Galleries - August 2013

steeped in the occult and their most admired contemporary artist Gabriel Orozco has at times been inspired by the famous Day of the Dead in such works as the chequerboard skull Black Kites . The Fruitmarket Gallery is mounting a major show of his art with the exhibition thinking in circles, where that universal hermetic symbol will be a recurring motif throughout the works on display. From the other side of the globe comes the Korean high-tech artist Nam June Paik to Edinburgh University’s Talbot Rice Gallery. As the title suggests, an integral part of this much-awaited exhibition ‘About the Performance’ will be a series of performances by international renowned artists. Turning now to the national attractions at this year’s Festival, it is the private commercial galleries that come to the fore. For instance Bourne Fine Art is bravely raising that perennial issue of art and national identity with their broad survey ‘Scottishness in Art 1750- 1980’ which includes all the big guns from Ramsay to Bellany but, surprisingly, not a woman artist in sight. At the Open Eye Gallery it is also an all-male affair with the ever popular Scot/Italian ‘Alberto Morroco: Drawing on Life’ along with the large format floral prints from the botanist/- artist ‘Rory McEwen: Tulips and Tulipomania’. More flower painting, along with other subjects, can be seen in The Scottish Gallery ’s exhibition of the grand lady of page 16 present Currie’s own distinctive response to the history, nature and significance of the art of portraiture. For those who are looking for something edgy and a bit bizarre -‘Witches and Wicked Bodies’ at SNGMA (Modern 2) should prove to be absorbing viewing. Described by NGS’s own Director as “the first time that witchcraft across the ages has been the subject of a major art exhibition”, this fascinating offering will highlight a range of different depictions of witchcraft by a plethora of artists over the past half millennium. These artists will range from earlier masters of the macabre like Fuseli and Goya to recent witch-watchers such as Kiki Smith and Paula Rego. The history of Mexico is certainly 11. GALLERIES AUGUST 13 ANTHONY WOODD GALLERY HENDERSON EXHIBITION & Book Launch JOSEPH HENDERSON RSW ‘Doyen of Glasgow Artists’ 1832-1908 by Hilary Christie-Johnston 9 AUGUST - 9 SEPTEMBER 2013 4 Dundas Street, Edinburgh EH3 6HZ · T 0131 558 9544/5 · E sales@anthonywoodd.com · www.anthonywoodd.com Seascape by Joseph Henderson