Synopsis

Guyan has been an artist and writer based in Glasgow since 1994, organising, exhibiting in and curating artist led projects and multi media arts events, as well as working on temporary public art projects and commissions at home and abroad. In 1998 he carried out a residency in Russia, going on to South Africa, and has been traveling extensively ever since.

His practice as an artist incorporates sculpture, installation, architectural intervention, political dialogue and events combining performance, music and visual art. Working in a variety of mediums from photographic portraits, text, neon and food, as well as more traditional materials, his work explores order, belief, information and conflicts between internal and external authorities.

In 2005 he established The Edible Construction Company with Chris Biddlecombe and Emilia Telese, to develop environmental art projects that deal directly with particular environmental issues, as well as exploring the sustainable transfer of products, resources and aid. During the month long build of the Rice Pavilion, Audience figures came to 80,702, and  The Rice Pavilion has provided one basic meal for over 100,000 children.  

As a writer Guyan has covered the subjects of art, culture and religion, publishing articles and essays, while writing a book on the history of mind.

 


2008

Protest Songs - Collaboration with Will Foster. series of sixteen public art performances at Barselgrad, Fykse, Norway.
Board and Founder member of The Global Collective - International Arts Group.
Environmental Art Project, Callendar Park, Falkirk, 3rd and 4th May. Artist and Curator. commissioned by UZ Event.
Invited Charter Member for Culturehall Contemporary Art.

2007

Rice Pavilion - Collaborative Public Art Project with Chris Biddlecombe and Emilia Telese, Jubilee Library, Brighton.
Board member - NVA.
Environmental Art Project, Callendar Park, Falkirk, 5th and 6th May, Artist and Curator. commissioned by UZ Events.
Collaborative Public Art Residency, sponsored by HARF - Dodanduwa Creation Centre, Sri Lanka.
A Wall between Scotland and England - Collaborative Public Art Project, Glasgow and Brighton, UK.

2006

The Edible Construction Company - Founder member with Chris Biddlecombe and Emilia Telese.
Stake - Performance Installation with Emilia Telese, FreeShout Festival, Prato, Italy.
Gender Bender, Cabin Exchange, Pink Public Art Project, Glasgow.
The British Art Show - Another Product at Cornerhouse, Manchester, group show
A Healing Passion - One Hundred Years of Bio Medicine. Huntarian Museum, Glasgow University.

2005 States of Union? Catalyst Arts, Belfast.
Artists Networks Coordinator - Scotland – for a-n's Networking Artists Network Initiative.
Generator – Group show, Dundee.
Networking Artists Exchange trip to Berlin, Funded by AN.
G8A – a dvd and screening of artists response to the G8 summit.

2004
Event - Artist, curator, co ordinator for multi media performance installation event at Wasps HQ, Glasgow. Supported by Wasps.
Painful Creatures - Performance and Installation - Falkirk, Bradford, Brighton, Sotteville, Graz, London.
Guest speaker and organiser for Art Futures conference, CCA, Glasgow.

2003
Sculpture Installation for Painful Creatures, with Mischief la Bas, Performance Art Festival, Falkirk:
Commissioned by In Situ, European Art Foundation.
Scottish Arts Council Audit Advisory Committee.
Sculpture Installation with Apex Hotels, Dundee Waterfront.

2002 Call for Entry, Market, Glasgow.
Scottish Arts Council Audit Advisory Committee.
Look Look 2002, International Art Project.
Represented by Blink Red gallery, Edinburgh.
Sci - Art - Internet Gallery, London.
Digital and sculpture workshops with Fast Forward Play and Knowes Housing Co-op, Glasgow.

2001

Elected First President of the Scottish Artists Union.
Art for Europe, Scotland House, Brussels.
Curator for VAULT 2001, Multi-Media Arts Event, The Arches, Glasgow.
Public Hanging at the Briggait, Group Exhibition, Glasgow.
Invited Artist for the Royal Glasgow Institute Exhibition.

2000

Chairman of The Glasgow Visual Arts Forum.
Reggio Emilia workshops, The Lighthouse, The Burrel Collection, Glasgow
Events Organizer and Speaker for Scottish Artists Union, Glasgow Royal Concert Hall.
Community Workshops with Lochfield Park Co-op, Easterhouse.


1999

Curator and Artist at VAULT, Multi-Media Arts Event, The Arches, Glasgow
Art for Kosovo Auction, artists and organiser, Nairns Restaurant, Glasgow
Guest speaker at Sofa: Professional Practice Conference, Glasgow School of Art
Member of Monitoring Committee for redevelopment of W.A.S.P.S. Main Building, Glasgow.

1998 Selected to participate in International Exchange with Artists from Rostov-on-Don, Russia. Includes
hosting Russian artists in Glasgow and residency in Rostov. Funded by Glasgow City Council and W.a.s.p.s. Artists Studios.
Artists in Arms: Selected to produce work for Land Mines Project: Royal Geographic Society, London, Graffiti Gallery, Edinburgh. Organized by the British Red Cross.

1997 Source – sculpture installation, Intermedia Gallery, Glasgow.
P.E.C.A. sculpture / philosophy workshop with Langbank Primary, Sculpture Works, Glasgow.
Technical Consultant for Four Corners Sculpture Project, Manchester.
Work selected for Voices; Anthology of contemporary poetry.

1996

Aesthetics Coordinator at E.P.I.C. Glasgow University, for P.E.C.A. Philosophy and European Contemporary Art.
Sculpture Installation, the Italian Centre courtyard, Glasgow.


1995 Initiation of Source: Glasgow based visual art group.

1994

Sculpture Works: Opening of sculpture workshop for the production of site-specific and gallery based work. 77 Hanson Street, Glasgow.
Natwest Life Group Sculpture Exhibition, Royal West Academy of Art, Bristol.

1993 Selected for Poetry Now, Anthology of Scottish Poetry.
Sculpture Exhibition, CandaCraig Gardens, Strathdon.
R.S.A. Group Exhibition, Royal Scottish Academy of Art, Edinburgh.
Work selected for The Cracked Mirror, Anthology of Scottish Poetry.

1992 Group Photographic Exhibition, Man and Environment in Harmony, Royal Academy of Art, London.


Selected Awards and Commissions

2008 Commisoned by UZ Evenets to produce environmental new installation for Callendar Park.
2007 Camion by UZ Events to produce - live forever - temporary neon installation for Callendar Park. 'a light meditation on death'.
2006 Commissioned by Glasgow University to produce portrait head of George Beatson.
2004 Emerald Triptych, lacquered steel and beetle shell, private commission.
2003 Scottish Arts Council Funding: research trip to the Venice Biennial
Sculpture Installation for Painful Creatures, Performance Art Festival, Falkirk. Commissioned by In Situ.
2001 Scottish Arts Council Professional Development Grant: research trip to Documenta, Berlin and London.
2001
Year of the Artist Residency: Workshops and Public ArtWorks, The Island of Eigg.
Shortlisted for the Museum of Scottish Country Life Public Art Commission, National Museums of Scotland.
1999 Commissioned by the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama to produce stage set for new production of Animal Farm.
1998 Commissioned by Devil Productions to design and produce Kinetic Sculpture for Channel 4.
1996 Commissioned by the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama to produce sculptural set pieces for new production of Cosi Fan Tutte.
Awarded Shepley-Shepley Trust Youth Arts Funding: for equipment and materials.
1993 Shortlisted and commissioned to produce maquettes in steel and bronze, Natwest Life Sculpture Commission, Bristol. With the Royal Institute of British Sculptors.
1992 Shortlisted for the World Wildlife Fund Environmental Sculpture Commission.

Works Held In Collections

Work held in private collections in Aberdeen, Glasgow, Manchester, London, Perthshire, Northern Ireland, Cypress, South Africa, France and Russia.
Publicly held by the Huntarian Museum, Glasgow. Aberdeen University. the Eigg Trust and A.X.I.S

 

Education History

1989 - 1993 Grays School of Art Robert Gordons University, Aberdeen.
Awarded B.A. (Hons) Fine Art, Sculpture