Exhibitions at the National Galleries of Scotland

Two Horizons - 28th February to 19th July 2009

National Galleries of Scotland — 2009-02-03 00:00:00

Two Horizons brings the works of some of the most interesting international artists to Scotland for the very first time. With challenging juxtapositions, humorous observations, and surprising new discoveries, it presents a unique chance to explore recent developments in contemporary art. This display marks an exciting collaboration between the Gallery of Modern Art and the London and Berlin-based collections, of Charles Asprey and Alexander Schröder. These complementary collections contain many fine examples of works by artists that the National Galleries of Scotland have been interested in showing for some time.

ARTIST ROOMS - 14th March to 8th November 2009

National Galleries of Scotland — 2009-03-13 00:00:00

In the opening ARTIST ROOMS display at the National Galleries of Scotland, see work by Vija Celmins, Ellen Gallagher, Damien Hirst, Alex Katz, Andy Warhol and Francesca Woodman.

Alive with Innovations - 28th March to 27th September 2009

National Galleries of Scotland — 2009-05-07 00:00:00

Eduardo Paolozzi was one of the most influential British artists of the 20th Century. His seminal contributions to sculpture, printmaking and collage established his position at the forefront of the post-war avant-garde. Comprising of rough, brutalistic sculptures, energetic drawings and Paolozzi's radical collages of commercial material, this display brings together highlights of the artist's fresh, exciting and rebellious work of the 1950s.

Robert Adam's Landscape Fantasies - 25th April to 2nd August 2009

National Galleries of Scotland — 2009-02-18 00:00:00

Robert Adam is perhaps best known for his designs for architecture and interiors. His landscape studies are a comparatively lesser known aspect of his work, drawn by Adam not for exhibition or for patrons but for relaxation during his leisure hours. These personal sketches feature magnificent castles perched on high rocks, winding roads and towering waterfalls. The buildings and topography often take as their reference points the landscape and architecture of Adam's native Scotland, but are mostly entirely imagined. The overall sense of these carefully composed picturesque landscapes is one of "great spirit, beauty and effect". This exhibition will include more than 30 landscape watercolour and pen drawings by Robert Adam and by his sketching partners Paul Sandby and John Clerk of Eldin.

Raphael to Renoir - 5th June to 6th September 2009

National Galleries of Scotland — 2009-06-10 00:00:00

A rare opportunity to view outstanding examples of European drawings spanning some 500 years, from the Italian Renaissance to late nineteenth-century France. From the private collection of Jean Bonna.

Art Competition for Schools 2009 - 12th June to 31st August 2009

National Galleries of Scotland — 2009-06-24 00:00:00

Don't miss seeing the work of the young budding artists of the future. This hugely successful competition, with nearly 6000 entries in 2009, is now in its sixth year. The exhibition features the 53 winning works of 2009 from nursery, primary, secondary and special education schools all over Scotland. An accompanying calendar will be on sale from late autumn.

Paul & Nusch Eluard and Surrealism - 27th June to 27th September 2009

National Galleries of Scotland — 2009-05-18 00:00:00

The surrealist poet Paul Eluard (1895-1952) published over seventy books of poetry and prose. For Eluard painting and poetry were intimately linked, and it was his custom to collaborate with artist friends such as Max Ernst, Man Ray and Pablo Picasso in the production of numerous publications. From 1924-38 he was a key figure in the Surrealist Group in Paris. In 1930 Eluard met Maria Benz, known as Nusch (1906-1946) a muse and model for Man Ray and for Picasso, and married her in 1934. She inspired some of Eluard's most tender love poems. Roland Penrose first met Eluard in Paris in 1929; they were introduced by Max Ernst. Their friendship, which lasted until Eluard's death, is well documented in the Gallery's Penrose archive. The display highlights this friendship through letters and photographs. Also included in the display are Eluard's many book collaborations, together with his collages and works from his art collection, purchased by Penrose in 1938.

The Discovery of Spain - 18th July to 11th October 2009

National Galleries of Scotland — 2009-06-11 00:00:00

A spectacular celebration of Spanish culture, as seen through the eyes of British artists and art collectors, will be the highlight of the National Galleries of Scotland exhibition programme during the 2009 Edinburgh Festival.

Rough Cut Nation - 7th to 30th August 2009

National Galleries of Scotland — 2009-07-03 00:00:00

This unique multimedia project draws together a group of young artists from around Scotland to create a dramatic collaborative installation. For the Edinburgh Festival they will construct a remixed version of Scottish history as informed by street art and graffiti culture, painted, pasted and projected directly onto the walls of the Portrait Gallery. The project updates William Hole's original decorative mural scheme of 1889-1898, depicting important events from Scotland's past. This new installation exploits the empty space produced by the Gallery's current closure for redevelopment. Rough Cut Nation will feature artwork and designs from Elph, Fraser Gray, Kirsty Whiten, Mike Inglis, Peter Martin, Jason Nelson, DUFI, Machism, Paco, Jo Basford, Janie Nicoll and Skint. The project will also feature artwork produced by young people working with Rough Cut artists on offsite projects. Check out the Rough Cut Nation exhibition coordinator Richie Cumming's recent post in the Heads Up blog of the Portrait of the Nation project.

The Enlightenments - 7th August to 27th September 2009

National Galleries of Scotland — 2009-07-02 00:00:00

The 2009 Edinburgh International Festival takes as its inspiration the 18th-century Scottish Enlightenment. The Festival's Visual Arts programme, The Enlightenments, consists of a series of individual projects, commissions and installations in various locations across Edinburgh. This exhibition at the Dean Gallery will present a group of displays by acclaimed international contemporary artists. Tacita Dean's film Presentation Sisters documents the daily routines and rituals of the last remaining members of a small ecclesiastical community. Edinburgh Drawing: Chatter Shapes by Greg Creek features Edinburgh's architecture and landmarks interspersed with scatological notations, doodles, dreams and invented prose. Gabrielle de Vietri's Hark! greets visitors as they arrive at the Gallery; singers relate the news, horoscopes, stock exchange information and current affairs of the day. dread, Joshua Mosley's digital film of animated clay figures, presents a fictional encounter between Rousseau and Pascal. Lee Mingwei’s The Letter Writing Project invites visitors to write the letters they have always meant to write. Nathan Coley will also present a new work for The Enlightenments. Other venues presenting The Enlightenments include The University of Edinburgh's Talbot Rice Gallery and Collective Gallery.