This Week in Scottish Art: 16-23 Aug
Across Dundee, Edinburgh and Glasgow, this week sees exhibition talks and events on sculpture, videogames as art, and the still life genre, while the Edinburgh Art Festival continues...
Tue 16 Aug: Audio art at Trinity Apse
It's the last chance to take part in Edinburgh Art Festival artist Olivia Webb's audio installation. Tonight's free choral workshop is the last of the five she's coordinated this month; all are welcome, and no previous singing experience is necessary. Register for free here.
Wed 17 Aug: EAF talks and Film Club
Celebrating their latest show Our Andrew of the Flowers, Embassy host the EAF Film Club this Wednesday night. Exhibitor Andrew Black has chosen films from international contemporary queer artists for the event – read more on Black's show, and his fears about the associations of the solo show format, in his interview from this month's issue. Wednesday's event takes place between 8.30-9.30pm in the gallery, and is free; booking necessary.
From 6-8pm in Talbot Rice Gallery, there's an event that takes inspiration from the current exhibition by 20th century American portraitist Alice Neel. Face Value sees participants invited to bring a photo of someone who has inspired them (whether friend, family, famous celeb or otherwise), and take the floor for five minutes to describe their chosen person. Take part as speaker or spectator, there's no obligation to present. Free booking here via Eventbrite.
Thu 18 Aug: Art Late, Six Foot Gallery and DCA
On Thursday, Six Foot Gallery present work by artist Daniel Donnelly. Titled Gravitational Geometry, Donnelly combines different portraits of influential artists, writers and philosophies, with other works based in geometrical patterns. Between 6-8pm, there's the preview event; the exhibition continues until 31 August.
Alterntatively, head to Edinburgh for the third of the Art Festival's Art Late nights. This week, meet at the Fruitmarket gallery at 5.45pm; the programme includes artist talks and a performance at the Edinburgh Art Festival Kiosk, then music to conclude at the Scottish National Portrait Gallery, finishing at 10pm. Ticket's are £8.87/£6.25 (in total, and that includes booking fee); book here, and complimentary drinks are part of the price of the ticket.
Up in Dundee, Emilie Reed aka Net.Gal discusses the latest pair of exhibitions in DCA – by games designer Theresa Duncan and contemporary artist and videogame maker Eddo Stern – from 7pm. Net.Gal is a PhD student based in Dundee and will speak "about art, technology, games, museums, and the spaces where they end up intersecting." Free tickets available here.
Fri 19 Aug: New exhibitions in Edinburgh & Glasgow
If you're free this Friday morning (and Friday 2 September) The Common Guild are holding engagement workshops from 9.30-1pm, led by theatre designer Kate Temple. As well as getting into the issues of the exhibition, attendees that can make both workshops will also be invited to attend the performance by current exhibitor Simon Starling at Holmwood House in South Glasgow on one of the evenings between 26-28 August. Email engagement@thecommonguild.org.uk or phone 0141 428 3022.
Later in the day in Edinburgh at 6pm, Arusha Gallery launch a new publication for Kirsty Whiten's Wronger Rites, which documents real and imagined rituals. An exhibition of the original artwork from the book will also be taking place from 20-28 Aug; on Thursday there will be drinks, books for sale and a performance.
Also from 6-9pm in Edinburgh, there's the opening for group show Bonkers! at Whitespace Gallery. Five Edinburgh-based contemporary artists look to the benefits of going "bonkers" as a remedy for "repetitionism, the banal ... [and] dystopias on loop".
Over on Leith Walk, artist-run collective Place + Platform hold the preview for P+P from 7-9.30pm. For this, ten national and international artists have created new art work from a 30x30x30 cardboard box, using installation, animation, painting and object-making. And from 7pm til late, the Number Shop host Goulash Step 4. For the penultimate event in their series of 5 exhibitions, studio residents Molly McEwan and Nathan Anthony address "themes of anxiety and material anxiety".
Sat 20 Aug: The Saltire Society & Goethe-Institut
This Saturday at 12-1pm in the Saltire Society, EAF headliner Roderick Buchanan discusses his recent video installation in St Patrick's Church, titled Understanding versus Sympathy. His work's often an exploration of identity formation, particularly within Scotland, looking towards issue like sectarianism. On Saturday, he'll be in conversation with Dr Maria-Daniella Dick, Lecturer in Irish and Scottish Literature and the University of Glasgow. Book your spot here.
In Glagow, from 3pm in Goethe-Institut, there is an event by The Common Guild as part of its programme of events for Simon Starling's current exhibition and upcoming performance next week. Dr Eveyln Silber from Glasgow University's History of Art department contextualises some of work on display with reference to sculptor Henri Gaudier-Brzeska. Free tickets are available here.
Sun 21 Aug: Daniel Miller at Rhubaba
Ending this art week at 3-5pm, Rhubaba host a conversation with anthropologist Daniel Miller. He's talking as part of their EAF group show, and the event will take place within the space of current exhibition Still Life with Flying Objects. He'll be considering "how focusing on material culture can help us to illuminate how objects shape various social, cultural and natural worlds and vice versa."