ART PREVIEW
_ Day tripping
Caroline Ednie put on her 3D specs, wandered into some weird scenarios then discovered another side of Castlemilk at the Collins Gallery.
The House of Salomon was a vision described by Francis Bacon (the philosopher. that is) in his book ‘New Atlantis'. it spoke of an all encompassing museum and gallery which embraced arts and sciences and where works could be as much experienced as looked at. Three and a half centuries later this idea forms the = basis of an exhibition by two young Scottish artists now showing at the Collins Gallery.
On first sight Salomon 's House looks , more like a day out at the shows than an art exhibition as there is a sensory bombardment of mirrors. machines. buttons. doors. and 3D Kettles. All this. i am informed by artist Gordon Cookson, is intended to be as much fun as it looks. Two Rooms in Which to Take Time to Reflect (Further) by Cookson. are two way mirrored rooms which not only explore the artist's ponderings on voyeurism and vanity,
but also provides a ‘playful. interactive experience'. The result is a kind of Cocteau with buttons.
Elsewhere there is an experiment with
3D photography which reconstructs. near life size. a room which wouldn‘t
look out of place in Twin Peaks. With the help of 3D specs — which seem for some reason to have disappeared from popular culture. presumably after reaching their zenith with the seminal Jaws 3D — a bad trip can be had by all. This idea oftechnological surrealism
. or ‘virtual-unreality‘ is further explored
I in some of the photographs by Nancy
. McFarlane also currently showing at
the Collins. MeFarlane has been
_ photographer in residence in Castlemilk for the past year and has produced and encouraged a line body of work.
Poison Rainbow Cur-min a photograph
‘ which seems to be the embodiment of calm. is. as the title suggests. a lot more
. unsettling in its implications. Similarly. Angel. which is a slightly unnerving portrait with the subtext ‘An -‘
Salomon’s House by George Cookson and Roger Moiiet
’ shows a real willingness to explore and
within the often too sacred entity ofart.
Notes are at the Collins Gallery until
Angel with a secret for Christmas' is a lot more ‘Salem's Lot‘ than Santa Claus.
Overall. the strength of the work displayed in the exhibition is that it
embrace the possibilities of technology There is still a long way to go. but these prototypes do appear to have potential.
Salomon 's House and People are
20 November
_ Romantic roamings
Many oi Britain’s most important publishing houses have their roots in 19th century Scotland. At the time, this led to a growth in the engraving industry as small businesses sprung up to provide images for books. William Miller, an engraver, set up his workshop in 1821 at the start at what was to become a printing boom in the capital. ills speciality was providing luxurious images after some oi the most iamous landscape artists oi the day. These would end up in what was the Victorian answer to the cotiee table book.
Editions such as An Antiquarian and
Picturesq e Tour around the South
a... w . s s.
Coast, provided the public with a view
oi the British countryside without actually having to get their shoes wet. ; Such images as the Views of Greece,
after ll. VI. William, formed a romantic travelogue oi the lands oi the
mm;
University of Edinburgh, Old College, South Bridge, Edinburgh EH8 9YL. Tel. 031 650 221] JAKE HARVEY Sculpture 1972 - 93
2 October - 30 October
FRED POLLOCK Recent Paintings 6 November - 4 December
3 Tuesday - Saturday 10am 1- 5pm . Admission Free ‘. Subsidised by the Scottish Arts Council
-_.
“s i j couple of contemporary Arcadians
‘ancients’. This led a iascination which the Scottish were particularly prone to, judging by the evidence of Edinburgh’s own numerous versions oi the Parthenon.
Views oi the Scottish landscape show it as a icon oi northern Arcadia;
Scottish photography
selected from Class of ’93
iills
()l’liN TUIiS T0 SAT '1 1AM —- 5.30l’lVl
a wilderness into which the railways had not yet penetrated. But the |
23 Oct - 20 Nov
tamiliar Arcadian shepherd in Kildrummie Castle in Mar wears the obligatory tartan cloak and Tam O’Shanter in place of a toga. The Banks oi noon, trom illustrations to . The Land of Burns, again shows a
beneath a ruined castle looking out
; over the glistening water towards a 3 Greek temple — of Venus no doubt .
Despite these rather naive flights of iancy it was Millers great skill to evoke with his intricate pattern at tiny : grey lines, the stunning etlects oi ' light, space and atmosphere. It was this talent which made him one oi the
; most highly sought after engravers oi
the time and which led Turner to 7; describe him as the best. (Anne
ilamlyn)
The Engraver’s Eye is at The City Arts Centre, Edinburgh until 11 Dec.
Otrll [99 ISO HOHnflNIOS 133815 H9|H SOl
66 The List 22 October-4 November I993