The Fellowship played a crucial part in the work I have been developing over the last few years, with the award also validating for me the value of my recent research and modes of interrogation.
The research and filming trip I had taken to St Vincent in the spring originally had a very tight budget as part of a Creative Scotland grant, where all expenditures had to be premeditated and accounted for. This money allowed a lot more freedom and the capacity for spontaneity and risk.
Moving from Glasgow to London has meant finding myself in a city that is more expensive, and also whose structures of funding and institutional support are less familiar and feel more impenetrable. This money has allowed that process to feel much more manageable, allowing a whole year to settle into the city and its creative ecosystems without immediate need to raise funds and seek external support. This means I could maintain a consistent and involved studio practice, allowing significant progress in this body of work.
I am very grateful for everything this money has granted me, which can be boiled down to time and space to think and work free from pressure. This is invaluable in the times we live in. I am also grateful for the continued support from the foundation throughout the year, including a beautiful residency at Hawkwood and also introductions to individuals and institutions that may lead to creative or professional relationships in the future. Finally I am thankful for the motivation this award provided, and the feeling of my work being seen, trusted and understood.