Scottish Art Events and Exhibitions: April 2023
Major new solo exhibitions by Alberta Whittle, Jasleen Kaur and Zineb Sidera open across Scotland this April – here are the details
At Dundee Contemporary Arts, Zineb Sidera’s Can’t You See the Sea Changing? (29 Apr-6 Aug) marks the French-Algerian artist’s first public UK presentation in 12 years. The exhibition will consider the sea as a recurring motif of the historical and contemporary conditions of transnational trade, identity and migrant consciousness.
In Edinburgh, Collective presents Sebastián Díaz Morales’ film Smashing Monuments (until 11 Jun), first commissioned for documenta fifteen in 2022. Excitingly, this is the UK premiere of the film, which will invite visitors to consider the monuments that tower above the city’s civic spaces. Also at Collective, Matty Rimmer’s Pet Rock (until 18 May) uses sculpture to explore symbols of wealth and status through the phenomenon of corporate aquariums.
Uprooted Visions at Edinburgh Printmakers (2 Apr-2 Jul), is the culmination of a three year Creative Europe-funded project hosted by five European printmaking studios. Exhibiting artists include Najma Abukar, Aqsa Arif and Shatha Altowai. There will be a symposium at the Scottish Storytelling Centre reflecting on the themes present in the exhibition on 2 April.
Create Dangerously, a major solo exhibition of Alberta Whittle’s work, opens on 1 April at the Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art. Fresh from representing Scotland at the Venice Biennale in 2022, the artist’s values of radical compassion and collective care sit at the centre of the show, which explores histories of anti-Blackness, the transatlantic slave trade and the climate crisis.
At Glasgow Print Studio, artistic duo Two Step (formed of Glasgow-based Beth Shapeero and Fraser Taylor) will fill the first floor gallery with their signature playful and dynamic large scale screenprints (7 Apr-20 May).
At Tramway, Jasleen Kaur, who grew up a stone’s throw from the gallery in Glasgow’s Southside, fills the main gallery space with Alter Altar (31 Mar-8 Oct) her installation of kinetic sculptures, composed of objects with personal and cultural significance.
Iota, in Glasgow’s West End, opens a two-week exhibition of Glasgow-based painters Jamie Limond and Samuel O’Donnell. Titled Homage to those green things where I found you, the show will be open from 15-29 April.