Ian Hamilton Finlay (1925 - 2006)
- © The Estate of Ian Hamilton Finlay
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Sailing Dinghy
Ian Hamilton Finlay
- © The Estate of Ian Hamilton Finlay
Scottish Art
Artist Rooms
- Themes: Text & Language
- Tags: Installation - Words
Ian Hamilton Finlay
Sailing Dinghy1996On Display | TATE BRITAIN
Boats and the sea were central themes throughout Finlay’s career. 'Sailing Dinghy' comprises a clinker-built, sailing boat, which the artist himself sailed, installed alongside a short poem painted onto the wall. The dinghy’s bow, sails, rudder and stern are labelled with numbers referenced in the poem. The poem’s simple phrases evoke the power and movement of the vessel, encouraging the viewer to make a mental voyage from gallery to sea. The now static and landlocked vessel provides a contrast to this flight of imagination with its stillness and physical presence.
Details
- Accession no. AR00021
- Medium Boat, poem and wall texts
- Size 620.00 x 440.00 x 140.00 cm
- Credit ARTIST ROOMS National Galleries of Scotland and Tate. Acquired jointly through The d'Offay Donation with assistance from the National Heritage Memorial Fund and The Art Fund 2008
Ian Hamilton Finlay (Scottish, 1925 - 2006)
Finlay was born in the Bahamas to Scottish parents, who returned to Scotland when he was a child. He attended Glasgow School of Art for a brief period but began his career as a writer of 'concrete poetry'. Finlay's work investigates the power of images and symbols, particularly those associated with militarism, politics, classicism and nature. Creating an analogy between war and the forces of Nature, he highlighted the thin line that exists between creation and destruction, order and disorder, culture and chaos. His art presents a challenging and often complex fusion of poetry, graphic design and sculpture. In 1966 Finlay moved to a farmhouse in the Pentland Hills, south of Edinburgh, where he created a sculpture garden called Little Sparta to display his artworks in a natural setting.
Glossary Open
Classicism
A general term for art and architecture based on ancient Greek and Roman culture.
Symbolism
The representation of subjects or ideas by use of a device or motif to create underlying meaning. A literary and artistic movement that originated in France and spread through much of Europe in the late 19th century. There was no consistent style but rather an appeal to the idea of the artist as mystic or visionary and the desire to express a world beyond superficial appearances.