HANOVER-FINE-ARTS

3 SUMMER FESTIVAL EXHIBITION 2* A mixed exhibition by over 70 gallery artists from around Scotland and abroad inc. Brazil, China, Italy, Spain, USA and the USSR Mon 12th Aug - Mon 2nd Sept 1991

Gallery Hours: Mon-Fri 10.30-6; Sat 10-4

22A DUNDAS STREET - EDINBURGH EH3 61N TELEPHONE 031-556 218,1

azteea

To dojustlce to our wide range of Mexican tiles and wash basins, to which we have added a unique range of rustic Mexican

furniture, we have recently opened extensive showrooms at S the Grassmarket tel. 229 9368.

At 16 Victoria Street tel. 031 226 6695 you ' will find an even wider range of jewellery, clothes and small items from Latin America.

Azteca - 15 years direct trade with dozens of .' family workshops in Latin \mcrica.

1 ARTHUR TRESS Fish Tank Sonata P, .2

PORTFOLIO gallery

7'" ALGI'S'I‘ - 7'" SEPTEMBER I99] MONDAY - SA'I'I'RDAY l 1.00 o 3.31) 13 (I.\T\‘I)I.E.\l.-\KEII ROW EDINBI‘IIGII 'I‘EI. s F\\ lliil 220 l‘)ll

Exhibition sponsored by Tayburn

ll ‘tiluiilisrcl by the Scottish \rts (lnutiril artrl (lily of Edinburgh III-lrirt Lurinth

L____,._.. _-.

FESTIVAL

George Wyllie installing Pentangle Plus Spire

Pentagonale Plus at the Richard Demarco Gallery until 1 September. Proposed by Gianni de Michelis, the Italian Minister of Foreign Affairs, the original ‘Pentagonale‘ project sought to unite the cultural lives of five

countries previously divided by the Iron

Curtain. In Pentagonale Plus, Richard Demarco has invited artists from the original live - Italy, Hungary, Austria, Yugoslavia and Czechoslovakia as well as from Romania, Poland, Bulgaria and Scotland, to represent theirworks under one banner.

While we can only marvel at Demarco’s ambition and integrity, Pentagonale Plus, like many of his

shows, demonstrates a definite split between intentions and results. While

he literally has ‘the best will in the world’, his enthusiasm to cram so much diverse work into such a small

" , space makes itdifficultfortheviewer

. to interpret any of the work at all. Either

Pentagonale Plus’ attempt to show a

little bit of everything is truly

‘democratic‘, or it is an experience in

' confusion akin to being a tourist at a jumble sale. Either way, the ecclectic

nature of Pentagonale Plus actually defeats the value of the work on show,

and this is a great pity, since there are

works by artists here that are worthy of much more attention, particularly the etchings and aquatints oi Valerio Adami, the window work by Terry Newman and the altered images of

Rudolph Fila.

If we are to be able to value cultural difference, we must be able to participate in that culture in some

: complete way. Just as a postcard from another country is not a cultural experience in itself, so individual

artworks or small selections too easily

become ‘curiosities'. Pluralitylorits

own sake can lead to indifference,

3 rather than to an appreciation of

E cultural differences, and Demarco‘s

5 show creates a sameness through too much difference, giving an experience ,

of fragmentation and distraction rather §

- than coherence. The show presents

isolated statements rather than any palpable dialogue. If a pan-European dialogue exists, it is between the artists and Demarco and not between the works and the viewer. Inevitany

correspondences, his friendships, his hopes, and his frustration with the

the show is about Demarco himself, his

Scottish art world. Pentagonale Plus is ; essentially a documentation of

Demarco‘s past achievements, in his role as a catalyst between artists from 3 different countries. (Ewan Morrison)

artists and stage designers.

; I ITALIAN INSTITUTE 82 Nicolson Street.

: 668 2232. Mon—Fri lllam—Spmtclosed

1—3pm)

3 Eugenio Carmi L'ntil 27 Sept. Watercolours . and aquatints.

I NATIONAL LIBRARY OF SCOTLAND

George I\' Bridge 226-1531. Mon—Fri 9.30am— 8.30pm: Sat 9.3llam—5pm: Sun

2-5pnr

The Italian Scots L'ntil 31 ()ct. Coinciding with the launch of NLS's new archive on the history of Italian Scots. this exhibition looks at Italians‘ relationship with Scotland. from their arrival here in the 19th century when many families created catering businesses now famous in Scotland to the problems they faced when. on the outbreak of World War II. they were classified as ‘enemy aliens‘ and on to their reviving fortunesand contribution to modern society.

I QUEEN'S I'IALL Clerk Street. 668 3456.

Mon—Sat 10am—5pm (later when a performance is on); Sun noon—late.

A Russian Renaissance L‘niil 31 Aug. Ceramics and works in a variety ofmedia. including traditional Soviet techniques. as well as fine. hand-painted Russian dolls and lacquerwork eggs from the Tatar city of Kazan.

I RICHARD DEMARCO GALLERY Blackl‘riars Church. Blackfriars Street (off

High Street). 557 0707. Mon—Sat 11am—6pm.

Pentagonale Plus tintil 31 Aug. Inspired by the Italian government's ‘pentagonalc‘ political. economic and cultural policy ‘- which aimed to sweeten relations betwecr Italy. Yugoslavia. Ilungary. Attstria and Czechoslovakia this ambitious and imaginative exhibition celebrates 25 years ofthe Demarco Gallery and of hisartistic links with Eastern Europe. It is alsothc

last exhibition before the gallery‘s closure.

I ROYAL BOTANIC GARDEN lnverleith Row. 552 7171. Mon—Sat 9am--sunset; Sun llam—sunset. Cafe. [1)].

Margaret Stones: Flora of Louisana Cut“ 8 Sept. £2 (£1 ) children free. Botanical paintings from a fourteen-year project to illustrate all the native plants ofl.ouisiana. Admission free until It) Aug.

Herman de Vries Until to Nov. £2 (£1)

children free. First Scottish exhibition by a

German artist who makes art from natural materials.

Living in a Rainforest lintil 13 Dec. A Borneo-style forest house reconstructed in the Botanics' Exhibition Ilall and Vanishing Paradise photographs taken in the Venezuelan rainforest by George Bernard and Stephen Dalton.

I ROYAL MUSEUM OF SCOTLAND Chambers Street. 225 7534. Mon—Sat

58 The ListT6— 22 August 1991