Festival Visual Art list.co.uk/festival
REVIEW PLAN B Nuanced and arresting marriage of text and image ●●●●●
One of the most immediately arresting images of the Edinburgh Art Festival, photographer Norman McBeath’s black and white of a sculpture of Apollo swathed in smothering polythene, stands to represent a unique collaboration between this artist and Pulitzer Prize-winning poet Paul Muldoon. Classical and contemporary, incidental and loaded, this strong image characterises the works of both artists in this successful pairing. The only photograph to take a direct cue from the lines of the Irish poet, this communion of word and image is otherwise based on indirect allusion – a series of revelatory connections, lovingly referred to by Muldoon as ‘grunts, grimaces and grins’ of recognition.
Essentially an exploded publication, Plan B strangely works as an exhibition. Situated at the Scottish Poetry Library, McBeath’s fine-grained prints are hung and supported at eye-level atop various bookshelves and tables, while Muldoon’s verse sits underneath, beside or nearby. It’s a bizarre and cluttered mish mash, but it clicks. The exhibition provokes a studious contemplation of image, while inspiring a slippery approach to word, thus reversing the attention that would normally be given to a book of poetry. In doing so, this exhibition, which some may argue is simply a lavish presentation by Enitharmon Press, actually goes further in subverting the language of artistic display than many other exhibitions for whom subversion is a key concern, not a peripheral effect.
A theme familiar to poet and photographer, life’s blunders and
contingencies form a loose basis for the works in this collection. Feelings of alienation and disjuncture come to the fore in McBeath’s images of overgrown ruins and misplaced classical relics, while Muldoon’s wide- ranging tales present a searching range of artistic references which adds a sense of longing to the overall effect. Evincing a more personal tone than seen before, a couple of Muldoon’s works deal with lost love and a dry humour slips in. Juxtaposing stark, lonely image ‘Settee’ with poem ‘The Water Cooler’, which chronicles an affair soured by workplace ‘introverts and carpoolers’ typifies the resonant relationship found here. Although seemingly straightforward, this is a nuanced and unendingly interesting exhibition. (Rosalie Doubal) ■ Scottish Poetry Library, 557 2876, until 4 Sep (not Sun), free.
REVIEW PERENNIAL ART: A DRAWBACK Exploring the art of drawing in a calm environment ●●●●●
This European collective is intent on raising the profile of the oft-overlooked art of drawing. Perennial Art’s second exhibition in the Scottish capital draws on influences ranging from the darkly surreal to 20th century board games, and their space at the Art’s Complex offers a calm blank canvas for these delicate and often intricate works, allowing them to be viewed without distraction. Despite the careful use of the space, there is the sense of a lack of
representation of some of the exhibitors – for example Michael Kirkham’s ‘Mr ectoplasm descends the staircase’ is a tantalising, yet frustrating glimpse into this artist’s world. Luckily, there is a wealth of material from the innovative Sara Bomans who has created a number of otherworldly characters based on her younger brother’s inventions using stitched human hair to create the drawn line. The discarded body matter provokes a mix of curiosity and revulsion. Other works of note come from Dutch artist Marcel van Eeden’s dark storytelling in ‘3 appearances’, and two new offerings from Edinburgh resident Fiona Michie. It could be that the sparseness of the show is a deliberate attempt to leave the public wanting more, rather than an over-saturation of the space, though there is a great deal to see and appreciate. Perennial Art’s diverse grouping may not always feel cohesive, but the level of skill and inventiveness of the contributors is clear and present. (Miriam Sturdee) ■ Art’s Complex, 0777 080 0482, until 5 Sep (not Mon/Tue), free.
54 THE LIST 26 Aug–9 Sep 2010
REVIEW VICTORIA CROWE: REFLECTION Rich but congested series of studies of Venice ●●●●●
With so many shows in the Edinburgh Art Festival rigorously analysing the capital itself, Victoria Crowe’s show ‘Reflection’ offers an incongruous but welcome vacation from this theme. Instead of following the trends of site specificity or channelling the theatrical spirit that permeates the current climate of Edinburgh into her work, Crowe opts for a study of Venice, plundering its alternate history as inspiration for her subject matter and technique. Her canvases are rich montages of images, comprising disparate art-historical
symbols such as Gothic arches, Latin script and figures so archaically represented you assume they have been sketched from a Renaissance sculpture. The colore application of oils and warm palette of burnt sienna, occasionally cooled by bright cerulean blue, also points to knowledge of Venetian Masters, strengthening Crowe’s association to the city further.
Odd then that the show takes place at the Scottish Gallery and unfortunate too as, although the irony of name could be brushed off, the unsympathetic presentation of the work simply cannot. Reflection is far too congested and it becomes impossible to consume one painting without another irrelevantly placed piece accidentally creeping into the periphery. The overall harmony of the new works prevents this from disrupting the show too much, but it also exposes the main agenda of the gallery: to sell as much work as possible regardless of curation. With so many red stickers next to the pieces it is unlikely to be re-hung any time soon. (Rachael Cloughton) ■ The Scottish Gallery, 558 1200, until 4 Sep (not Sun), free.