Art listings
In our regular column, a team of mystery artists give their thoughts on the current art scene.
COWBOY ART Words: Artbug A
Glasgow's miles wetter, so perhaps it’s no surprise to find that the latest exhibition at the Tramway is called Greysca/e/CMYK. Devised by the Nordic Institute of Contemporary Art in association with Network North Visual Arts. this exhibition loosely exists as two parallel exhibitions which separates work according to their essential chromatic properties - whether they have been made in black and white or colour.
The catalogue helpfully informs us that this is 'obviously a tenuous framework for an exhibition but one that hopefully avoids stereotypes and could therefore work in any context'. So that's the excuses over with.
In addition and in response to the ‘tenuous framework'. architects OCEANNORTH were asked to design ‘an ambitious architectural solution' to house the exhibition in the notoriously difficult Tramway space. and it is here that the problem starts.
The catalogue shows a clean virtual reality design by the architects of how the Tramway space should look filled with huge black and white forms acting as housing for the artworks. It looks impressive. though rather disturbingly reminds you of early designs for the new Scottish Parliament. But on paper the whole thing looks 'tenuously' interesting.
Unfortunately the reality is something quite different. The smooth black curves and clean white lines of the computer design actually look like they’ve been constructed by cowboy builders. What should be a pleasant stroll through ele ant black and white channels 0 ering unusual perspectives on the artworks becomes an annoying exercise in noticing how shoddy the very structure that is supposed to tie the exhibition together is constructed.
There are black stands for black cloths badly stretched over huge curved frames and white stands for cracked. bumpy boxes constructed from MDF full of Polyfilla -ed holes and scuff marks.
It is a shame that such an ambitious and interesting project has been let down at the last hurdle by such bad workmanship. There is good stuff here despite the shoddy construction - it's just a shame that the lightweight Beck’s Futures exhibition concurrently running at the CCA offers a more pleasurable outing with its clean white spaces and unambitious approach to displaying the work. My advice is do go to the Tramway. but only after dark when hopefully the sins of the cowboys are less prevalent. I If you have any comments, email react@list.co.uk
ARTISTS on
92 THE LIST 19 Sep—3 Oct 2002
City, Gallery or Museum, Show
5 fionesr ARTS
9 West Port. 22l ()237. Daily noon 7pm. Developing Limbs l'ntil Tue 24 Sep. Sculpture. video. installation. music and travel combine in this installation of work by eight artists of different backgrounds. The culmination of a two- month residency at Forest. artists include Mikel Krummins. Aaron .‘vlcCloskey. Ailie Rutherford. Fiona Scroggi. Tessa Smith. Erica Stanga. Alun Thomas and Mary Trodden.
Hiya Fri 27 Sep Wed 16 ()ct. An exhibition of photographic images by Paul Vickers in association with the Dawn of the Replicants‘ cd release. NEW SHOW.
FRUITMARKET GALLERY
45 Market Street. 225 2383. Mon Sat
1 lam 5.30pm; Sun noon 5pm.
0 Hiroshi Sugimoto - The Architecture of Time lfntil Sat 21 Sep. £3 (£l.5()). A two-venue exhibition presenting the work of the internationally acclaimed Japanese photographer lliroshi Sugimoto. Based in New York. and known for this photographic series of empty movie theatres. museum dioramas and waxworks. Sugimoto turns his lens to icons of 2()th century architecture in Architectures ( 1997- l; the world‘s oceans in Seascapes ( 1990-). (on show at Stills) and Pilli’il't’t'S (2002). a one-off production used for a Noh theatre piece. LAST CHANCE TO SEE.
GOLD
Gallery & Shop. 77 Dundas Street. 556 3l59. Mon—Fri l()am 6pm; Sat 10am—5pm.
Figurativer Speaking t'ntil Fri 4
Oct. Figurative paintings by a selection
5 of artists in conjunction with a range of
applied arts including wood sculpture. bronze and glass.
HABITAT
32 Shandwick Place. 225 ()l5l. Mon—Wed & Fri 9am 5.30pm; Tue 9.3()am—5.3()pm; Thu 9am~7pmz Sat 7—6pm; Sun ll.3()am 5.30pm. Michael Craik: New Paintings Until Thu 17 Oct. New paintings by Michael Craik sourced from his abstract architectural photographs.
HANOVER FINE ARTS
22a Dundas Street. 556 2l8 l. Mon Fri 11am—6pm; Sat 10.30am 5pm.
Fiona Stevenson and Kate PhIIp Until Sat 12 ()ct. Regular gallery exhibitors Fiona Stevenson and Kate Philp present oil and watercolour landscapes of Scotland. Stevenson focuses on gardens and landscapes of the west coast while Philp captures iiast Lothian and the Dordogne in watercolour.
HOWIES
29 Waterloo Place. 556 5766. Daily noon—2.30pm & 6—l()pm.
Revolution Diner Until Sun 2‘) Sep. New York-based Scottish artist Rory Donaldson presents an installation of work which utilises the curved walls and windows of the space. comprising line
drawings and complex embroidery I works.
THE HUB
Castlehill. Royal Mile. 473 2()()(). Daily 9.30am—10pm.
Edinburgh international Festival: Surrogate Cities Exhibition Fri 20 Sep—Sun 6 Oct. in this EIF secondary schools project. through text and photographs. pupils explored the phenomenon of the city and who they are in relation to their urban environment.
I2 66 Cumberland Street. 558 9872. Mon—Fri 10am-6pm; Sat l()am—4pm.
William Scott 1913-1989 L'ntil Sat 2| Sep. Prints and lithographs by the (ireenock born artist William Scott 1913- 198‘) in a celebration of his work. Influenced by abstract expressionism. Scott produced compositions of simple forms and areas of flat colours producin ' a sense of space.
Leslie merville: Decipher Sat 28 Sep Mon l4 ()ct. New abstract paintings by lidinburgh College of Art graduate. Leslie Somerville. in this his third solo show. NEW SHOW.
INGLEBY GALLERY
6 Carlton Terrace. 556 4-1-1]. Wed-Sat
10am 5pm.
0 Jon Schueler Sat 28 Sep Sat 2 Nov. To celebrate the publication of Jun .S't‘ltlu'lt’l'.‘ to the North. the first monograph devoted to the life and work of the American abstract expressionist. Jon Schueler. an exhibition of paintings focusing on work produced in the 70s when he arrived to live and work in Scotland. NEW SHOW.
INSTITUT FRANCAIS D’ECOSSE
13 Randolph Crescent. 225 5366.
Mon Fri 1).3()am~6.30pm; Sat <).3()am- l2.3()pm.
Encore Wed 25 Sep (Wed 2 ()ct. In collaboration with the Edinburgh Sculpture Workshop. video and paintings by Philomene Paimparay and Dale Rowe as part of a series of exhibitions previously shown in .\'imes as part of the 2002 Biennale of Contemporary Art. NEW SHOW.
LEITH GALLERY
65 The Shore. Leith. 553 5255. Tue Fri l lain-5pm; Sat l lam 4pm.
James Somerville t'ntil Sat 21 Sep. Paintings by James Somerville. Sol Y Sombra tintil Sat 2| Sep. Landscape paintings of Scotland and Spain by James Somerville and Alistair W. Thomson.
Louis McNalIy Sat 28 Sep- Sat l2 ()ct. New paintings by Louis McNally. plus a selection of works by Kirst Whiten. NEW SHOW.
MATTHEW ARCHITECTURE
GALLERY
1 University of Edinburgh. 2() Chambers . Street. 650 2342. Daily 9.30am 5pm.
‘ Eric Parry Architects: an Eye
for the Whole Until Fri I8 ()ct. A photographic exhibition of projects by London-based practice iiric Parry Architects whose work includes the artists‘ studios for Antony (iormley and the Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park Hotel Spa.
MERZ 87 Broughton Street. 558 8778.
Wed- Sat noon--6pm.
Mixed Exhibition Until Nov. A
i changing selection of work by 20th
‘ century artists including works by Pat 3 l)outhwaite. David Hosie. Steven
Hood. Fred Deakin. June Redfern.
Marcos Martinez. Keith Vaughan. Henry Kondracki and (ieoff Roper.
NATIONAL GALLERY OF MODERN ART
Belford Road. 62-1 62()() (recorded information 332 2266). Mon Sat l()am- 5pm; Sun noon—5pm. Cafe. New: Recent Acquisitions of Contemporary British Art Until Sun l7 Nov. Free. The gallery shows off its recent acquisitions of contemporary British art which includes Douglas (iordon‘s List of Names. plus works by Callum lnnes. Damien Hirst. David Shrigley. Christine Borland. Chad McCall. Victoria Morton. Julian ()pie and many
Warhol to Koons: International Contemporary Art In a Private Collection Until early
2003. An exhibition of works on long- term loan including Andy Warhol. lid Ruscha. Jeff Koons. Bill Viola and (iilbert and (ieorge.
NATIONAL GALLERY OF SCOTLAND
The Mound. 62-1 62()() (recorded information 332 2266). Mon-Sat 10am—5pm; Sun noon 5pm.
Horses for Courses: George Stubbs in Focus l'ntil Sun 2‘) Sep. A small display of paintings by the linglish sporting artist (ieorgc Stubbs (I724 -l8()6) including the gallery‘s first acquisition. The .‘vlur‘quess of Rocking/mm 's‘ Arabian Stu/lion Led by u (imam a! ( 'rr’sm'll ( rugs. Martinique Landscape, 1887 by Paul Gauguin Fri 27 Sep. l2.-i5pm. Frances Fowle discusses (iauguin’s painting.
NATIONAL LIBRARY OF SCOTLAND
(ieorge IV Bridge. 226 4531. Mon Sat 10am 5pm; Sun 25pm.
This Book Belongs to Me t'ntil Thu 31 ()ct. iixplore the exciting and colourful world of children‘s books from the original 17th century Tom Thumb to the latest Harry Potter blockbuster.
NATIONAL PORTRAIT GALLERY Queen Street. 624 62()() (recorded information 332 2266). Mon Sat
10am 5pm; Sun noon- 5pm. Cafe. Scots in Film: Portraits by Donald MacLelIan t'ntil Sun 13 ()ct. Around 3() works by leading portrait photographer. Donald MacLelIan whose first exhibition Black Power was shown at the National Portrait (iallery in London in 1998. For this exhibition. MacLelIan has turned his lens on Scottish film stars. snapping Robbie Coltrane. Alan Cumming. Tilda Swinton. Billy Connolly. Robert Carlyle. l)ougray Scott and many others.
The Golfers by Charles Lees lfntiI Sun l3 Oct. The most celebrated image of Scotland‘s national sport. the recently acquired painting by Charles Lees. goes on display.
Social Reality in Hill and Adamson’s Photography Wed 2 ()ct. 12.45pm. Robin Baillie discusses the work of photographic pioneers. Hill and Adamson.
THE NEW STREET EXHIBITION SPACE
I4 New Street. 558 7604. Mon Sat
l lam-6.30pm. l’ntil late on Bongo Club nights.
American Pride: Fish Eye Portraits from San Francisco 8: California Wallflowers t‘ntil Sun 22 Sep. Photographic portraits from San Francisco‘s gay pride and Scottish slide projections by Liz Tainsh.
Encore Thu 26 Sep- Wed 2 ()ct. \"ideo work by Patricia Almeida and Tania Duarte and installation work from Pedro Fonseca as part of a series of exhibitions previously shown in Nimes as part of the 2002 Biennale of Contemporary Art.
OCEAN TERMINAL
Leith. 555 8888. Mon Fri l()am 8pm: Sat l()am 7pm; Sun llam 6pm. Encore Thu 26 Sep Wed 2 ()ct. Mixed media works by Duncan Bremncr. sculpture by Ricardo Dias. performance from Tomoya liguchi and installation by Alberto Placido. Duncan Robertson and Linda Roux as part of a series of exhibitions previously shown in Nimes as part of the 2002 Biennale of
Contemporary Art. NEW SHOW.
OPEN EYE GALLERY 75v 7‘) Cumberland Street. 557 l()2().
- Mon-Fri 10am 16pm: Sat 10am-4pm.
Iona: View from the Edge l'ntil Wed 25 Sep. New paintings by Sarah
Carrington. . Jennie Hale Until Wed 25 Sep. New jewellery.