen Art Gallery), her work moves beyond the surface struggle and the issues around the changing topography. Alica also photographed posts in the landscape during one day (above), which she says, “depict a scene of natural beauty with its lights going out.”    To see the full article visit the link below. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/in-pictures-18832738   Last week was a milestone as Trump International Golf Links Scotland opened at Menie.  It delights me to see the residents have kept their homes after threats of Compulsory Purchase Order.  I’m proud to be associated with these local heroes who have stood up for our National Heritage.  

I’ve been invited to give a talk at Aberdeen University in response to their current stunning exhibition ‘Set in Silver’. Saturday 12 May 2012, 14:00 – 14:45 Venue: Special Collections Centre, University Library, Bedford Road, Aberdeen Take a snapshot or make a photograph? The art of photography is more than just pointing and shooting, it’s a decision making process. Photographer Alicia Bruce reflects on the Set in Silver exhibition, whilst drawing parallels with her own practice.  http://www.abdn.ac.uk/library/news-events/events/1448/ Contact: scc.events@abdn.ac.uk All welcome.      

  Exhibition: Touchbase, Glasgow Everyone@trongate103 is an action research project funded by Engage Scotland which involved building new partnerships between Project Ability, Glasgow Print Studio, Street Level Photoworks, GMAC and Pamis. The premise of the project was to consider how the arts organisations housed in Trongate 103 could include people with profound and multiple disabilities in their programmes as consumers and producers of art. The volunteers: Sarah Yaqoob, Mathew Wildy, Michael Harkin, Allan Guy along with their carers were joined by artists Alicia Bruce (Street Level), Alain Johnston (GMAC), Meredith Crone (Project Ability) and Zephyr Liddel (Glasgow Print Studio). Each week the team spread out and explored the galleries and public spaces afterwards bringing their ideas back to the workshop where they made work using the techniques and media they had seen in the exhibitions. The exhibition runs from 10 April until 18 May 2012   Touchbase   Sense Scotland   43 Middlesex Street   Kinning Park   Glasgow   G41 1EE      Opening hours are: 9.00am to 5.00pm   Tel: 0141 429 0294   Email: info@sensescotland.org.uk  

I will be exhibiting alongside some of the UK’s top photographers at The Gathering organised by Rhubarb-Rhubarb.  Participating photographers include Brian Griffin, Martin Parr, Emily-Jane Major, Michael Donald, Laura Pannack and Zed Nelson.  The Gathering – London  Thursday 22nd March 2012  - 6pm – 9pm Diemar/Noble Photography 66/67 Wells Street London W1T 3PY  The Gathering – Birmingham, Catalogue Launch Tuesday 20th March 2012 - 6.30pm – 8.30pm Birmingham Institute of Art and Design School of Art, Margaret Street Birmingham B3 3BX  

Portraits of Menie residents Mike, Sheila & Molly Forbes were acquired for the Nation in February  and now form part of The National Galleries of Scotland collection.  The portraits will be displayed in the Scottish National Portrait Gallery in the New Year.  These portraits can be viewed on the Projects section of this website or on the National Galleries website by clicking on their titles below. Mike & Sheila Forbes: Mill of Menie Molly Forbes: Paradise

One of Alicia’s images commissioned by National Galleries of Scotland was used this year for International art dealer Anthony d’Offay’s official Christmas Card. Captions below. – ARTIST ROOMS Acquired jointly by Tate and National Galleries of Scotland through The d’Offay Donation with assistance from the National Heritage Memorial Fund and the Art Fund 2008. Children and Families Learning Activity in front of Jeff Koons ‘DONKEY (Blue-Green)’ (1999) on display at the Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art, Edinburgh, 2011.  Reflected in the mirror is Jeff Koons ‘New Hoover Convertibles’ (1981-87). Both works form part of the ARTIST ROOMS Collection. Photograph: Alicia Bruce.    

The “Menie Anthology”, a photographic statement of life against the diggers An essay commissioned by Brighton Photo Fringe written by Irene Alison http://www.photofringe.org/wp/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/O11_Text_I-Alison_Bruce.pdf

Menie: a portrait of a North East community in conflict Photographs & film by Alicia Bruce Friday 14 October to Saturday 26 November 2011 Private View | Thursday 13 October | 7-9pm Open Tuesday to Friday 10am to 5pm  & Saturday 10am – 4pm ADMISSION FREE www.morayartcentre.org/exhibitions/current-exhibitions Moray Art Centre, The Park, Findhorn, Moray, IV36 3TA

Alicia’s image ‘Mike and Sheila Forbes: Mill of Menie’ has been selected for Foto 8 Summershow at HOST Gallery, London. The show runs from 8 July – 12 August. The judges for this year’s show are: Richard Billingham, Photographer Emma Morris, Director: Photoworks James Reid, Director of Photography: Wallpaper Charlotte Cotton, Creative Director: National Media Museum Bradford

Alicia been offered and accepted a residency with Ffotogallery in South Wales. She’ll be producing new work at Blaenavon World Heritage Site with a focus on the local community and socio-economic issues affecting it. You can follow a blog documenting the residency over the summer months: www.aliciabruce.tumblr.com

Two portraits from ‘Menie: a portrait of a northeast community in conflict’ are now part of the National Galleries of Scotland permanent collection. ‘Mike and Sheila Forbes: Mill of Menie’ and ‘Molly Forbes: Paradise’ shall be exhibited at Portrait of the Nation, Edinburgh in the near Future. www.nationalgalleries.org

Alicia gave an artists’ talk to launch the Royal Scottish Academy’s Artbites lunchtime talk series. She discussed the making of ‘Menie: a portrait of a North East community in conflict’ to a sold out audience. More information is available on the RSA events web page

The exhibition, ‘Menie: a portrait of a North East community in conflict’ at Peacock Visual Arts is receiving nationwide press coverage, including STV news at 6 o’clock. Watch it here. Thanks to Streetlevel Photoworks for their support in the production of this exhibition.