29
March
2022
7pm
Online
For our next ONE WORK event, Maja Zećo will discuss her recent work In Search of the Sun (2021), which was developed during a residency at Aberdeen Art Gallery during the pandemic. The work is part of a body of research into creative ‘de-modernising’ strategies that encourage artists to reflect on aspects of existing public art collections. We recommend watching In Search of the Sun in advance of the discussion, available to view here for the month of March 2022.
In Search of the Sun draws on the sculpture Eastre (Hymn to the Sun) (1924) by JD Fergusson, a work from Aberdeen Art Gallery and Museums’ collection. The film explores how the meanings associated with the figure of Eastre have changed significantly over time and geography, complicating JD Fergusson’s depiction of her as a Saxon goddess.
The figure of Eastre began as Inanna in Mesopotamia, mutating into Ishtar in Assyria, Oshtara in Germany and then, via the English monk Bede the Venerable became known as Eostre in eighth century Christian Northumbria. Eastre was originally understood as a ‘promiscuous figure of political power, martial prowess and sexual allure’ in her earliest incarnation and by the time her name was mentioned in England, she was being depicted as a goddess of fertility and spring.
In Search of the Sun can take the form of a live performance art work as well as a multichannel video installation. It is presented here, online, as a single channel video.
How it works
Our online events will take place on Zoom. The event will be live transcribed using otter.ai live transcription. We will also use the chat space to post questions /comments being raised by the guest artist so they can be referred back to.
We ask that all participants are respectful and listen to the facilitators and other participants. An attendee list will be circulated to all participants in advance of each event. At the beginning of events we will introduce the guest artist and invite participants to briefly introduce themselves and their reason for joining.
During the event discussion, we ask that one person speaks at a time and that you type‘hi’ in the chat to indicate you want to contribute. A member of the LUX Scotland team will keep a track of who wishes to contribute and will direct the conversation to you. You may also wish to use the chat space to type your question or comment, should this be preferable for you. We ask that you keep your microphones on mute until you are going to speak to ensure everyone can hear clearly. We invite you to have your cameras on, where possible, as this maintains a feeling of being together in the space.
If you require support to participate in our online events, or have any questions, please let us know by contacting us on email hidden; JavaScript is required and we will be happy to assist.
LUX Scotland is dedicated to providing a welcoming online environment for everyone, regardless of gender identity and expression, age, sexual orientation, disability, physical appearance, body size, race, ethnicity, or religion or belief. Participants who do not adhere to this code of conduct and the participation guidelines will be asked to leave the event.
Maja Zeco
Maja Zećo originally from Sarajevo and now based in Aberdeen, is an interdisciplinary artist whose practice spans performance art, sound, video and installation. As she works in different geographic and institutional contexts, her works are often site-specific and relational, negotiating personal and group narratives of identity and history. She has presented her work in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Austria, Switzerland, and across the UK. She has a PhD in sound and performance art practice.
Closed Captions
Partners
This event is part of a wider professional development programme by LUX Scotland for early career Aberdeen-based artists and curators. The programme includes workshops, screening and discussion events and is supported by Aberdeen City Council Creative Funding.
Part of ONE WORK
ONE WORK is a series of online events that focus closely on a single work. These generous discussions provide an opportunity for an artist to present a recent work and talk through how the work came into being. Each work is available as a month-long online screening, followed by a specially commissioned written response that serves as documentation of both the work and the discussion.