The Ferens Art Gallery in Hull are looking for an artist or collective to respond to two works by Canaletto and show their commission at the Ferens alongside the works in October 2023.

Are you an artist with an interest in responding to two works by Canaletto (1697-1768) and exploring the theme of Climate Change?Would you like to be artist in residence at the Ferens Art Gallery, Hull, and have exclusive access to its collection and your own studio gallery on site from 25 July to 16 November 2023 (dates can be negotiated)? 

We are looking for an artist or collective to respond to two works by Canaletto and show their commission at the Ferens alongside the works in October 2023. The Ferens’ autumn winter programme explores theme around climate change and how historic artworks can evidence the effects of our influence on the environment over the centuries.

Your commission will help interpret and contextualise this, representing the world at crisis point, where action has become an essential part of our society’s environmental future. The new commission will bring to the fore a contemporary voice that links the devastating changes in Venice, with Hull, a city below sea level, often branded the Venice of the North. 

The residency space is flexible and can be used to display past work, make new work, and deliver talks and workshops. This residency will support the creation of new work by the selected artist, responding to the theme of Canaletto and Climate Change, which is the focus of an exhibition programme we have planned at the Ferens (Friday 20 October 2023 – Sunday 28 January 2024). The selected artist will work within the residency space to create their commissioned work. 

You must be available at least 1 day a week during opening hours to engage with the public, although you are welcome to work in the space each day of the residency if you like!

Context

In October 2023 Ferens Art Gallery will open two exhibitions.

The first, in Gallery 7, focuses on the work of world renowned Italian artist, Canaletto. An early work from the Ferens’ collection will be shown alongside a later work on loan from the Royal Collection Trust. The exhibition will present Canaletto’s depiction of the Grand Canal, Venice, twenty years apart and explore how Canaletto’s work can be used to evidence environmental change over the centuries. The works will be shown alongside a commission made by the Canaletto Climate Change Artist in Residence. This commission will be created in response to the themes in the exhibition.

The second exhibition, Venice of the North in Gallery 8, will draw on the Ferens’ important maritime art collection to look at the effects of environmental change over the centuries. Themes will explore maritime work and leisure, the move from sailing to steam, exploration and Empire, wrecks, and whaling. The exhibition will also explore Hull and East Ridings relationship with the sea, highlighting 800 years of flooding in a region that exists under sea level. Partnering with the Risky Cities project team at the University of Hull, the exhibition will also highlight the effects of flooding on Hull’s communities.

Canaletto

Giovanni Antonio Canal (1697-1768), known most commonly as Canaletto, was born in Venice to a family of artists and theatre set designers. He undertook apprenticeships with both his father and brother, working on a number of set designs for theatre and operas, before briefly moving to Rome in 1718. While in Rome Canaletto designed sets for two operas, and returned to Venice in 1719 with a renewed interest in making topographical works.

Canaletto’s earliest signed and dated work is from 1723, and his earlier works are often viewed as his best before his commercial success made him repetitive. His work is known for being precise and he, unusually for the time, would make his work outside, rather than in a studio. He is also known for his accuracy and high level attention to detail. Canaletto’s work can be viewed today to see what has changed and what remains of historic Venice, and also as a tool to explore how the canal and its water levels have changed, as well as the changing facades of the buildings through modernisation and pollution.

The Grand Canal, Venice, Looking North East from the Palazzo Balbi to the Rialto from the Ferens’ collection is a coveted early work with good provenance. It is believed to have been made around 1724, showing the old façade of the Palazzo Balbi, before it was modernised in 1737 by Lorenzo Balbi. The building was started in 1582 and was the home of the prominent Balbi family. Today it is the property of the Veneto Region and is home to the regional president.

A Regatta on the Grand Canal is painted from almost exactly the same vantage point as the Ferens’ work, but shows the canal, its buildings and the people of Venice dressed for a regatta day. This work forms a pair with The Bacino di San Marco on Ascension Day (also in the Royal Collection), and shows the regatta of the feast of the Purification of the Virgin, held on 2 February in Venice since 1315. The noble families of Venice line the Canal, some depicted in black capes and white masks.

The Residency

Create a new artwork in response to the Canaletto exhibition

Be available at least 1 day per week between 14 August and 16 November at Ferens Art Gallery, Hull

Display a small exhibition of past artwork with accessible interpretation in the residency space at the Ferens (the gallery will cover interpretation costs)

Delivery of up to 5 workshops for children and young people, which could include Primary School classes, Saturday Art Club sessions and Future Ferens members (a group of volunteers aged 18 – 25).

Deliver an art skills session for teachers linked to your practice

Deliver a public talk at the Ferens

Provide content and images to be used on social media, marketing and for interpretation

Participation in the evaluation process, including film based evaluation

Eligibility / Criteria

Must be an artist living and/or working in the UK and prepared to travel to Hull regularly

Some experience of working with young people and primary school age children

Confident to engage with a range of audiences and communities to deliver talks and workshops

Fees

£10,000 fee to cover all activity listed above, transport, materials and equipment.

Project Timeline

27 July 2023 Artist in residence appointed

August 2023 Artist to start work on new artwork

August Install small exhibition in Gallery 11 with Ferens team

September/October Deliver talk and public workshops with young people

5 October Commissioned work completed

w/c 9 October Work installed in Canaletto exhibition

19 October 11am press call and evening Private View

16 November Residency ends