Richard Demarco

Richard Demarco

Richard Demarco, CBE (born Portobello near Edinburgh, 1930) is a Scottish artist and promoter of the visual and performing arts.

Richard Demarco Gallery

Demarco was a co-founder of the Traverse Theatre in Edinburgh in 1963. Three years later he and other organisers of the gallery space left the Traverse to establish what became the Richard Demarco Gallery. The gallery ran from 1966 to 1992. [Senay Boztas, [http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4156/is_20050306/ai_n12410794 "Demarco to get a gallery for his 75th"] , "The Sunday Herald", March 6, 2005.]

For many years, the Gallery promoted cultural links with Eastern Europe, both in terms of presenting artists such as Paul Neagu from 1969, Marina Abramovic from 1973 and Neue Slowenische Kunst from 1986 within Scotland, organising exhibitions of contemporary Polish, Romanian and Yugoslav art and in establishing outgoing connections for Scottish artists across Europe.

His involvement with Joseph Beuys led to various presentations, from "Strategy Get Arts" in 1970 to Beuys' hunger strike during the "Jimmy Boyle Days" in 1980.

Also particularly notable were the presentations by Tadeusz Kantor's "Cricot 2" group during the 1970s and 1980s. An unofficial performance of "The Water Hen" at the former Edinburgh poorhouse during the Edinburgh Festival in 1972 was a notable success. "Cricot 2" returned to Edinburgh in later years. Demarco introduced Beuys and Kantor to one another and in one performance of "Lovelies and Dowdies" Beuys performed under Kantor's direction.

For many years, after the Scottish Arts Council deprived it of its annual grant in 1980, following the furore associated with Joseph Beuys' support for Jimmy Boyle, the Demarco Gallery led a financially-straitened existence. Since the early 1990s, Richard Demarco's activity has been through the "Demarco European Art Foundation".

Edinburgh Festival

Richard Demarco has attended every Edinburgh Festival. He has attended or been extensively involved with the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, the largest arts festival in the world, since its inception. In many years, his venue ran outstanding theatre productions, art exhibitions and cultural events which led the Fringe. In some years he outraged Fringe organisers by holding events and staging plays outside Edinburgh. These included a full costume, full length version of a play by Shakespeare staged on an island in the Firth of Forth.Many of the young artists appearing at his venue went on to become major figures in the arts.Others did not but have precious memories of performing at his venue.It seemed like an artistic version of Brigadoon, and was never run for profit; many performers were allowed to put on productions or exhibit at little or no cost.

Unlike many other venues, his always took large artistic and commercial risks. For instance, in 1995, his venue hosted a group of artists flown out from the then besieged city of Sarajevo, and an opera installation by the young Damian Hirst.Other regular attendees at his venue included the publisher John Calder, the ligger Jim Haynes, and sundy bohemians.

Since the mid 90's and end of the Cold War he has lost backing from Visiting Arts and other sponsoring bodies. Always a controversial figure he has been the object of much vilification in the Scottish arts world, at a time when the Festival Fringe has become dominated by purely commercial considerations. His current reduced involvement at the Fringe is in collaboration with Rocket Venues.Even so he retains much goodwill, respect and some gratitude across the international arts world. Sadly, the Edinburgh Fringe has changed since the 1960s and there no obvious successor for his role in it.

Honours and awards

Previously appointed as an OBE, he was raised to a CBE in the News Years Honours List in December 2006. In 1976, Richard Demarco received a Gold Medal from the Polish government and in 1986, he was made a Cavaliere of the Italian Republic. He has been awarded honorary doctorates by universities in Europe and North America and, from 1993 to 2000, he was Professor of European Culture at the University of Kingston.

References

External links

* [http://www.studio-international.co.uk/architecture/demarco_13_3_02.htm Studio International article by Demarco on Edinburgh]
* [http://www.rocketvenues.com Demarco activities in the Edinburgh Festival]
* [http://www.richarddemarco.org/ Demarco European Foundation Website]
* [http://www.lulu.com/content/414052 Biography of Richard Demarco by Charles Stephens]


Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Поможем написать реферат

Look at other dictionaries:

  • DeMarco — Family name Meaning son of Marco Language(s) of origin Italian Related names Marco, Marcus, Mark DeMarco or Demarco is a surname, originally meaning (son) of …   Wikipedia

  • DeMarco Sampson — No. 89     Arizona Cardinals Wide Receiver Personal information Date of birth: December 19, 1985 (1985 12 19) (age 25) …   Wikipedia

  • Demarco Morgan — Born Tulsa, Oklahoma Education Jackson State University Columbia University Occupation News reporter News anchor Ethnicity African American Nat …   Wikipedia

  • Richard Florida — (born 1957 in Newark, New Jersey) is an American urban studies theorist. Professor Florida s focus is on social and economic theory. He is currently a professor and head of the Martin Prosperity Institute at the Rotman School of Management and… …   Wikipedia

  • Richard C. Sarafian — (* 28. April 1930 in New York City) ist ein US amerikanischer Regisseur, Schauspieler, Drehbuchautor sowie Filmproduzent. Inhaltsverzeichnis 1 Leben und Wirken 2 Filmografie (Auswahl) 2.1 Als Regisseur …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Don Juan DeMarco — Theatrical release poster Directed by Jeremy Leven Produced by …   Wikipedia

  • Liste der Ausstellungen von Joseph Beuys — Der deutsche Künstler Joseph Beuys (1921–1986) hat von 1947 bis 1985 unter anderem an folgenden Einzel und Gruppenausstellungen teilgenommen.[1] Inhaltsverzeichnis 1 Ausstellungen 1.1 1940–1970 1.2 1970–1975 …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Traverse Theatre — is Scotland s new writing theatre. It is situated in Edinburgh, Scotland and was founded in 1963.The Traverse Theatre began as a theatre club in the Lawnmarket. In its first year of operation, a Theatre Conference was organised by director Jim… …   Wikipedia

  • Michael Peckham — Sir Michael Peckham is a British oncologist and artist. As a cancer physician he is best known for his contribution to the treatment of testicular cancer. His paintings were first exhibited in 1962 and he has since shown in numerous mixed and… …   Wikipedia

  • Norbert Francis Attard — Norbert Francis Attard, born in Malta in 1951 is an artist[1] working in several disciplines such as painting, printing, sculpture, video and photography. 1977 Graduated in Architecture from the University of Malta. 1977 1996 Practiced his… …   Wikipedia

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”