Leaders & Friends visit Jupiter Artland

Tabi Mudaliar, DGU’s Creative Producer, shares her thoughts on a recent trip to Jupiter Artland with the Leaders Unlimited and friends of DGU.

What a wonderful way to end another great year for Leaders Unlimited. The 2022 cohort celebrated the pleasure of experiencing art and creativity together at a recent visit to Jupiter Artland, the award-winning contemporary sculpture garden located just outside Edinburgh. It’s hard to find and even harder leave but was an absolute joy while we were there!

“Founded in 2009 by art collectors Robert and Nicky Wilson, Jupiter Artland is one of Scotland’s most significant arts organisations, with an international reputation for innovation and set in over 100 acres of meadow, woodland, and indoor gallery spaces, Jupiter Artland is home to over 30 permanent and unique site-specific sculptures. Artists exhibiting work include Phyllida Barlow, Christian Boltanski, Charles Jencks, Anish Kapoor and Antony Gormley as well as a seasonal programme of carefully curated exhibitions and events from a plethora of artists, both emerging and established.”

JupiterArtland.org

It was such a treat to get out into the fresh air and see the works together. We enjoyed a curated tour with an Artland staff member who told us the background and history of the works. The timing was perfect, and the weather was too. This year’s Leaders cohort had worked hard on and offline throughout the year working on their own professional development as Leaders within the Dumfries and Galloway creative sector. This was a chance to relax and enjoy the experience.

Highlights from the day were all of us together inside the atmospheric exhibit by our very own Andy Goldsworthy, and on a personal note I must mention the special exhibition of affecting, deeply personal, and emotional works by Tracey Emin.

Things we learned:

• How much we love art, especially when it can be enjoyed outside on a lovely day!

• How much we had missed being together.

• How fortunate we all were to have the chance to visit such a special place.

Tips for your own visit to Jupiter

Artland:

Give yourself a minimum of three hours. Take a picnic or book a table at the café which gets very busy. Don’t forget your camera. Wear sensible shoes, and layers; it can get breezy on the hill and cold, but you work up a sweat getting round the exhibits. Spend time at the Gormley exhibit and you will get some great shots of the Forth bridge while you are there.