Andrea Geile
Edinburgh
Andrea Geile's contemporary art practice explores urban and rural landscapes through drawing, sculpture, public art and social engagement. Her artwork investigates and interprets nature and ecology.
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Andrea Geile trained in printmaking before studying Art/Sculpture in Hanover, Germany. She has been working from her Edinburgh studio since 1995.
Andrea Geile’s sculptures and performances condense and interpret nature and ecology. Both her permanent and transient artwork investigate how social processes have shaped and utilized landscapes for our political, economic and immaterial needs. It is observation of nature, environmental concerns and climate change, cultural identity and political and social issues that drive her work.
She collaborates on projects with communities about biodiversity, urban planning and research into rural land use. Meant to question and regenerate her art practice, it allows her to explore and experiment with new materials, thematic and engagement processes.
Her sculptures are mainly made from everlasting corten steel, a weatherproof, clean and no maintenance material. She fabricates all art work in her studio, using plasma hand-cutting and welding to create the intricate patterns. By tracing the shapes of objects, handwriting and plants into metal, she creates sculptures that comment on technology, nature and the human touch.
The art work is often grouped with real plants creating a contemporary version of ‘Gartenkunst’, which challenges existing notions of ‘garden art’ and ‘land sculpture’. Her organic and architectural forms merge with the planting and form a symbiotic relationship.
Andrea Geile - CV
Born in Bremen. British-German dual national. Lives and works in Edinburgh since 1995.
Gallery representation: The Scottish Gallery, Edinburgh. Lemon Street Gallery, Cornwall.
2012-19 Trustee on the Board of Directors, Edinburgh Printmakers
2009-14 Members Representative on the Board of Directors at the Edinburgh Sculpture Workshop
2016 Fellow of the Royal Society of Sculptors
2016 Professional Member of Society of Scottish Artists
1986-93 Visual Art/Sculpture. Hochschule fuer Kunst und Design Hannover
1978-81 Certified Screen Printer. Guild Apprenticeship in Bremen, Germany
SOLO EXHIBITIONS/PERFORMANCES
2022 How to speak Bird. 201 Art Gallery, Strathkinness Community Trust. March – April
2021-22 Wonder Wander - Andrea Geile. NTS Newhailes Gardens, Musselburgh. Oct – March.
2021 Wonder Wander - Andrea Geile. Scottish Ornithologist Club, Aberlady. June to September.
2017 ByLeavesWeLive. ArtWalk performance. With Fruitmarket Gallery and Engage Scotland, EAF.
2017 Energised Landscape. ArtWalk performance, exhibition and 3month residency with Deveron Pro.
2015 This is your Land. ArtWalk performance with Deveron Projects, part of Edinburgh Art Festival.
2013 Fallow Ground - Andrea Geile. The Briggait, Glasgow.
2011 Subterranea - Andrea Geile. New Town Promenade Exhibition, Edinburgh.
2010 Andrea Geile. Vancouver Arts Centre. Albany, Western Australia.
2010 Andrea Geile. RHS Chelsea Flower Show, London.
2009 Andrea Geile. Invited Artist. RHS Flower Show Tatton Park, Manchester.
2008 Andrea Geile. The Scottish Gallery, Edinburgh.
2004 Blossoms - Andrea Geile. Exhibition in the garden of The Hill House NTS, Helensburgh.
1995 Eisen - Andrea Geile. Gallerie Baku. Hanover, Germany.
AWARDS
2022 St.Andrews Community Trust Award
2021 Edinburgh Sculpture Workshop Members Short Film Bursary
2019 Artist Development Bursary: Edinburgh. Creative Scotland and City of Edinburgh Council.
2016 Fellowship of the Royal British Society of Sculptors
2016 Professional Membership of Society of Scottish Artists
2012 Invited Artist Award. Visual Artists Scotland VAS.
2010 Award of Merit for Sculpture Exhibition. RHS Chelsea Flower Show.
2008 The Ottillie Helen Wallace Prize for Sculpture. Royal Scottish Academy.
2007 The Hope Scott Trust Grant.
2007 Hosta Vista Garden. Gold Medal Award from The Royal Caledonian Society.
2006 Windings Garden. Gold Medal Award from The Royal Caledonian Society.
1994 Artist Award from the Federal State of Lower Saxony Ministry of Arts.
1993 Visual Arts Grant from Federal State of Lower Saxony Ministry for Women, Germany.
COLLECTIONS
Sustrans UK
Culzean Castle. National Trust for Scotland
Fridhems Musik Folkhogskola, Sweden
Aquarell H Collection. Vienna, Austria
Deveron Projects. Town Collection Huntly
City of Edinburgh Council
Comar, Isle of Mull
The Great Steward of Scotland Dumfries House Trust Collection
University of Edinburgh
University of Stirling Art Collection
City of Albany, Australia
NHS Tayside
Kingdom Housing
Work in private collections in Scotland, England, Wales, Germany, France, Japan, Sweden and Australia.
COMMISSIONS (selected)
Since 1994 More than 17 Public Art Commissions and numerous private art commissions.
2019 Walking among the Greenwoods. Public art in Gilmerton, Edinburgh commissioned by Sustrans.
2017 ByLeavesWeLive. ArtWalking event in collaboration with Fruitmarket Gallery and Engage.
2017 Klorofyllans Flykt. Public art and symposium. Fridhems Musik College. Svaloev, Sweden.
2017 Leaf Clouds. Culzean Castle. Public Art for The National Trust for Scotland and PurcellUK.
2016-17 Energised Landscape project. Public Art and walking project with Deveron Projects.
2015 This is your Land. Public Art. Participatory art walking event with Deveron Projects for EAF.
2015 The Chlorophylls. Public Art Commission. Lettermore Forest, Isle of Mull. Curated by An Tobar.
2014 Tree Tags. Public Art in Pilrig Park, Edinburgh. Funded by Kew Gardens and Grow Wild UK.
2013 Pylon. Public Art Commission for the Archivist Project. Environmental Arts Festival Scotland.
2012 Sub species cellulae. Public Art. Centre for Regenerative Medicine SCRM, Little France.
2011 The Impermanence of Scattered Leaves. Art Commission. Glendoick Estate, Perthshire.
2010 Invited Artist. Public Art Commission for five parks in new housing development in Midlothian.
2008 The Vitis Mound, Catalpa Group and Willow Line for a Sculpture Park in Suffolk, England.
2009 Leaf Cloud. Public Art Commission for Macmillan Palliative Care Unit, Royal Infirmary Perth.
2008 Garden Gallery. Public Art Commission for Big Things on the Beach. Portobello
2008 The Photinia Grove. Public Art Commission for Kingdom Housing in Kelty, Fife.
The Leith Regatta. Biodiversity Public Art Commission in collaboration with Emma HermanSmith
ARTIST RESIDENCIES, PROJECTS and OTHERS (selected)
2022 Kuenstlerhaus Bremen and Acelor Mittal residency, Germany. April - May
2019 Brian Alabaster Bronze Foundry Residency, Suffolk. July
2017 International Sculpture Symposium Svaloev, Sweden. July
2017 Aquarell Happening. Art/Walking residency in Tux, Austria. August
2016-17 Energised Landscape. Artist residency and socially engaged project with Deveron Projects.
2015 FANK. Public engagement, public art, residency and print project. Comar, Isle of Mull.
2014 Balfour's Botany. Public engagement, art and research project, Edinburgh. Grow Wild UK.
2013 Community bulb planting project at the new Edinburgh Sculpture Centre.
2013 Drawing Residency at Dumfries House Trust. Duplex Studio, The Prince’s Drawing School.
2011 Polarcap Art/Ecolab. Artist/Scientist collaborations revolving around the influence of John Muir.
2010 Arts/ Science Research. British Geological Survey. Mrs S A L Wild.
2010 International Artist Residency. Sep-Nov. Vancouver Arts Centre in Albany, Western Australia.
2008 3Islands. International Artist Residency, Orkney Islands. TriangleArtsTrust and Pier Arts Centre.
2008 Royal Academy London Foundation Course. Worshipful Company of Founders.
2006 Fluechtig. International Artist Residency and Exhibition at KIK in Hanover, Germany.
2003 Frontiere Invisible. International Artist Residency and Exhibition in Montpellier, France.
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