“I like to think of these paintings as revealing the alter-ego, hidden in all of us; Superman, Ms Incredible, Batman or a satin disco diva. Let’s dance.”
Royal Society Portrait painter, Joanne Shaw, began her artistic career in Belfast, before moving to London in 2005, and subsequently arriving in Aberfeldy, Scotland in 2015.
It was here, in 2015, she joined the Camphill community at Corbenic, taken with its commitment to the arts, and its amazing and unique people. At that time, Joanne’s role was to support Corbenic’s residents at evening activities, including its festival events.
Festivals are a special way of marking the calendar for the residents of Corbenic and are prioritised accordingly. Everyone gets dressed up. Face paints are applied, costumes are donned and the dance floor is ablaze with smiling faces.
This exhibition captures a snapshot of those festival evenings, when through costume and movement, people transcend the self to exceed labels and physical limitations. And how, through movement especially, a sense of dignity, togetherness and equality is achieved.
Each canvas is a glimpse into those special nights, immortalising faces caught in a moment of connection, exhilaration and fun.
This body of work commenced in 2019 at St Margaret’s House in Edinburgh.