CEO of the John Byrne Award, Niall Dolan, recently commissioned Stewart Christie for a stunning three piece tweed suit in the lead up to the awards ceremony of the prestigious accolade presented at The Fruitmarket Gallery here in Edinburgh on the 16 of February. We spent some time talking about his role in the foundation as well the award itself and the heritage behind it to compliment the recap of the evening.
The night of the awards ceremony was quite a spectacle. The queue wrapped around the front of the Gallery as guests waited to be let in. You couldn’t have fit another body in the building for the amount of people who turned out for the evening. The Fruitmarket was buzzing, filled with a certain air of excitement, anticipation and warmth from the guests as they proceeded throughout the space which was beautifully curated wall to wall with the various mediums created by Artists from all over Scotland, ranging from visual arts, music, video and writing. Everything from the music in the background, the Art on display and the ambience of the setting procured an event that will surely be remembered for years to come. Especially of course by the proud recipients of this year's awards.
Opening the evening was renowned Photographer and Chancellor of Edinburgh Napier University, David Eustace who shared his fascinating story recalling his first meeting(as a young, zealous student, “full of nerve, with just a camera and a light”) with John Byrne. The genteel manner of John Byrne in this meeting struck a chord with Mr. Eustace and inspired his opening speech as he made certain nods to Mr. Byrne’s quality of life and work. Mr. Byrne leads a quality of life that has an infectious appeal to many Artists alike, which naturally foster the creative pursuits of many. Mr. Eustace along with Mr. Dolan have championed many artists in their formative careers as they have navigated their way into the arts industry; and the awards ceremony couldn’t have started off on a higher note as Mr. Eustace was then joined by Mr. Dolan and the incredible man himself, Mr. John Byrne to present the much anticipated awards.
What is your role with the John Byrne Award and what is your background in the arts industry?
I'm the CEO of The John Byrne Award. I studied geography and fish farming. I've worked for several charities in the environmental and educational sectors across the world; all of which set me up for a seamless transition into the arts industry.
How did the John Byrne Award begin and why is it so important for Scotland's art scene?
Our chairman made an everyday observation and decided to act upon it by starting The John Byrne Award. If values underpin how we relate to ourselves and others, then examining our values and acting upon what we learn might lead us to living more meaningful lives. We can all benefit from examining our values; Scotland's art scene is no different to any other in this regard. However, the art scene in Scotland is uniquely placed to interpret and reflect our values back to us. Art can be so many things- subtle, provocative, surprising, precise. Encouraging people to broaden their perspectives on things that matter, like values, is important to the functioning of modern society. The John Byrne Award is working to support Scotland's art scene to continue to do just that.
Please tell us about the recipients of this year's awards? I believe you had 573 entries to jury? What do you look for in the ideal recipient?
We were delighted with the number, quality and breadth of entries that we received this year. Our independent judging panel did a great job of selecting the entries that excel at communicating a deep awareness of values, whatever those values are. 5 winners were chosen this year.
Our overall winner,
The Secret Society
by Harry Maberly, was a sensitive portrayal of loneliness and belonging in the modern world. Our four category prizes examined
relationships
,
identity
,
nostalgia
and
Glaswegian Hypermasculinity. I encourage your readers to check them out.
John Byrne is a legend of an artist with his lifelong profession as an artist and playwright. His passion for the arts is quite evident as well as his desire to foster the up and coming generations of artists year after year. What sets the JBA apart from the other well sought after accolades in the industry?
Deciding what set's us apart is maybe something that others should decide for themselves. The John Byrne Award strives to be inclusive; promote open, respectful expression and listen to what our entrants are saying with their work.
What have been some of your personal highlights working with the JBA?
Helping a young charity to grow and meeting lots of wonderful people along the way is a delight. It's the long-term growth and the changes that we hope to make to how people relate to themselves and to each other that really excites me.
Tell us a little about your commissioned Stewart Christie three piece...
It's my first three-piece; what can I say?! I sometimes feel like Tommy Shelby it in.
The awards cover four different categories(music, video, visual art and writing) along with the main award. If you were working towards the award for yourself, what kind of project would you do?
It would be a collaboration. I'd seek out a videographer and a poet who are great company and have lots of interesting perspectives on the world. We'd get some tickets to Iceland and hire a horse and a drone when we got there. The entry would be a 2-minute video of me riding a horse across a huge, open volcanic plain with a minimal poem talking of our place in the world spoken over the top. Kiasmos' 'Looped' would be playing throughout as the frames move from close-up details of the horse and me to wide, panning, aerial shots of us galloping in unison as the dusk closes in. After a successful day's shoot we'd catch Kiasmos playing at a hostel in Reykjavik and have a legendary night. The audience watching the video wouldn't quite know why they kept watching it, but they would, and then, hopefully, they would find themselves moved by it.
"I loved my experience at Stewart Christie- the staff are friendly, accommodating and have an eye for detail. They understood very quickly what I was looking for and, after being measured and having my suit tailored, I'm delighted with the fit and the look of my new 3-piece. The shop itself is a joy to be in- I've never been in a shop in Edinburgh quite like it. The old memorabilia, the music, the rich colours and the range of cuts on display, combined with the service, made the experience a pleasure."
-Mr. Dolan
Many thanks to Mr. Dolan for his contributions. To keep up with the John Byrne Award, following along here.
Photography by Laura Meek
