ART & EXHIBITIONS LIST
Though an execution seems an unlikely
event to cause celebration, Scotland this year is getting maximum mileage trom the anniversary at the untimely
death at Mary, Queen at Scots. Perhaps
Scotland's greatest heroine, she has captured the imaginations of poets, artists and the public throughout the 400 years since Queen Elizabeth I ordered her decapitation. She is a tourist board's dream, encapsulating as she does, the history, the romance and the drama at her country.
There are Mary Trails across the country which will take you from the now derelict Linlithgow Palace where she was born, to Stirling Castle where she was crowned Queen at Scots on 9 Sept 1543. You can visit Falkland Palace where she spent happy times hunting and riding and you can see the room, in Holyrood, Edinburgh, where Rizzio, hertaithlul servant was murdered.
Last month an exhibition at manuscripts opened at the National Library in Edinburgh, the proud posessor ol Mary's last letter, written at two in the morning belore her death. The exhibition also tollows the Queen’s continuing impact on literature, beginning with court poems from her days in the palace, to poems by Hugh MacDiarmid and Alan Bold.
A SCOTTISH LEGEND
This week another exhibition in Edinburgh opened to show the visual impact of herstormy, eventful lite. Here, tact is mixed deliberately, not with tiction, but with the fantasy ot Mary, Queen at Scots. By Victorian times she had become a glamorous, timelessly youthful tigure in.llowing gown and romantic veil. Paintings like the one above by Altred Elmore, of Mary with her lirst husband Darnley,
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took the queen into the 20th century as a legend. The Portrait Gallery shows this and other paintings at Mary in ‘Queen’s lmage’ accompanied by a display of lurniture and trappings ol her time mounted in conjunction with the National Museums ot Scotland and entitled the ‘Queen’s World’. See both belore the Edinburgh Festival rush is on. (Alice Bain)
century. A magnificent green mantle. showered with golden thistles. was made to honour these knights and takes centre position in this display. 0 FACTORY CAFE 38 Buccleuch Street. Edinburgh. ()31 667 5750. Mon-Fri t).3()am— 10.30pm: Sat 9.3(lant—5pm. Jacqueline Brown Until mid-July. Screen prints ofderclict buildings in Edinburgh’s South Queensferry by Aberdeen (‘ollege of Art graduates on the walls of this vegetarian cafe close to the University. 0 FILMHOUSE Lothian Road, 228 6382. Mon—Sat Noon—1 1pm: Sun 630—] lpnt. Graham Maclndoe 13—31 July. Photographs. 0 FLYING COLOURS 35 William Street. 2256776. Tue—Fri l 1am—6pm. Sat 10am—1pm. General display of Scottish contemporary art. Laura Buxton Until Sat 1 Aug. Drawings and oil paintings by a Scottish artist who has spent the past three years in southern France. 0 FRENCH INSTITUTE 13 Randolph Crescent. 225 5366 Mon-Fri ‘).3()am- 1 pm and 2pm-5.3()pm. The French Institute is now closed until the Festival. 0 FRUITMARKET GALLERY 2‘) Market Street. 225 2383. Tue—Sat Ilium—5.30pm. Closed Mon. Licensed cafe. TSWA 30: Calton Hill Sculpture Until end summer. As part ofTelevision South West‘s nationwide arts project. Kate Whiteford has made a giant picture of marble flat out on ('alton Hill. Unfortunately it costs 45p a time to see the sculpture at its best artd a climb up Nelson's column.
Kate Whiteford will be taking part in the major show ofcontemporary art during the Festival and her sculpture on Calton Hill will remain on show until then.
Dan Graham Sat 27 Until 26 July. An American video artist is set to make the Fruitmarket into a rather unusual viewing gallery. There will be soft seats and cushions to make everyone very comfortble and glass and mirrors to make it like the shop window or display — all the comforts of home. The question is what or who is the exhibit. Videos to watch include Dan Graham in serious interview with philosopher Michel Foucault, and Andy Warhol as he appeared in an episode of the American TV series Love Boat. John Chamberlain Until Sun 26 July. (‘rushed cars visit the Fruitmarket again (remember Bill Woodrow‘s wonderful twists) this time including TON KS which are reputedly made from children's Tonka toys. Chamberlain is an early raker of rubbish and friend of Diana Ross (there are pictures to prove it I ).
0 GALLERY OF MODERN ART Belford Road. 556 8921. Mon—Sat 10am—5pm. Sun 2—5pm. Rest. [D] Balla—The Futurist Until Sun 19July. First major showing ofthis Italian Futurist ( 1871-1958). Sixty-two works trace his career.
0 GATEWAY EXCHANGE 2-4 Abbeyrnount. 661 (i982. Mon—Sat 10am-5pm.
Alterations in the Gallery will be completed in time for the Festival show.
0 GLADSTONE'S LAND Lawnmarket. Mon—Sat “lam—4.30pm; Sun 2—4.3()pm.
Paintings By Rob Fairley. Jane Glue and Paul Philips. Jewellery by Linda Lewin. Until Tue 21 July.
0 HM GENERAL REGISTER HOUSE Princes Street. 5566585. Mon—Fri 10am—4pm.
Scotland and the Netherlands L'ntil October. The exhibition takes as its starting point the 1587 Act of Parliament which sought to stimulate Scottish industry by encouraging Flemish weavers to settle in Scotland and pass on their skills. ()ther original documents describe the sorry plight of the Jacobite exiles and develop themes ofcconomic. religious and cultural relations.
The Queen and the Scots Throughout the summer. The real world of 16th-century Scotland.
0 JOHN NELSON 22-2-1 Victoria Street. 225 4-113. Mon~Sat 10am—5pm.
Modern Athens Early 19th-century Edinburgh. the ‘Athens of the North'. is illustrated through prints. 0 MALCOLM INNES GALLERY 67 George Street. 226 4151. Mon-Fri 9am-6pm. Sat lle- 1 pm.
General exhibition ofScottish Painting.
0 MERCURY GALLERY 2 3 North
556 8921. Mon—Sat 10am—5pm. Sun 2-5pm.
The great Scots ofthe past and present are collected here in a gallery of faces and figures.
The Queen’s Image and The Queen’s World Thurs 9 July—Sun 4 ()ct. Two exhibitions to celebrate the 400th anniversary ofMary‘s execution organised in association with the National Museums ofScotland. See paneL
Bank Street. 225 3200. Mon-Fri
1()am—5.3()pm. Sat lllam-l .(lem. Drawings by Scottish Printmakers Until Sat 25 July. A mixed exhibition.
0 MORAY HOUSE GALLERY Mon—Fri 10am—5pm: Sat 10am—4pm.
Flying Colours Admission £1. Until Thurs 30 July. A large exhibition of quilts. hangings. banners and embroidery drawn front museums and private collections in Britain. Sudan. Chile and Soweto. See panel. 0 NATIONAL GALLERY OF SCOTLAND The Mound. 556 8921. Mon—Sat 10am—5pm. Sun 2—5pm.
Continental Watercolours Until Mon 27 July. The likes ofTurner's watercolours have made such an impact on the medium irt this country. it would be easy to forget that its use was important in other parts of Europe. This exhibition brings to light from the stores ofthe National Gallery. a selection of watercolours by artists like Rubens. Delacroix and a translucent stained glass design from the Niirnberg school.
Benjamin West Acquisition Last week the largest painting in Scotland was unveiled at the gallery. having been saved from export to another National Gallery in Washington. The rescue of Alexander lll from a stag makes an appropriate subject for the half million pound purchase. 0 NATIONAL LIBRARY OF SCOTLAND George lV Bridge. 226 4531. Mon—Fri ‘).3()am—5pm: Sat 9.30am—lpm.
lt cam wi’ a lass—The Stuarts in Literature, Legend and the Arts Until Thurs 3 Sept. The first main exhibition to come onstream in this 400th anniversary year of Mary. Queen of Scots‘ execution. The star of this show has been brought in from Vienna — a magnificent James [V Book ofHours. though it will undoubtedly be overshadowed by the dramatic appeal ofa letter written by Mary to her brother-in- law. Ilenri III of France. at 2 o'clock on the morning of her execution. (‘entring on the queen. the exhibition will also show the impact of the Stuarts on artists through the centuries — court poems made for Mary during her lifetime contrast with those written in this century by poets like l-lugh MacDiarmid and Alan Bold.
O NETHERBOW 43 High Street. 556 957‘). Vibrations Until Fri 3(lJuly. Oils and pastels by Mike (‘outts and landscape photographs by Roger Lee. A Portrait ol Moray in Oils and Watercolours continues.
0 ODDFELLOWS HALL Forrest Road (opp Sandy Bell‘s). Pub opening hours. Arts Againstthe Wall Until 18 July. Exhibition ofPrints. Painting and (‘ollage by ()isin Peters and Donald White.
0 OPEN EYE 75 (‘umberland Street. 557 l()2(l.
Moira Beaty— Paintings and Judith Gilmour— Ceramics. until Thurs 16 July. Kate Downie — Paintings, Drawings and Etchings and Carolyn Genders— Recent Ceramics Sat 18 July—'l'hurs 6 Aug.
36 The List at.- 23July