FESTIVAL VISUAL ART LIST.CO.UK/FESTIVAL
S E E E D I N B U R G H F E S T I - V A L . L I S T . C O . U K F O R M O R E
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ART Beat
JOCK MCFADYEN What was the first exhibi- tion you went to see? My grandfather used to take me to Kelvingrove when I was a boy and he showed me the Salvador Dali crucifixion and the blasphe- my of the viewer looking down on the head of Christ. What was your first paid job as an artist? Artists don’t have jobs but the first painting I sold was to the Pop artist Allen Jones in 1974 for £100.
What kind of music do you listen to while you’re work- ing? My wife Susie has been in the Mekons since 1983 and has another band called Little Sparta. I usually start off with Little Sparta then work my way through Mekons, Purcell, early Dylan, Handel, Merle Haggard, Patsy Cline, Bach cello, vintage rock and soul etc. etc.
What are the best things about opening nights? Having dinner afterwards and gossiping about the people. Do you read reviews of your work? Through fingers.
Which living artist should be better known than they currently are? Boyle Family are hardly obscure but they form up as an artist of great conse- quence and I don’t believe their significance has been widely enough acknowledged. What has been your career highlight to date? Showing at Bourne Fine Art in the 2012 Edinburgh Art Festival of course.
What is your favorite work of art? No artist can have a single favourite but I am fond of that Winifred Nicholson with the blue gate and I think Damien Hirsts ‘Let’s eat outdoors this evening’ is a world beater. What advice would you give to your younger self? Five years ago my wife Susie and I started the nomadic Grey Gallery. Working with other art- ists is really exciting and I wish I had done it years ago. ■ Jock McFadyen: The Ability to Cling, Bourne Fine Art, 557 4050, until 1 Sep (not Sun), free.
✽ HITLIST JOHN BELLANY AT 70 Five decades’ worth of paintings, watercolours, prints and drawings from one of Scotland’s most influential artists. ■ Open Eye Gallery, 557 1020, 13 Aug–22 Sep (not Sun), free.
Anthony Schrag: Tourist in Residence A series of participatory walking tours around the capital from the Scottish-based performative artist. Edinburgh Art Festival Pavilion, 11, 13, 17, 19, 25, 29, 2–4pm.
Ian Hamilton Finlay Beautifully laid- out and thoughtfully curated overview of work by the late artist, poet and avant- gardener who created Little Sparta. See review, page 88. Ingleby Gallery, 556 4441, until 27 Oct, free. Van Gogh to Kandinsky: Symbolist Landscape in Europe 1880-1910 Paintings created during a key period of change in Europe. National Galleries of Scotland, 624 6200, until 14 Oct, £10 (£7).
Picasso and Modern British Art Work by the greatest artist of the 20th century and the UK artists he influenced. See review, page 87. Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art One, 624 6200, until 4 Nov, £10 (£7).
Jock McFadyen: The Ability to Cling Retrospective, Susan Philipsz: Timeline The Turner Prize winner
Carolee Schneemann The renowned and highly
including work from his time as Artist in Residence at the National Gallery in London. See Artbeat, right. Bourne Fine Art, 557 4050, until 1 Sep (not Sun), free.
unveils a series of typically haunting sound sculptures across the city, inspired by the familiar noise of the one o’clock gun. Various venues, until 2 Sep, free. influential US artist explores gender, the body and sexuality in new and existing installation and photographic work. Summerhall, 560 1590, until 27 Sep, free.
86 THE LIST 9–16 Aug 2012