What's On Scotland 13-20 Feb: RSA New Contemporaries & more
It's a big week for art fans all over Scotland, with the return of RSA New Contemporaries, SPECTRA and GENERATORprojects' Annual Members' Show. Plus, Pride Plays is back at Traverse and take your pick of Valentine's Day clubnights
The RSA’s annual New Contemporaries exhibition may land slightly earlier this year, but that doesn't mean any scrimping on quality.
As always, the exhibition will showcase the work of 62 graduates selected from the 2019 degree shows, featuring an array of artforms and artistic practices, including painting, sculpture, filmmaking, photography, printmaking, installation, performance and architecture. The exhibition will also be accompanied by a full colour publication, with many works available for purchase.
Some of this year's highlights include paintings by Jasmine Regmi stemming from research into the Indian miniature and the treatment of young girls in Nepal, Ruby Pluhar's photographs documenting her friend and collaborator Ella set against backdrops of Scottish landscapes, and Katherine Fay Allan's installation and performance, the rest of us, we just go gardening, inspired by a phrase found in the work of a neurosurgeon.
HMLTD
Opium, Edinburgh. 15 Feb, 7pm
HMLTD's journey so far has been nothing short of turbulent. Two years ago they were making a serious impression for their raucous live shows before a fraught record deal with Sony derailed their progress. Fortunately they made it out the other side, and onto indie label Lucky Number to release their debut album, The West Is Dead. Image: Sarah Piantadosi
Kindness
CCA, Glasgow. 18 Feb, 7pm
If you aren’t aware of Adam Bainbridge’s solo output as Kindness, you’ll probably be aware of some of their collaborative work with the likes of Solange, Blood Orange, Kelela and Robyn. Bainbridge’s latest solo offering, Something Like a War, features further collaborations with some of those artists, as well as Seinabo Sey and Jazmine Sullivan. Image: Michele Yong
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GENERATORprojects Annual Members' Show
GENERATOR Projects, Dundee. Until 1 Mar
Dundee-based artist-run initiative GENERATORprojects' Annual Members' Show exists to showcase the important and varied work being completed by its membership. This year's exhibition includes works selected via submission by the likes of Elizabeth Ann Day, Jo Hanning, Rhiannon Dawn Dewar and Yawen Fu. Image: ImpKid, oil on canvas (2019) by Jo Hanning
SPECTRA
Various venues, Aberdeen. 13-16 Feb
Ok, so we’re all pretty sick of the dark and cold winter nights by now, but Scotland’s leading light art festival SPECTRA returns this week to brighten things up. The artworks are all free to see – so you can’t keep dragging out that ‘skint after Christmas’ excuse – and will appear in various venues around Aberdeen's city centre. Image: Cyma {Fos} by Yiannis Kranidiotis
Pride Plays
Traverse Theatre, Edinburgh. 14-15 Feb, 7pm
Pride Plays puts LGBTQI+ voices in the spotlight, as part of LGBT History Month Scotland. Taking place over two evenings, two plays will be performed per night followed by a post-show discussion. The first night features plays by Natalie McGrath and Katie Gartlan-Close, while the second night sees plays by Gabriella Sloss and JD Stewart. Image: A Rom Com (Pride Plays, rehearsal, 2019) by Stephanie Allard
Suitable Women: Films of Female Friendship Vol. 3
CCA, Glasgow. 15 Feb, 1pm
Pity Party Film Club returns to the CCA to celebrate on-screen depictions of female friendship in Suitable Women: Films of Female Friendship Vol. 3. This time around the selected films include Mike Leigh’s 1997 film Career Girls, the Toni Collette and Lisa Kudrow-starring Clockwatchers, Sean Baker’s brilliant iPhone-shot comedy Tangerine and Ridley Scott’s classic girl’s road trip movie Thelma & Louise (pictured).
HEALTHY: object blue and LSDXOXO
The Berkeley Suite, Glasgow. 14 Feb, 11pm
Two of the most excitings DJs around, object blue and LSDXOXO will provide the perfect, sweaty soundtrack to your Valentine’s Day in Glasgow, courtesy of HEALTHY. Tokyo-born, London-based object blue and New York-based LSDXOXO are very different DJs in many ways but what links them is their ability to consistently excite club crowds with their thrilling, energy-packed sets. Image: Kasia Zacharko
FLY: Eclair Fifi
Cabaret Voltaire, Edinburgh. 14 Feb, 11pm
If you're looking for a V-Day basement rave in Edinburgh, Cab Vol's your go-to. Returning to Scotland after five years living in London, Edinburgh-born DJ Eclair Fifi is kicking off 2020 with residencies in both Edinburgh and Glasgow. She continues her ongoing residency at FLY tomorrow night before beginning a new residency at Sub Club on 6 March. Image: Noémie Reijnen
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