DEVELOPING THE ART
Developed and realised by artist Joseph Rossano, the Salmon School installation consists of a school of mirrored salmon-like forms, hand-blown from molten glass by artists and makers from around the world, all of whom are concerned by the plight of wild salmon. Working with the Museum of Glass in Tacoma, WA, the initial forms were created and a method was developed to easily replicate versions of a salmon-like shape using blown glass.
The first exhibition of Salmon School took place at the Bellevue Arts Museum in Washington State. Displayed at eye level, it reflected the population of native wild salmon in the Skagit River, flowing into Puget Sound, North of Seattle. Following this exhibition, Rossano was approached by The Missing Salmon Alliance to work with a consortium of NGOs from around the world to bring Salmon School to the United Nations Climate Change Summit (COP26). After COP26, the art will be displayed in locations around the UK before returning to the Pacific Northwest – the place of its birth - where it will be part of the 2022 United Nations International Year of Glass at the Museum of Glass.
FEBRUARY 11, 2023
ICONIC SPEYSIDE
The Macallan is one of the key supporters of the Atlantic Salmon Trust and we are delighted to have played a part in helping to bring The Salmon School art installation to their world famous distillery.
Their support helps us to not only continue our vital scientific research on the causes for salmon decline and to develop ambitious restoration solutions, but also to help raise awareness of the urgency of the salmon crisis and to help that message reach new audiences. The Salmon School art installation has the power to deliver that message and we are sure it will serve as point of inspiration for thousands of visitors during its time at The Macallan.
Speyside is iconic for two things: whisky and salmon, both of which need access to cold, clean water. The Salmon School ties these two parts of the Speyside soul together.
Throughout the three years of the Moray Firth Tracking Project, the largest of its kind ever to be undertaken in Europe, the Atlantic Salmon Trust and its partners have been uncovering important information on the downstream migration success of young salmon 'smolts' as they make their journey out to sea. This study included work on the River Spey itself, with the support of the Spey Fishery Board and many helpful volunteers. The project is set to reveal its findings in spring 2023 and this research will be chanelled into management advice for the benefit of river managers on the Spey, in the wider Moray Firth area and beyond.
-JONATHON MUIR
Atlantic Salmon Trust
EXHIBITIONS
Since its inaugural exhibition at the Bellevue Arts Museum in April 2019, the project has been renamed The SALMON SCHOOL. Under this new title, the project was a keynote presentation at the COP26 conference on Climate Change in Glasgow, Scotland, in November of 2021. Subsequently, The SALMON SCHOOL has begun to travel the globe on a circular journey, serving as a symbol of hope — hope that, through awareness and community building, we can foment real change.
