Back in December 2017, Art in Halland invited visual artists to apply for residency scholarship for a residence programme in Ōmihachiman, Japan, which also included participation at the Biwako Biennale (20 Aug-20 Sep) and another residence programme at Lokatta Keramik (ceramics studio) on the island of Gotland (4-24 June). Based on the applications, the jury decided that the Japanese grant should be awarded to Robert Hais and the Gotland grant should go to Elvira Roslund Gustavsson.
Robert Hais (born 1978) is raised and still living in Halmstad. Han has studied at University of Arts in London, to name just one, and often works with location-specific art in public areas. Aside from his own artistry, he is Artistic Manager for the Land Art project (X)Sites. Robert Hais has been awarded the scholarship as “his artistry, flexibility and variation of formats, materials and expressions, will be well suited for the physical as well as the conceptual location of Biwako Biennale in Ōmihachiman. We are extremely excited and curious to see how his work will progress and evolve in this unique environment heavily influenced by cultural history“.
Find out more about the Biwako Biennalen
Find out more about Robert Hais
Elvira Roslund Gustavsson was born in Brussels in 1987 and grew up in Asia and Sweden. She has studied various subjects, not least ceramics at Camberwell College of Art in London and has also graduated from London College of Fashion. Nowadays Elvira Roslund Gustavsson is managing the old pottery in Laholm and is awarded this scholarship for her clear goal “to further develop her artistry and her technical skills, thus conveying art and inspiring people on both a local and a regional level in Halland”.
Find out more about Elvira Roslund Gustavsson
The jury for the Japanese scholarship consisted of Stefan Larsson, artist working in Ōtsu, Shiga in Japan and founder of AUJIK (aujik.com) as well as representatives from Art in Halland. The jury for the Gotland grant consisted of Jaana Järretorp, Visual Arts Developer at Region Skåne culture authority and representatives from Art in Halland. The final decision for the two residencies were made by each host organisation.
