Outside Edge encapsulates a creative alliance born out of a residency programme in Scotland. This collaboration unites four artists from diverse backgrounds, all of whom initially crossed paths in China. They now live and create in disparate corners of the globe: Xu Yun 徐芸 and Ju Hongshen 鞠洪深 (b. 1957) divide their time between Kunming and Beijing in China, while Kate Downie (b. 1958) calls Fife, Scotland home, and Helen Goodwin hails from Brighton, England.

The artistic bond was kindled when Helen spent over eight years living in Kunming and Beijing, meeting Xu Yun and subsequently Ju Hongshen.

Kate and Helen’s paths intertwined during a 2009 residency in Scotland, and shortly after, Kate delved into an immersive study of modern and traditional ink painting in Beijing, thus intertwining their artistic practices. Their kinship further blossomed through shared environmental perspectives, especially a keen sensitivity to the interplay between urban and rural landscapes.

Kate spearheaded the residency and exhibition, her own work echoing the technical and philosophical aspects of Chinese ink painting traditions. Xu Yun and Ju Hongshen’s practices are rich and eclectic, blending modern Chinese ink painting, book design, calligraphy, and time-honoured painting techniques, with avant-garde technology. Helen’s work, in contrast, explores impermanence, weaving together local materials, places, and people in her creations. 

Upon her return from a 2015 trip to China, Kate stumbled upon Carsaig Bay, a secluded haven at the southern tip of the Isle of Mull off Scotland’s western coast. To her, it resonated with the serenity of a Qing hanging scroll – it was both ageless and poetic. She made a pledge to revisit this place with a collective of artists from diverse traditions to mutually inspire one another, and engage in an enriching interchange of ideas and influences. It was her tribute, a heartfelt thank you for the wealth of knowledge and inspiration she garnered during her Chinese sojourn.

For details, see the exhibition website: https://www.royalscottishacademy.org/exhibitions/245-outside-edge/overview/

Royal Scottish Academy. “Outside Edge | 8 October – 13 November 2022.” Accessed 20 July 2023, https://www.royalscottishacademy.org/viewing-room/10-outside-edge/.