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National Galleries of Scotland

Name: National Galleries of Scotland
Address: Scottish National Gallery The Mound, EH2 2EL, Edinburgh, EH12, GB
Telephone: +44 (0) 131 624 6200
Price range: £
Rating: 4.7

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Operating as usual

07/01/2023

A mentorship programme at the National Galleries of Scotland has given six West African women the opportunity to tell their unheard life stories through the medium of photography. 📷

Charting their individual physical, mental and spiritual journeys, a compelling selection of their photographs are on display in 'You Are Here' at the Scottish National Portrait Gallery until tomorrow.

Maureen used photography to explore her adjustment to high-rise living in Scotland.

She said:
"My project is about where I live, comparing it to where I lived before in my home country, Nigeria. I am trying to talk about how the experiences have been living in both places. I took pictures of the whole view of the building we are living in now. It is a high rise, so I make photographs of the staircase, the lifts, the views from the windows at different times of day. I try to take pictures from different angles, at different times—photographs of everything about the building, inside and outside—to let people know what it feels like to be where I live now."

06/01/2023

A mentorship programme at the National Galleries of Scotland has given six West African women the opportunity to tell their unheard life stories through the medium of photography. 📷

Charting their individual physical, mental and spiritual journeys, a compelling selection of their photographs are on display at the Scottish National Portrait Gallery until 8 January 2023.

Hannah captured her weight-loss journey through walking, which helped improve her mental wellbeing during the pandemic.

She said:
"When the Covid lockdown came I would always stand in my kitchen window looking at people exercising along a beach, close to where I live. Initially I was
struggling, but I was thinking about how to overcome boredom and
frustration resulting from staying indoors week after week. I became overweight and took a bold decision to start walking. On the first day I was so excited, exchanging greetings and smiles with the people I met. This began to help reduce a lot of stress and frustration affecting my life."

05/01/2023

A mentorship programme at the National Galleries of Scotland has given six West African women the opportunity to tell their unheard life stories through the medium of photography. 📷

Charting their individual physical, mental and spiritual journeys, a compelling selection of their photographs are on display at the Scottish National Portrait Gallery until 8 January 2023.

This is Grace's story.

An Evangelist from Nigeria, Grace captured her experience of preaching about Jesus in Edinburgh. This photograph captures her tambourine which she sometimes uses while preaching.

She said: "I go around the world preaching about Jesus Christ, telling people that Jesus loves everybody. He dies for us, he sets us free, and he has a plan for us. How you act, whether you choose to go to heaven or hell, depends on you. So it is best to accept Jesus and be in the promised land with him, where there will not be any sorrow or weeping, only joy and happiness in the end."

04/01/2023

A mentorship programme at the National Galleries of Scotland has given six West African women the opportunity to tell their unheard life stories through the medium of photography. 📷

Charting their individual physical, mental and spiritual journeys, a compelling selection of their photographs are on display at the Scottish National Portrait Gallery until 8 January 2023.

This is Nwanyi's story. Her photography project focused on her motivation and study towards the establishment of a law career in Scotland.

She said:
"Growing up in Nigeria and moving to Europe saw a change of career and studies for me and through the difficulties and challenges I faced, my passion and faith kept me sane. I see my career in Law as a service to my community and humanity by extension because it is only before the Law that we all are equal."

03/01/2023

How are you kick-starting 2023? Go into the new year supporting your galleries and celebrating Scotland’s art collection with our Friends membership, starting at £15 per year: bit.ly/3VgSXT5

View our range of benefits and utilise our Friends discount – 10% off in our gallery shops and online until 8 January – whilst you can!

'Friendship' by Samuel Shelley (1770-1808). William Finlay Watson Bequest 1881.

03/01/2023

A mentorship programme at the National Galleries of Scotland has given six West African women the opportunity to tell their unheard life stories through the medium of photography. 📷

Charting their individual physical, mental and spiritual journeys, a compelling selection of their photographs are on display in 'You Are Here' at the Scottish National Portrait Gallery until 8 January 2023.

Linda examined the challenges she overcame in learning how to drive, which was essential for her independence in Scotland.

She said: "I travelled here to Scotland to live alone with my kids and this was difficult for me, especially the weather: the rain, the cold, and everything. So it was a good idea for me to have a car and drive my kids as that would make things easier for me to move around. I had to learn to drive and pass my test. It took a long time, but at long last I passed my test in October 2019. Now I can go anywhere, and my kids are always warm."

02/01/2023

A mentorship programme at the National Galleries of Scotland has given six West African women the opportunity to tell their unheard life stories through the medium of photography. 📷

Charting their individual physical, mental and spiritual journeys, a compelling selection of their photographs are on display in 'You Are Here' at the Scottish National Portrait Gallery until 8 January 2023.

Designed to develop the group's skills and confidence, the mentorship programme involved using photography as a means of storytelling. Now settled in Scotland and residents of North Edinburgh, the mentees who took part chose a subject close to their heart to capture on camera. ❣️

Across the next six days, we'll be spotlighting their stories.

These photographs are part of Lovelin's project, titled 'Seven Years'.

Lovelin said:
"My project is about seven years of living in fear in the UK. The seven years refers to the time spent trying to regularise staying in the UK, with years of rejection and refusals from the Home Office. It was a series of applications and court orders that resulted in living in fear. My family and I finally got settled status in 2020."

01/01/2023

At the dawning of the New Year, we welcome the bright vitality of Joseph Mallord William Turner’s watercolours. Our doors are now open for Turner in January, a well-loved tradition in Edinburgh. The exhibition runs until the end of January at the Royal Scottish Academy: bit.ly/3FIjpiO

It may be chilly outside whilst waiting to enter the gallery so take care and wrap up warm! 🧤🧣

📷 Greg Macvean

01/01/2023

Happy New Year, everyone!! 🎆

This celebratory painting by Scottish Colourist John Duncan Fergusson depicts a beach resort on the Normandy coast. The artist's friend, Samuel Peploe, can be spotted left of centre, dressed in grey: bit.ly/3FVssya

John Duncan Fergusson Dieppe, 14 July 1905: Night 1905 © The Fergusson Gallery, Perth & Kinross Council. Bridgeman Images 2021.

30/12/2022

Here's your final of the year with ten more art trivia teasers to enjoy! https://bit.ly/3Q1vWmg

26/12/2022

It's sale time ⏰ !
Explore some great offers in our Boxing Day sale – from books and art prints to stylish silk scarves to jewellery and homewares.
Shop online now or in our gallery shops from 10am tomorrow bit.ly/3V1QfRy

25/12/2022

Merry Christmas 🎄

This beautiful painting by William Crozier titled 'Edinburgh in Snow' captures the view from Princes Street Gardens looking to the west from the Mound towards the castle.

William Crozier, 'Edinburgh in Snow', c. 1928. Presented by Miss Anna G. Blair in memory of Mr R.K. Blair, 1943

Find out more: bit.ly/3Wsmx9r

24/12/2022

We have a Christmas Eve treat for our enthusiasts. A fascinating blog, written by Quizmaster Patrick Elliott, telling us how the quiz came about 🎨, how he selects the questions and goes about putting it together.

Not long until your next quiz! It will be here on Friday 30 December

https://bit.ly/3jaPwQD

20/12/2022

Last orders! Today is the final call to click and collect orders in our gallery shops. Orders placed today can be collected until 3pm on Saturday 24 December: bit.ly/3jiafCe

17/12/2022

What object would you want to pass down to a future generation?

Inspired by our new exhibition 'Conserving Scotland's Art' we asked our colleagues to tell us about items that they would like to preserve for a loved one to look after in the future.

🎻 Our Compliance Manager, Kathryn Farrell, tells us about an instrument that is dear to her heart...

'The older the fiddle, the sweeter the tune. My violin and I have been together since I was 11 when we found it in an antiques shop in Fife.

Friends of mine went to ‘proper’ violin shops and tried out lots of different shiny new violins before they found one that suited them, and of which our teacher approved.

This one was the one for me. But it’s not perfect: it doesn’t have a maker’s label although is possibly around 130 years old. It is slightly over-sized, has a small and well-worn wooden chin rest and patchy varnish. It also has some unusual features such as an extra scroll and a double purfling.

It is the most gorgeous colour despite the scuffs. It came with a beautiful tailpiece inlaid with mother of pearl but, in order to keep playing it, I had to replace it with a modern one when the old tail loop snapped.

The tuning pegs and bridge became worn and have been updated too. But it is for playing, not displaying. It’s been with me in orchestras, ceilidh bands, fiddle groups, a theatre pit and even the opening of the Scottish Parliament. My daughter loves to pluck the strings and listen to its mellow tone. Maybe she’ll play ‘The Deil Amang the Tailors’ on it for me one day!'

Our new exhibition 'Conserving Scotland's Art' gives an insight into how our conservation colleagues preserve art, objects and cultural heritage. Come in and see some of the tools that they use in the studio. Why not write or draw a message about what conservation means to you, or let us know in the comments.

🔗: https://bit.ly/3GJlehM

16/12/2022

13/12/2022

We've acquired an exceptionally rare object! 🥳

This is a 16th c. album of Renaissance portraits attributed to the French painter Jean Clouet (1480–1541) and his fellow contemporaries. 📖

It's been placed on display at the Scottish National Portrait Gallery, with Madeline of France's portrait on show.

At just four years old, this is the youngest ever depiction of Madeline of France. She became Queen of Scots in 1537 when she married James V at 16 years old. Upon arriving in Scotland, she only lived for two months, hence why she is sometimes known as the “Summer Queen”.

Keeping and collecting drawings in albums was commonplace before the arrival of museums: many albums were subsequently broken up. This album is in remarkably good condition.

The album contains 31 drawings of the court of Francis I and 15 other portrait studies.✍️

Valued at over £2 million, this acquisition came to us via the Acceptance in Lieu scheme.

We're super excited for it to be in the collection because it is both fascinating in terms of French history and has strong links to Scotland.

12/12/2022

How's this for a splash of colour? If this painting could talk, we think it would shout "KAPOW"! 💥

The American abstract expressionist painter Helen Frankenthaler was born in 1928. Here's one of her vibrant paintings, titled 'Saturn', from 1963.

The painting is 264.2cm tall. Human for scale. 📏

Currently on display in Conversations with the Collection, this painting was created by pouring thinned down paint onto an unprimed canvas on the floor.

Although abstract, the areas of colour in in the painting call to mind a planetary landscape, as the title suggests. 🪐

© Helen Frankenthaler Saturn 1963 © Helen Frankenthaler Foundation, Inc. All Rights Reserved. ARS, New York and DACS, London 2022

Photograph: Neil Hanna.

11/12/2022

🎄 We have lots of fun, arty gifts that would make great stocking fillers. From colourful socks to pretty pin badges, pick something up in store or online 🧦 🎨 🎁 Order before 10am on Thursday 15 December for UK delivery.
https://bit.ly/3HkIQcD

03/12/2022

'The legacy of the movies is that my children's generation will show them to their children... So you could be watching it in 50 years time, easily... I'll not be here, sadly... but Hagrid will, yes.'

This portrait of Robbie Coltrane is now on display at the entrance of the Scottish National Portrait Gallery.

Born Anthony Robert McMillan in South Lanarkshire, he studied at Glasgow School of Art and the University of Edinburgh, before getting involved in theatre and stand-up comedy in his early twenties. It was then that he adopted his stage name. The much-loved actor was known for his roles in television shows such as Tutti Frutti and Cracker as well as the James Bond and Harry Potter film series.

This photograph was taken after Coltrane had appeared in the Bond movies but before the first Harry Potter film was released, so when he was posing for this portrait he did not know what lay ahead. In a 2004 interview, he was quoted as saying: ‘I knew it was going to be enormous […] but to be honest, I never thought it would be bigger than Bond. Never in a million years.’

This work is part of a series by Donald Maclellan for Empire magazine portraying Scottish actors whose careers were on the rise at the turn of the millennium. Sitters include Ewan Macgregor, Robert Carlyle and Tilda Swinton, among others.

📷 'Robbie Coltrane, 1950 - 2022. Actor' 2000, Donald Maclellan

30/11/2022

What would you preserve for a future generation?

Inspired by our new exhibition 'Conserving Scotland's Art' we have been thinking about what it means to restore and look after much-loved objects. We asked our colleagues to tell us about items that they've repaired. Shona Corner, our Photography & Licensing Manager told us about how she gave a cherished toy a new lease of life:

'During lockdown I cleaned up my husband's childhood teddy bear. It had been in storage in a plastic tub after a couple of house moves. 'Little Ted' is now kept in a glass fronted, shaded bookcase so he doesn't get too much light and is protected from dust. He's also my office mate while working from home 🙂

I used advice from Leith Toy Hospital, and it was very useful 🔗 : https://bit.ly/3FgJCWV

He was a bit dirty, worn in some places, and a little musty, I think he now looks a lot better for having had a good gentle clean.

It's important to keep him visible and well-kept to make us smile and continue remind us to be curious and playful. He's been my husband's wee pal for over 50 years and has survived being thrown out the window as a parachuter with a hankie on several occasions.'

Our new exhibition 'Conserving Scotland's Art' gives an insight into how our conservation colleagues preserve art, objects and cultural heritage. Come in and see some of the tools that they use in the studio. Why not write or draw a message about what conservation means to you, or let us know in the comments.

🔗: https://bit.ly/3GJlehM

29/11/2022

We were saddened to hear about the death of Doddie Weir this weekend.

This portrait shows Doddie in the Scottish Borders where he grew up, with the Eildon Hills near Melrose behind him.

In 2017 Weir was diagnosed with Motor Neuron Disease (MND). He set up the My Name’5 Doddie Foundation which raises funds to aid research into the causes of MND and makes grants to individuals suffering from MND to enable them to live as fulfilled a life as possible. In this portrait he wears one of his famous suits in the Doddie’5 Tartan.

The portrait is currently part of ' The Modern Portrait' exhibition at the Scottish National Portrait Gallery, and will be on display until Friday 6 January.

🖼️ 'Doddie Weir, OBE 1970 - 2022. Rugby Player' 2019, Gerard M Burns. © the Weir family and My Name'5 Doddie Foundation

28/11/2022

It's time to announce our upcoming exhibitions!

Get ready to welcome some big names into our Galleries including Grayson Perry, Alberta Whittle and Do Ho Suh. We'll also be celebrating printmaking, photography and taking a peek into the conservation studio:

🎉 Next summer we will be showing the largest-ever exhibition of Grayson Perry’s work, covering his 40-year career. Come and see the work one of the country's most celebrated artists and cultural figures at the Royal Scottish Academy

🇧🇧 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 'Alberta Whittle: create dangerously' opens at Modern One in spring 2023. The largest showing of the Barbadian-Scottish artist's work to date, this immersive exhibition addresses the brutality of colonialism and racism through a lens of compassion and collective care.

🏡 Do Ho Suh is one of the world’s leading contemporary artists - he creates engaging and immersive artworks that ask questions about home and identity. We're delighted to announce his first solo exhibition in Scotland at Modern One.

👩‍🎨 'Rembrandt to Rego: The Printmaker’s Art' celebrates the print pioneers who have made their mark in the last 500 years. Discover how artists have pushed the boundaries in both subject and technique through screen printing, etching, engraving and more.

📷 The Taylor Wessing Photographic Portrait Prize makes a welcome return to the Scottish National Portrait Gallery. A truly global affair, it showcases the very best in contemporary photography, including the winner of this year’s prize, Clémentine Schneidermann.

🏙️ 'Making Space: Photographs of Architecture' celebrates the connection between people and the spaces they exist in. The free exhibition at the Scottish National Portrait Gallery explores a diverse range of photographic styles, formats and processes dating from the 1840s to the present day.

🖼️ See behind the scenes in a display at the Scottish National Gallery. 'Conserving Scotland's Art' gives a taste of how our conservation colleagues preserve art, objects and cultural heritage. Open until April 2023.

🌍 Young people across Scotland have been discovering a whole new world of creative possibilities. 'Your Art World' showcases some fantastic pieces of art from a nationwide project of the same name, supported by the players of the People's Postcode Lottery.

💧 Begin the year with 'Turner in January' at the Royal Scottish Academy. Our famous collection of Turner watercolours are only displayed in the month of January, when light levels are at the lowest.

🔗 Head to our website to get the full picture: https://bit.ly/3OGcWZQ

📷 credits :
Grayson Perry by Annar Bjørgli / The National Museum of Norway.
Alberta Whittle by Matthew A Williams
Do Ho Suh by Daniel Dorsa

Address

Scottish National Gallery The Mound, EH2 2EL
Edinburgh
EH12

Opening Hours

Monday	10am - 5pm
Tuesday	10am - 5pm
Wednesday	10am - 6pm
Thursday	10am - 7pm
Friday	10am - 5pm
Saturday	10am - 5pm
Sunday	10am - 5pm

Telephone

+44 (0) 131 624 6200

Website

http://www.nationalgalleries.org/

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Videos

We're both shaken AND stirred! 🍸 Discover fascinating stories about the tastemakers who helped form Scotland’s collection of Impressionist art at our exhibition #TasteForImpressionism.

Trailer 'Inside Art: Alberta Whittle at Venice Biennale' Mon 26 Sep, 7pm, Sky Arts

Take a trip to Italy with Sky Arts... This Monday 'Inside Art: Alberta Whittle at Venice Biennale' will be screened on the free-to-view channel at 7pm. Presenter Kate Bryan joins Alberta at the 2022 festival where she is representing Scotland. 📺 Mon 26 Sep, 7pm, Sky Arts.

Her Majesty The Queen visits the Scottish National Gallery, 1956

We join the nation in expressing our sorrow at the death of Her Majesty The Queen and we send our deepest condolences to The Royal Family. "A much admired and respected figure at home and internationally, The Queen ruled for longer than any other monarch in British history. She dedicated a lifetime of service to her role, which included supporting many hundreds of charities and voluntary organisations. She will also be remembered by those who were closest to her, as a wife, a mother and grandmother." Benny Higgins, Chairman of the Board of Trustees, National Galleries of Scotland Scotland played a special part in The Queen’s life. We were pleased to welcome her to our Galleries on many occasions during her reign. Her first visit as Monarch was back in in 1956 when she came to the Scottish National Gallery with HRH Prince Philip, a moment you can experience in the archive film shared here. We are proud to hold in Scotland’s national collection many works depicting The Queen, and we will soon put one of these on display at the Scottish National Portrait Gallery. Our flags will fly at half-mast today as a mark of respect, and we will open books of condolence at each of our Galleries to allow our visitors to share their thoughts. Our galleries will close on the day of the funeral.

British Sign Language (BSL) tour of A Taste for Impressionism

Want to know what to expect when visiting our new exhibition 'A Taste for Impressionism'? Presented by Trudi Collier, this short film in British Sign Language (BSL) introduces the exhibition. For more BSL resources visit: https://www.nationalgalleries.org/learn/british-sign-language We look forward to seeing you soon 👋 ☺️

A Taste for Impressionism - Women Collectors

Some fascinating women were significant collectors of modern French art. Our new exhibition features works collected by the 'First Lady of Fleet Street', Rachel Beer and Evelyn Fleming. Professor Frances Fowle offers a swift insight into their lives and art collections. 'A Taste for Impressionism | Modern French Art from Millet to Matisse' is now open at the Royal Scottish Academy. Find out how visionary Scottish collectors like Rachel and Evelyn helped shape Scotland’s national collection. Book your tickets: www.nationalgalleries.org/impressionism

Van Gogh self-portrait discovered by National Galleries of Scotland

We have made a truly incredible discovery. A previously unknown self-portrait by Vincent van Gogh has been found in our collection. Yes, you read that right. The mysterious image was revealed in an x-ray taken when we examined our Van Gogh painting 'Head of a Peasant Woman' for our upcoming exhibition A Taste for Impressionism. Hidden from view for over a century, the self-portrait is on the back of the canvas with 'Head of a Peasant Woman' and covered by layers of glue and cardboard. The x-ray shows a bearded sitter in a brimmed hat with a neckerchief loosely tied at the throat. He fixes the viewer with an intense stare, the right side of his face in shadow and his left ear clearly visible. You'll be able to see this amazing x-ray image in a specially crafted lightbox at the centre of A Taste for Impressionism. We can't wait to share this once-in-a-lifetime discovery with you all. 🎟️ Ticket bookings: https://bit.ly/3LjuXuB

FAB Family Art Baskets at the Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art

Our FAB Family Art Baskets have proved to be very popular! If you fancy coming along, take a look at the dates available and book your space now. It's on every day of the summer holidays and is FREE! Watch our video to give you a flavour of what to expect on your visit. We can’t wait to welcome you! 🧺 Book your basket https://www.nationalgalleries.org/FAB

British Sign Language (BSL) tour of the Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art (Modern Two)

Trudi Collier presents a British Sign Language (BSL) tour of the Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art (Modern Two), letting you know what to expect from your visit.

British Sign Language (BSL) Tour of the Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art (Modern One)

Trudi Collier presents a British Sign Language (BSL) tour of the Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art (Modern One), letting you know what to expect from your visit.

Barbara Hepworth | Art & Life - Smartify Audio Tour

A SMARTIFY audio tour is now available for visitors to 'Barbara Hepworth | Art & Life'. The narrated tour has thirteen stops and includes interviews with Curator Eleanor Clayton of the Hepworth, Wakefield and Conservator Laura Davies. There is also archive audio of the artist speaking. 🔊 Find out more: https://bit.ly/39G6sdf The exhibition runs at the Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art (Modern Two) Until Sun 2 oct 2022.

British Sign Language (BSL) video – Welcome to the Scottish National Portrait Gallery

For #DeafAwarenessWeek we want to share some of the resources that we have for our Deaf visitors. Trudi Collier presents a British Sign Language (BSL) tour of the Scottish National Portrait Gallery, letting you know what to expect from your visit.

Interview with Mahtab Hussain | You Get Me?

Who do you see? In an an interview with curator Louise Pearson, Mahtab Hussain discusses some of the themes of his series 'You Get Me?', which is an exploration of identity, representation and masculinity in British Asian men. 🔊 Head to our website to listen to the interview (transcript available): https://bit.ly/3Lp7OH0 Mahtab's work is part of our new free exhibition 'Counted: Scotland’s Census 2022' which is open now at the Scottish National Portrait Gallery. In the year of Scotland’s census, the Scottish National Portrait Gallery is exploring who lives in Scotland today. The exhibition will explore many facets of Scotland's identity including religion, occupation, health, ethnicity and how these inform who we are.

Brian Cox - Meet Me at the Museum (the Art Fund podcast)

We're starstruck! Brian Cox came to the Scottish National Gallery to record the first episode of the new series of Art Fund’s podcast #MeetMeAtTheMuseum. He and fellow actor Ava Hickey explored some of the most iconic paintings in Scotland’s art collection, met the Monarch of the Glen, and discussed their shared experiences of making creative work during the pandemic. Join them on a tour of some ICONIC works in our collection: https://podfollow.com/mmatm

Queer Art: Where is the Queer Joy?

"For any minority, to see yourself depicted in culture is so important, and it makes you feel like you exist, and that you matter" 💗 The third and final film in our 'Not Seeing Straight' series asks: where is Art's Queer Joy? 🔎🌈✨ Too often we dwell on the negatives of history's LGBTQ+ artists, dark stories, pain, and repression. We have like Keith Haring, who sadly died of AIDS, Basquiat, who died of drug abuse. Not just in the visual arts but across different art forms. But look closer and queer joy can be found, sometimes explicit, but sometimes in the abstract. Flowers, landscapes, colours and domestic scenes. So how do we find and illuminate this work? And why is it so important that we do? In this new series of three films, Not Seeing Straight: Celebrating Queer Art and Lives, we LGBTQ+ explore artists and their artworks. Since legal changes have in recent decades made the lives of queer people more open and free, so too has the art produced by LGBTQ plus artists. The world of queer arts opened up, becoming bolder, louder and more mainstream. Narrated by Afton Moran Produced by National Galleries of Scotland and HeeHaw

Who was Flora Macdonald? Scotland's trailblazers, legends, creators and innovators

Scottish history buffs may have seen a familiar face in this week's episode of Outlander as Flora Macdonald arrived in North Carolina. Flora Macdonald (1722-1790) courageously helped Bonnie Prince Charlie escape ‘over the sea to Skye’, a story that is one of Scotland’s most enduring legends. After Prince Charlie’s disastrous defeat at the Battle of Culloden in 1746, he was on the run from the British Army and hiding in the Hebrides. Flora took a huge personal risk in concealing him as her maid ‘Betty Burke’ and helping him evade the British, before eventually reaching the safety of France. But what happened to Flora after this? This film looks at Flora’s heroic act, as well as her own attempt to start a new life in North Carolina amid the looming threat of war.

Find Your Surreal

“Surrealism is destructive, but it destroys only what it considers to be shackles limiting our vision.” ― Salvador Dali Over the last six months, students on the MScR Collections and Curating Practices programme at The University of Edinburgh have been developing a website for our Surrealist collections. The project looks at how Surrealism and 'the strange' continues to influence us today. Want to know what links the Surrealists and The Beatles? Or create your own dream journal? We invite you to #FindYourSurreal and enjoy exploring the themes of this fascinating movement: https://www.nationalgalleries.org/art-and-artists/features/find-your-surreal

Our new podcast with Marie Harnett details her astonishingly intricate pencil drawings, and how her time at Edinburgh College of Art at the University of Edinburgh influenced her practice. The works are currently on display at the Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art (Modern 1) as part of #OurNewArrivals. Listen to the podcast 🔊 (Transcript available): https://www.nationalgalleries.org/art-and-artists/features/new-arrivals-podcast-marie-harnett

Music at National Galleries of Scotland | Maxwell/Lightbody/Smith - Springtime Jazz Recital

"Summertime and the living is easy" Looking ahead to sunnier times, we present Maxwell/Lightbody/Smith performing a Springtime Jazz Recital in the Scottish National Gallery. Recorded with David Roberts’ glorious Rome Sunset as a backdrop, join Glasgow-based jazz trio Maxwell/Lightbody/Smith for a short set of jazz classics including DeSylva and Kern’s 1919 show tune Look for the Silver Lining, and George Gerwin’s enduring classic Summertime (1935). Head to our website for the full concert: https://www.nationalgalleries.org/art-and-artists/features/music-national-galleries-scotland-live-music-now Produced with Live Music Now Scotland

Music at National Galleries of Scotland | Sophie Rocks - Harp Recital

Recorded in the splendour of our 'Rococo to Revolution' gallery at the Scottish National Gallery, Sophie Rocks - Harpist plays a set responding to the breadth of Scottish and European eighteenth and nineteenth century history represented in the artworks in the room. Made with Live Music Now Scotland. Watch the performance in full: https://www.nationalgalleries.org/art-and-artists/features/music-national-galleries-scotland-live-music-now

The Queer Code: Secret Languages of LGBTQ+ Art

Explore the visual symbols and language used by LGBTQ+ artists and communities to suggest hidden identities. Oscar Wilde and his circle famously wore a green carnation as a signifier of their identities. These flowers are just one example of the many visual symbols throughout history, which hinted at secret sexualities and identities that had been hidden. So what other coded symbols can we find in the history of queer art? How did today's artist reference and re-use them? And how have hidden symbols transitioned to a wider and more expressive queer visual language?

The Hidden Histories of Queer Art

Explore rediscovered LGBTQ+ artists with us as we delve into archives and collections to celebrate queer art. These artists have always existed, but art histories have predominately been told from a perspective that often suppressed their identities. This film examines the work and lives of artists including Duncan Grant, Claude Cahun, Joan Eardley, Anne Lister, and George Platt Lynes, among others

Trailer - Not Seeing Straight: Celebrating Queer Art

🏳️‍🌈 It's LGBTQ+ History Month! We're excited to share a new series of films celebrating queer joy. In this new series of three films, 'Not Seeing Straight: Celebrating Queer Art and Lives', we explore artists and their artworks. What can we learn about queer artists from archives and material out of public view? Is there such a thing as a queer aesthetic? What signs and symbols have queer artists used to suggest their feelings and identities? Watch the trailer now! 🌈 The first film 'The Hidden Histories of Queer Art' is now available to watch in full on our YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gtIbsAaEW_Y&t=7s Explore rediscovered LGBTQ+ artists with us as we delve into archives and collections to celebrate queer art. These artists have always existed, but art histories have predominately been told from a perspective that often suppressed their identities. This film examines the work and lives of artists including Duncan Grant, Claude Cahun, Joan Eardley, Anne Lister, and George Platt Lynes, among others.

Music at the Galleries | Siannie Moodie : Celtic Revival in the Scottish National Gallery

Responding to the Celtic Revival artworks on display, Siannie Moodie plays a selection of traditional Scottish and Irish Gaelic tunes arranged for clàrsach. The Celtic Revival was a multidisciplinary movement in Britain and Europe in the late nineteenth and early twentieth century. Created with Live Music Now Scotland Watch the performance in full: https://www.nationalgalleries.org/art-and-artists/features/music-national-galleries-scotland-live-music-now

Vox Duo | Christmas Concert at the Scottish National Portrait Gallery

For anyone in need of some festive cheer 🎄🌟 Soprano Karla Grant, mezzo soprano Julia Solomon and pianist Michał Gajzler performed a Christmas Concert in the Great Hall of the Scottish National Portrait Gallery. Produced with Live Music Now Scotland. 🎶 Watch the performance in full: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IsPub0DwCuc

#OurNewArrivals - Graham Fagen's 'The Slave's Lament'

"Folk have called it a kind of cultural mashup...for me it's much more of a cultural harmony" We are delighted to have acquired Graham Fagen's video installation 'The Slave's Lament', first exhibited at the Venice Biennale and kindly gifted to us by Outset UK. Graham Fagen chatted to us about the inspiration of the piece whilst we were setting up #OurNewArrivals, revealing a collaborative process that was years in the making. The installation features a four channel video of Ghetto Priest and the Scottish Ensemble performing Robert Burns' 'The Slave’s Lament'. The song was chosen as a way to highlight Robert Burns' connection with the transatlantic slave trade, inspired by the knowledge that Burns had purchased several separate passages to Jamaica to work on a plantation. Ultimately, circumstances meant that the Bard's plans were never realised, but this context provides an opportunity to revisit Scotland's cultural and historical links with the slave trade. The result is fascinating cultural harmony, where Burns's poetry finds a haunting bedfellow in Jamaican reggae music. The installation is on display in Room 8 of 'New Arrivals - From Salvador Dalí to Jenny Saville' open now at the Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art (Modern One).

Music at National Galleries of Scotland - Live Music Now | Iona Fyfe and Ron Jappy

Vocalist Iona Fyfe and Ron Jappy (guitar) perform a selection of bothy ballads and traditional tunes inspired by Sir David Wilkie’s 'Pitlessie Fair', 1804, and David Allan’s 'A Highland Wedding', 1780. This 20-minute performance includes Fyfe’s original arrangement in Scots of Bob Dylan’s 1963 classic, 5'A Girl from the North Country'. Head to our website to see the performance in full: https://www.nationalgalleries.org/art-and-artists/features/music-national-galleries-scotland-live-music-now

Cake! 🍰 Now that we have your attention, here’s a #ScotlandSketches prompt for all you #GBBO fans out there. We tasked the wonderful Flora Shedden, Bake Off alumna and owner of ARAN Bakery in Dunkeld, to decorate a cake inspired by the paintings of the Scottish colourist Samuel John Peploe. Watch Flora opted translate a rocky Iona landscape into icing via the video below. Find Flora’s chocolate cake recipe on our blog. ➡https://bit.ly/3FzBGxa And in anticipation of the GBBO final, sketch your own cake designs inspired by your favourite artworks. Share them in the comments below and we’ll share them on our website and social media channels!

🔪 Are you a fan of Hammer horrors? 💀 Can't get enough of Harryhausen? 📅 Are you free on Tue 9 Nov, 6-7pm? We have JUST the event for you! Actors Martine Beswick and Caroline Munro join John Walsh for a live event where they share their experiences of appearing in Hammer horrors, James Bond films and working with Harryhausen. This event is exclusively available to subscribers of Ray Harryhausen: Titan of Cinema virtual exhibition experience. Find out more and get details on how to sign up - http://ow.ly/mlNZ50GGQfv

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To mark the anniversary of the birth on this day in 1713 of the famous Scottish portrait painter Allan Ramsay, from our collection 'Portrait of a Gentleman in a Blue Coat' painted in 1741. Discover Inverclyde Inverclyde Libraries Art UK National Galleries of Scotland National Library of Scotland National Portrait Gallery The Burrell Collection Kelvingrove Art Gallery & Museum

🎨 Story-teller, musician and multi-instrumentalist Marion Kenny spotted this arresting portrait of Marjory Kennedy-Fraser in the National Galleries of Scotland months ago, unaware of the exciting collaboration and seven-venue tour that lay ahead; telling new audiences about this phenomenal collector of Hebridean song.

This evening our wonderful performers set off on the second leg of the tour, sharing two silent films from the National Library of Scotland Moving Image Archive with story-telling, music and song, to celebrate the life of this incredible woman. We are so grateful to be sharing this with audiences across Scotland.

🗺️ To find out more about the tour, Q&A and live-stream, visit: https://bit.ly/3SX6M9l

This tour is supported by the BFI Film Audience Network with National Lottery funding as part of CURIOUS. The original Commission was supported by the Year of Stories 2022 Community Stories Fund, delivered in partnership between VisitScotland and Museums Galleries Scotland with support from The National Lottery Heritage Fund.

Delighted to see The Scotsman covering the excellent gender-gap work by Wikipedians at National Galleries of Scotland. Many of the female artists in this collection didn't have a Wikipedia article, and those that did have a page contained some errors. We're so proud of the project and grateful to all the volunteers involved. https://bit.ly/3fQj2cI

Leader of National Galleries of Scotland warns that art institutions will face partial closure without support, as energy bills are forecast to double next year

Big news! 😍🎧

We have made a podcast in collaboration with Museo Gypsotheca Antonio Canova to celebrate the bicentenary of the death of the neoclassical master 𝗔𝗻𝘁𝗼𝗻𝗶𝗼 𝗖𝗮𝗻𝗼𝘃𝗮 (1 November 1757 – 13 October 1822). The podcast “𝗖𝗮𝗻𝗼𝘃𝗮 & 𝗚𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁 𝗕𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗮𝗶𝗻” depicts the British admiration for in 4 episodes.

First episode out now! "𝗧𝗵𝗼𝗺𝗮𝘀 𝗖𝗮𝗺𝗽𝗯𝗲𝗹𝗹 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗠𝗮𝗿𝗰𝗵𝗲𝘀𝗲 𝗔𝗻𝘁𝗼𝗻𝗶𝗼 𝗖𝗮𝗻𝗼𝘃𝗮" with the special contribution of 𝗛𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗻 𝗦𝗺𝗮𝗶𝗹𝗲𝘀, Senior curator of British Art at the National Galleries of Scotland.

Listen here 👉https://spoti.fi/3SXUZY3
More info 👉https://iicedimburgo.esteri.it/iic_edimburgo/it/gli_eventi/calendario/2022/10/canova-great-britain.html

Though we've been working with Fruitmarket since Jan '21 to improve the coverage of artists of colour on the Wiki projects, tomorrow will be our first in-person editathon at the National Galleries of Scotland. There's even a free tour of the print room included. Don't miss out! https://bit.ly/3Ekgqy2

Get a free tour of National Galleries of Scotland print rooms when you join the Wikipedia editathon on Wednesday! We'll focus on contemporary Scottish Artists of Colour, with a list to work from and an introduction to editing Wikipedia. https://bit.ly/3Ekgqy2

There's still time to book for our Black History Month FREE online lecture at 7pm tonight.
An online talk on the representation of minority ethnic people - with our partners CRER Scotland

Book: https://edinburghmuseums.org.uk/whats-on/face-thousand-faces-representations-non-whites-western-culture

Image courtesy of National Galleries of Scotland
Sir William Allan, The Slave Market, Constantinople, 1838. Collection: National Galleries of Scotland, purchased 1980.

Wonderful blog from National Galleries of Scotland highlighting the important contribution of women artists to graphic art in Scotland. A group of trained editors volunteered to upload the collection to the Wikimedia projects.

To celebrate Art UKs Canals and Waterways week a ‘View of the Doge’s Palace. Venice’ by the Italian photographer Carlo Naya (1816-1882). Naya was famous for his work documenting the sights and architecture of Venice and we are lucky to have a lovely collection of his photographs within our collection. Discover Inverclyde Inverclyde Inverclyde Libraries National Galleries of Scotland SFMOMA San Francisco Museum of Modern Art Art UK

Join Fruitmarket and National Galleries of Scotland for an editathon to improve the pages on contemporary Scottish of colour. The event will begin with a behind the scenes tour of the print rooms with librarian Kerry Watson, discussing the gallery’s drive to diversify its print collection and what is involved in the acquisition process.
https://bit.ly/3Ekgqy2

"Peter Thomson produces a largely faithful version of Joan Eardley’s Sleeping N**e which highlights its calm and simplicity (neither of them easy things to do)..."

Susan Mansfield reviews Fidra Fine Art's Inspired exhibition in The Scotsman. Owner, Alan Rae, invited contemporary artists to respond to favourite works in the collection of National Galleries of Scotland.

"While studying the canon is a key part of an artist’s training, the show has given them permission to return to such an exercise in professional practice, with some surprising results."

Susan Mansfield writing in The Scotsman about Fidra Fine Art's inspired Inspired exhibition. Owner Alan Rae invited 32 contemporary Scottish artists to respond to favourite works in collection of National Galleries of Scotland.

Why does a golf ball have dimples? Who uses tea as currency? These were some of the questions being answered by museums across Scotland last week for Maths Week Scotland.

For Scottish Museums Day (3 October) we’ve rounded up our favourite activities from museums over the last seven days:
https://www.mathsweek.scot/news/scottishmuseumsday2022

Featuring North Lanarkshire Heritage, The Scottish Fisheries Museum, Summerlee Museum of Scottish Industrial Life, National Museums Scotland, The R&A World Golf Museum, Surgeons' Hall Museums, Museum on the Mound, Scottish Maritime Museum, National Galleries of Scotland, Scottish Mining Museum

Final weekend: the Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art (National Galleries of Scotland) is hosting a retrospective of the fifty-year career of Barbara Hepworth - one of the defining figures of British modernism.
https://artmag.co.uk/nothing-like-a-dame-barbara-hepworth-at-scottish-national-gallery-of-modern-art-edinburgh/
Image Norman Taylor.

Have you been along to see the Counted show in Edinburgh? I was interviewed by curator Louise Pearson about the work acquired by the National Galleries of Scotland explaining the motivation and the people involved.