10.10.23

Exploring three centuries of Scotland’s timeless bond with its landscape 

This winter, the City Art Centre in Edinburgh hosts three exhibitions focused on the Scottish landscape, encouraging us to pause, reflect and reconnect with our environment.

Featuring artworks from the 18th century to the present day, the exhibitions celebrate the enduring appeal of landscapes as a source of inspiration for artists working across diverse mediums.

Shifting Vistas brings together a selection of artworks spanning 250 years, drawn from the City Art Centre’s permanent collection. 

Opening on Saturday 4 November, the inaugural Scottish Landscape Awards exhibition will display 133 selected works from 2,800 entries spanning two floors of the City Art Centre. 

From Saturday 18 November, Deep Rooted will exhibit works by eight contemporary artists, exploring the relationship between people and the natural environment. 

“Let’s face it, most of us love looking at landscape paintings. They take us to well-trodden places, or hidden corners; they make us appreciate the beauty and variety of the natural world. But landscapes can also include depictions of urban wastelands, factory complexes, things we’d rather overlook or ignore, or worlds beyond our imagination. Scotland’s future, like that of the whole world, is intrinsically bound up with its landscape and our care of it.

It was with these ideas in mind that we planned this landscape season – three exhibitions that combine the traditional, the romantic, and the challenging. We want visitors to feel inspired by the vast range of artistic responses to Scotland’s landscape. Together, they demonstrate that landscape is very much alive and kicking in contemporary Scottish art.” David Patterson, City Art Centre’s Curatorial and Conservation Manager

SHIFTING VISTAS: 250 YEARS OF SCOTTISH LANDSCAPE

Until Sunday 2 June 2024

For centuries, the Scottish landscape has provided artists with a potent source of inspiration. From scenes of mountains and forests to images of lochs and coastlines, the natural world attracts a range of creative responses. Urban views of towns and cities prompt equally varied interpretations, as artists explore how people have shaped their surroundings. Today our relationship with the landscape has taken on further significance, with environmental concerns over climate change and loss of biodiversity.

Shifting Vistas presents a selection of historic and contemporary artworks drawn from the City Art Centre’s permanent collection of fine art. Spanning artistic production from the 18th century to present day, it includes paintings, drawings, prints and sculptures by artists such as Alexander Nasmyth, John Lavery, SJ Peploe, William Gillies, Joan Eardley, Victoria Crowe, Frances Walker and Kate Downie. The exhibition also features several recent additions to the collection, on display for the first time. 

“Landscape means so many things to different people, whether it’s images of Scotland’s beautiful countryside, artworks that record the historical development of cities and towns, or pieces that explore how human activity impacts on our environment. Given the global climate crisis and concerns about the fragility of ecosystems, landscape is a more topical subject than ever – artists are increasingly compelled to respond.” Dr Helen Scott, curator

More information about Shifting Vistas and related events here.

THE SCOTTISH LANDSCAPE AWARDS

Saturday 4 November 2023 - Sunday 3 March 2024

The inaugural exhibition of Scotland’s newest and biggest prize for contemporary landscape art, the awards are managed by The Scottish Arts Trust, a registered charity dedicated to promoting the arts in Scotland (who also run the Scottish Portrait Awards). 

From 2,800 entries, 132 artworks have been selected and will be displayed in two galleries, spanning two floors of the City Art Centre. The chosen works reflect all dimensions of natural and/or man-made environments including works that are imaginary, surreal, abstract, documentary, ecological and realistic across a wide range of media – from painting, sculpture, drawing and miniatures, to film, animation, audioscapes and virtual reality.

With a first prize of £10,000 the awards are open to anyone over the age of 16 years, born, living or studying in Scotland, regardless of experience.

The judging panel includes influential art-world figures Ade Adesina RSA, Marian Leven RSA, David Mach RA HRSA, Barbara Rae RAE CBE RA RSA RSW (chair), and Jane and Louise Wilson RA.

“We are thrilled to have been selected as the venue for the first-ever Scottish Landscape Awards exhibition. From the outset, our vision matched the ambitions of the Scottish Arts Trust in wanting to challenge the traditional notion of landscape painting. We're genuinely pleased with the variety and quality of artworks selected by the judges, as well as the high calibre of artists who submitted their work. I believe visitors will leave the gallery thoroughly impressed, given the exceptional standard and diversity of the exhibited pieces." David Patterson, City Art Centre’s Curatorial and Conservation Manager

More information about the Scottish Landscape Awards exhibition and related events here.

DEEP ROOTED

Saturday 18 November 2023 - Sunday 25 February 2024

Featuring works by eight contemporary artists: Dalziel + Scullion, Anya Gallaccio, Andy Goldsworthy, Andrew Mackenzie, Naomi Mcintosh, Katie Paterson and Hanna Tuulikki. Together, they explore the relationship between people and the natural environment using a variety of media and approaches. Some of the works reflect on current ecological issues, others explore our fragile coexistence with nature and capture its beauty.

The artworks in this exhibition all focus on trees, a plant form which sustains the existence of ourselves and other species. Our relationship with the natural world hangs in a balance, with climate change, increased levels of extinction and large-scale deforestation threatening the existence of our biodiversity. For many of us, the pandemic changed our relationship with nature. It led to a growing appreciation of our gardens, allotments, woods, and public parks. Lockdowns, in particular, reminded us just how important access to nature is for our physical and mental wellbeing, underlining the value of protecting it.

“The exhibition explores the subject of human ecology. The artworks prompt us to consider our place on Earth and urge us to re-evaluate our actions, in a time of climate change and increased levels of extinction and deforestation caused by people. I hope that this exhibition will leave viewers with a renewed sense of their appreciation of nature, its beauty and importance. Doing nothing is no longer an option and to help fight this urgent climate crisis, we need to modify some of our deep-rooted behaviours.” Maeve Toal, curator

More information about Deep Rooted and related events here.

Admittance to all exhibitions is free.