ART & EXHIBITIONS LIST
The British Art Show, McLellan Galleries, Glasgow.
The proof of the pudding had to be in the eating, and this pudding was certainly thoroughly stirred. The recipe has been proclaimed loudly: 42 artists in their 20s and 30s, 20 women, seven Scots, seven non-caucasian. Less advertised is the fact that a depressingly high number of the artists are now London-based, which is depressineg high; and that thirteen went through the college where one of the selectors teaches. In short the catalogue claim that ‘no themes were pursued . . . no theoretical stance prelerred' is open to question. Certain ways of making and presenting work have evidently sat more comlortably with the selectors than others. Although none of the work is minimal in the Sixties/Seventies sense ot the word, much oi it is physically spare, but also demands a lot at space in order to be understood - so for the thousands who attended the grossly crowded private view, the show would have been a disaster. it isn't; though it must be said that it is unsympathetic to some artists (through poor selection or poor presentation) and there is also some real dross.
I wonder it the selectors sent the message I got from the show? The strongest work concerns in some way the positioning oi the individual through wider political or social issues (of course there is an exception to prove the rule: Cornelia Parker’s lovely lead-cast still-lite, hanging an inch above the ground). Locky Morris is from Derry; his work springs from committed community involvement.
STIRREO, NOT SHAKEN.
"
The row ot sted dustbi lids over-run V
by tyre-tracks speaks eloquently ol British response to the civil rights movement, when women banged dustbin lids on the roads. Mona Hatoum’s installation is scarey: a wedge-shaped room with no light but (at the narrow end) a ‘cage’ of glowing electric filaments. Sonia Boyce’s two pieces are physically so ditierent l’m eagerto see more. They concern the search tor love in an alienating environment. Brian Jenkins’ vast sell-portrait, drawn on the wall, shows his disabled body pressing against the ceiling and walls, as it about to burst tree. Willie Doherty re-presents the severance and isolation imposed on Beltast with those words printed across
photos at the city’s dividing walls and lences. Vong Phaophanit projects, onto the intangible surface made by the whirring blades of electricians, slides oi people and places last seen in Laos seventeen years ago. Lesley Sanderson’s sell-portraits deal directly with Chinese identity in Britain. What is notable is that gender dilterence is not to the fore in any artist’s work, though it has been in the past work oi many oi the artistszis this a lalse ‘obiectivity’ on the part of the selectors? Is it coincidental that the most banal works in the show are those which would sit (or have sat) easiest in clinical gallery spaces from Frankfurt to New York? (Hilary Robinson)
Edinburgh Rediscovered Until 17 Feb. These photographs by Thomas Vernon Bcgbie were printed from glass negatives made in 1857. which were rescued from a house in Lcith Street just prior toits demolition.
Lite Class Until 3 March. Paintings. prints and sculpture specially chosen from the City‘s permanent art collection to illustrate the treatment of the human figure in Scottish art over the last hundred years.
Dinosaurs Alive 28 Feb—3 June. Using only compressed air and a computer an American firm have reversed the effects of the Ice Age and brought the Dinosaurs back to life, well ten of them anyway. Seven adult and three baby dinos will snap. roar and swish their tails at passing
BARBIZON GALLERY COLQUHOUN & MACBRYDE
An exhibition of drawings, paintings and prints
3rd - 28th February
40 High Street, Glasgow G1 Tel: 041 553 1990
visitors.
I COLERIDGE GALLERY 47b George Street , 220 1305. Mon—Sat 10am-5.30pm. Contemporary British artwork in glass is currently on special offer.
I COLLECTIVE GALLERY 166 High Street, 220 1260. Tue-Sat 12.30—5.30pm.
John Collins 10 Feb-3 March. No. not the elegant mainstay of Hibs‘ midfield but a Canadian artist exhibiting here for the first time.
I EDINBURGH COLLEGE OF ART Lauriston Place, 229 931 l. Mon-Sat lOam—Spm.
Ten Years of Textiles Until 22 Feb. A decade of work culled from the textile department.
I EDINBURGH PRINTMAKERS WORKSHOP GALLERY 23 Union Street . 557 2479. Mon-Sat 10am-5.30pm.
Prints from the Four Scottish Art Schools Until 24 Feb. Young student printmakcrs are given the chance to make their mark in the gallery’s third exhibition of Student prints. it has a somewhat dark and melancholic feel to it.
I FILMHOUSE Lothian Road. 2282688. Mon-Sat noon—l 1pm; Sun 6.30—11pm. Secrets of the Earth Until 14 Feb. A photographic record of Alistair Logan's wanderings through Botanic Gardens and Nature Reserves.
I FINE ART SOCIETY 137 George Street. 220 6370. Mon—Fri 9.30am—5.30pm. Sat 10am-1pm.
Now safely ensconced in their new George Street premises the gallery have: Contemporary Artists Until 27 Feb. A wide variety of artists who have exhibited with the Society in recent years. as well as some who are showing for the first time. Also featuring in the exhibition will be some rarely seen work (up here anyway) by English artists Richard Eurich. R.C.
Booth, and the late Edward Bowden.
I FLYING COLOURS GALLERY 35 William Street, 225 6776. Tue-Fri l 1am—6pm, Sat 10am—lpm.
Surrealist Paintings Until 2 March. Mike Forbes gets his first exhibition outside his native lnverness.
I FRUITMARKET GALLERY Market Street, 225 2383. Mon—Sat 10am-5.30pm Sun l—S.30pm.
The gallery will be closed until April for refurbishment.
I GALERIE MIRAGES Racburn Place, 315 2603. Tue—Sat 10.30am—4.30pm, Sun 2—4.30pm, closed Mondays.
Senneh Kilims Until 3 March.
I GALLERY OF MODERN ART Belford Road, 556 8921. Mon—Sat lOam—Spm; Sun 2—5pm. [D] Cafe.
The gallery‘s justly renowned cafe is open Mon-Sat 10.30am—4.30pm; Sun 2.30—4.20pm. Cream teas will be served from 3—4. 15pm.
Gwen Rardie 14 Feb—18 March. Trained in Glasgow and Berlin this talented young artist is probably best known for her paintings of females which examine textures rather than form. The exhibition traces her gradual move to an abstract style.
I GRAEME MURRAY GALLERY 15 Scotland Street, 556 6020. Tue-Fri 10am-5pm, Sat 10am-1pm.
The staff of the gallery are suffering for their art. in sunny Spain. for a month. The next exhibition will be Tracy Mackenna 3—31 March.
I HANOVER FINE ART 22a Dundas Street. 5562181. Mon-Fri 10am—5.30pm; Sat 10am—4pm.
Landscapes Until 19 Feb. Steven Proudfoot‘s pastels and watercolours. Also on show will be a variety ofmixed
work by gallery artists.
I HILLSIDE GALLERY Hillside St. 5566440. Tue-Sat 10.30am—6pm.
To Do Will) Love Until 24 Feb. Small-scale illustrations and collages with an amorous theme from Brigid Collins and Gaynor Shephard.
I ITALIAN INSTITUTE 82 Nicolson Street. 668 2232. Mon 2—5pm. Tue 9am-5pm . Wed 2—7pm. Thurs 9am—5pm. Fri 9am-2pm.
The next exhibition at the Institute opens 28 Feb.
I KINGFISHER GALLERY Northumberland Street Lane. 557 5454. Mon—Fri lOam—4.3()pm. Sat 10am—lpm. Watercolours 9 Feb—3 March. The artists involved include Victoria Cassidy, Moira Ferrier. Leonard Gray. Elspeth Harrigan and David Martin.
I MALCOLM INNES GALLERY 67 George Street, 226 4151. Mon—Fri 9.30am—6pm; Sat lOam—lpm.
The normal collection of prints from stock until 21 February when a special sale of ‘rarely seen prints‘ will go on sale at discount prices.
I NATIONAL GALLERY OF SCOTLAND The Mound. 556 8921 . Mon-Sat 10am—5pm; Sun 2—5pm.
David Scott From 12 Feb. Frequently reviled and rarely revered this 19th century Edinburgh artist was at least known for his fertile imagination. Regular visitors to the gallery will be familiar with his extraordinary pictures.
English Portrait and Figure Drawings 1600-1900 Throughout Feb and March. A selection of paintings and drawings from the gallery‘s stock.
I NATIONAL LIBRARY OF SCOTLAND George 1V Bridge. 226 4531 . Mon—Fri 9.30am-5pm; Sat 9.30am-1pm; Sun 2pm—5pm.
The Summer of 89 Until 28 Feb. A remarkable collection of photographs of Scotland taken during the summer of 1889 when Dr F.G. Smart ofTunbridgc Wells embarked on a journey around Scotland. This visual record was recently unearthed in a second-hand bookshop in Stockport by Bob Charnlcy, who has painstakineg researched the location of each photograph.
Ronald Stevenson Until 28 Feb. An exhibition that charts the life and times of one of Scotland‘s best known contemporary compose rs.
I NETHERBOW 43 High Street. 5569579. Mon-Sat 10am—4.30pm and evenings when performances. Cafe. Artist-in-Residence Until 3 March. Jim King presents some of his recent works.
I OPEN EYE GALLERY 75 Cumberland Street, 557 1020. Mon-Fri 10am-6pm. Sat lOam—4pm.
Porla Patet Cor Magis Until 15 Feb. Sylvia Von Hartmann waxing lyrical. The Latin title implies real openness and refers to her wax drawings that are on display here. French Connections Until 15 Feb. Recent watercolours by Aberdonian artist James Furneaux. (father of Paul) mainly of French cityscapes.
Ceramics Until 15 Feb. Work by Andrew Broughton-Tompkins.
Pat Semple and Irene Scott: Recent Work 17 Feb—5 March. The works on show are mainly landscapes in watercolour by the two artists.
Earthenware Ceramics l7 Feb—8 March. Pottery from Liverpudlian Robbie Manning.
Anne Marie Shillitto: Jewellery 17 Feb-8 March.
I PORTFOLIO GALLERY AT PHOTOGRAPHY WORKSHOP 43 Candlemaker Row, 220 191 1. Tue—Sat noon—5.30pm.
Grace Robertson: Photojoumalist ol the 50s Until 17 Feb. A regular contributorto Picture Post in the Fifties. Grace‘s documentary photographs provide a fascinating insight into the far-off world recorded in the pages of the late publication. The next exhibition will be David Ravey: Striking Poses 24 Feb—22
58 The List 9- 22 February 1990