Own Art: The Scottish Gallery

Feature | 06 Feb 2015

Originally established in 1842 by Aitken Dott as 'Gilders, Framers and Artists’ Colourmen', The Scottish Gallery also exhibited and sold work by the leading Scottish artists of the day. They continue to do that to this today in their current location at 16 Dundas Street, Edinburgh, which they have occupied since 1992. The gallery offers a solid platform for contemporary art and 20th Century Scottish artists, holding monthly exhibitions of fine art. They've also acquired something of an international reputation for applied art – the gallery does not have a narrowly defined exhibition policy, preferring instead to be a broad church to continue the tradition of what they regard as the many golden eras through their long history.

What this means is balancing a programme of exhibitions of living artists with those of historical note. Contemporary artist Victoria Crowe's Edinburgh Art Festival exhibition Real and Reflected was well received, and described by the gallery as "an astonishing and powerful collection of work." On the more historical end of the scale are shows such as Golden Years which highlighted the careers of Robert Colquhoun and Robert MacBryde. This opened in November 2014, conveniently coinciding with the opening of The Two Roberts which is currently on display at the Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art, Edinburgh.

This month brings a landmark in the Gallery’s 173 year history as they hold their first contemporary photography exhibition, Selected Works by David Eustace. This exhibition is a particular cause for celebration as it is a double first – The Scottish Gallery’s first photography exhibition and the first time that David Eustace’s work has been made available to the Scottish public in the flesh. Originally from Glasgow, Eustace has come a long way since leaving school at 16. Since graduating from Napier's photography department as a mature student, David Eustace has gone on to become a name synonymous with celebrity portraiture. His list of commissions reads like a who's who of contemporary talent, ranging from Tracy Emin to Radiohead via Sir Norman Foster and Sir Peter Blake. A survey of his work will be on display in the Dundas St gallery from 4 February, and this will also represent the first time his work has been made available to the public for sale. Conveniently enough, the gallery also operates the Own Art scheme, offering a great way for avid collectors, or first time buyers to invest in art work and to start building a collection.


More from The Skinny:


interview: david eustace discusses his selected works exhibition at the scottish gallery

reviews: the skinny dissects the latest happenings in the world of art

http://scottish-gallery.co.uk/