Site-Specific Art Commission: Grytviken Whaling Station, South Georgia

Open international call for artists interested in natural environment, ecological conservation and/or cultural heritage: Site-Specific Commission: Grytviken Whaling Station, South Georgia. 

A once in a lifetime opportunity to create a site-specific commission on the sub-Antarctic Island of South Georgia. This commission by the South Georgia Heritage Trust (SGHT) will celebrate the whale through a reinterpretation of the former Flensing Plan, offering a message of hope for future generations by demonstrating how humankind can move from exploitation to conservation.

Application deadline: 12 January 2020.

Support: Artist Fee of £50,000 + Production Budget of between £150,000 – £2,000,000

Under the umbrella of the GSGSSI heritage strategy and Conservation Management Plan for Grytviken, SGHT and FOSGI are hosting an international competition that will engage creative practitioners from varying artistic disciplines to develop a site-specific commission to celebrate the whale through a reinterpretation of the former Flensing Plan. This is an inspirational project, an opportunity to create a legacy for the future, a message of hope for the natural world and a reinterpretation that will challenge visitors to consider man’s changing relationship with nature and in particular with the whale.

The winning commission will be selected by a diverse panel representing GSGSSI, South Georgia stakeholders and the creative community; the chosen applicant(s) will create a creative intervention that will set the scene for visitors to Grytviken. Its purpose is to help visitors interpret Grytviken’s past and present and to celebrate the recolonization of whales, seals, seabirds and plant life, thanks to excellent British stewardship and environmental management of South Georgia’s terrestrial and marine environments.

This commission is part of a cultural heritage programme to communicate a poignant message about our changing attitudes to nature and the need for resolute stewardship of our oceans and the natural world.

Eligibility:

• Open to individuals, collaborative partnerships or organisations from varying artistic disciplines.

• Open to mid-career or established practitioners with a proven interest in one or more of the following areas - cultural heritage, the natural environment, ecological issues or conservation.

• 5+ years’ experience practicing in your chosen artform.

• Track record of delivering large-scale projects on time and on budget.

The South Georgia Heritage Trust (SGHT) was established in 2005. It is a registered charity in Scotland and raises funds to support its two primary purposes:

• To help efforts to conserve and protect those species of indigenous fauna and flora that breed and grow on South Georgia or in the surrounding seas and to raise awareness of South Georgia’s threatened species
• To assist efforts to preserve the historical heritage of South Georgia, including selected historical sites of importance, and increase international awareness of the human history of the island through the South Georgia Museum

The island of South Georgia is a sub-Antarctic UK Overseas Territory located in the South Atlantic. Due to its proximity to major oceanic currents, South Georgia is a wildlife haven and the site of globally significant environmental and conservation research.