MIXED SHOW MODERN WOMEN Scottish National Portrait Gallery, until Sun 13 Feb, 000
Queen Wctoria heads this flock of modern women selected from the SNGP collection. She was a rare bird in her time, mother of nine and empress of the realm tor a mammoth 64 years. Notable exceptions aside, the females of her era were generally oppressed and so the portraits here begin after her reign with factory workers snapped by GP Lewis in Glasgow in 1918. These sub propaganda documentary-style black and whites portray long-skirted ranks polishing granite and shovelling sugar with a uniform expression of strength. It’s a rousing bunch, climaxing with a trio of rope workers in bare feet.
The factory floor snaps stop there and the hang moves on quickly to portraits of the great and the good, paintings and photographs celebrating individual successes. Suffragette and education improver Flora Stevenson takes up prime position in oils among the early movers and shakers; designer and painter Jessie M King sits in a small, arty photo among a gallery of artists, and while further on Una McLean finds herself smiling with a bevy of
actors with Scottish hearts.
In the convention of portraiture, the subject is often
VIDEO AND DIGITAL ART VIRTUAL MIGRANTS: TERMINAL FRONTIERS
Street Level Photoworks. Glasgow, until Sat 2 Oct 0000
You might think you‘re a liberal. You might think that you know that it is indiyidtials With complicated. Often traumatic stories who tom the statistics bandied about by politicians and the media — aSyILIm seekers down. Illegal Immigrants up. I did. But the IIISICIIOLIS.
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Terminal Frontiers brilliantl challenges this. Waging gentle war against the barrage Of mISInlOi‘matIOii and fear- mongering. digital art-works return humanity to where yOu'd not even realised it had been lost. Keith Piper's interactive w0rk Delete I‘i/here Appr0priate: Local Stranger asks you to reply to a series of questions about your identity In the City. The computers
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Tilda Swinton by John Byrne
more important than the art. Nevertheless, an artist with a
keen eye for his or her poser makes a difference. Charismatic portraits such as the one by John Byrne of his flaming partner Tilda Swinton stand proud of the more conventional creations - Alexander Fraser paints folk singer Jean Redpath in a best dress pose that almost mirrors Flora Stevenson several decades back across the room in her Victorian silks. Victoria Crowe’s penetrating portrayal of psychotherapist Dr Winifred Rushforth, and the scampish scowl on the face of writer Naomi Mitchison courtesy of Percy Wyndham Lewis are also highlights.
It’s a hotch potch, though edifying gathering, meriting multiple visits. Collected around vocation and period, this show might be improved by adding key information such as occupation up front for those who don't have time to read the lengthy, albeit illuminating blurbs. In the absence of any leaflet at all, orientation would then be clearer.
And who’s missing, ask the curators at the end? Inevitany there will be a clamour to name stars like Evelyn Glennie who are not yet included, but perhaps spare a thought for the extraordinary ordinary working women of today? In this selection, the factory photos of 1918 are
among the most intriguing. More of them too please.
(Alice Bain)
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Gossip, chat and rumour from the gallery floor
Tall Danish tales
EYES UP: THIS 8M TALL
Giraffe is taking up residency in Edinburgh's New Town. Danish artist Bernhard Lipsoe has brought the 3.5 tonne metal beast from a Copenhagen harbour to watch over the Danish Cultural Institute, Doune Terrace, as part of the exhibition Dancing with Bulls. Giraffe has been driven across France and up from London to find his new home. His only request is that the New Towners treat him well. But, of course.
NEW OPPORTUNITIES AT TI It EmbaSSy Galleny. Proposals; are iiiyited for an artist in residence programme. But n” Ben, from Saturday l8 October to Friday 2t; November. The five week residean will include the use of a self- contained room, EIOOO towards IIVing, travel and working expenses. Accommodation is also proyided and the stint culminates in a three week solo show. Bargain. GLASGOW’S MERCHANT CITY will be dotted with artists working on site-specific new works as commissioned by E m e r g e d D under the title [occupied]. They will be occupying ‘orphaned spaces’ such as vacant shop fronts and corridors around King Street and Trongate as part of the Merchant City Festival, Wednesday 22—Monday 27 September (see City Life for more information).
THE ANNUAL ART COMPETITION. introduced in 1904 by Glasgow MUSBLIms. is celebrating its centenary. This IdeallSiiC initiat'le was intended to "encourage young artists and familiarise them Willi the CIVIC COIIGCIIOIIS'. Today the sentiment hasn't changed too and this year's exhibition :3 on show from Thursday 16 September at Scotland Street School Museum.