The Collector’s Eye and Borrowed Gardens
The Scottish Gallery pairs The Collector’s Eye and Borrowed Gardens this May, two shows that delve into the mind of those who acquire – either art created by others, or subjects for their own art.
About The Collector’s Eye and Borrowed Gardens
The Collector’s Eye brings together two private collections belonging to the late Professor Donald Eccleston and the former director of The Scottish Gallery, David Lockhart.
The show marks the beginning of a new series at Gallery accentuating the vital relationship between gallery, artist and collector.
Borrowed Gardens showcases the work of Christine McArthur, whose extensive travel to gardens of note allows her to pinpoint a particular detail as a starting point for her imagination, whether it be from Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons or her sister’s garden.
The art collection of Donald Eccleston is a personal insight into a life-long love of Scotland, its landscapes, people, and the artists who captured the country. Over the years, Eccleston built up a collection including an important group of paintings by Lilian Neilson and an exceptional piece by Florence Jamieson. One of Joan Eardley’s grand sunsets over Catterline Bay was his favourite artwork, which hung in his living room to be admired every day. He also collected a selection of works depicting Edinburgh, from artists including Anne Redpath, Anne Oram and David McClure - whose earlier works were some of the first paintings he bought.
David Lockhart was already an avid collector of art when he was approached by Bill Jackson of The Scottish Gallery in 1984. As a collector he loved strong colour and design and was fascinated by the background to a work of art he might acquire. His art collection includes many Scottish artists, some introduced to him through his association with The Scottish Gallery, with many paintings
bought from the Gallery’s Festival exhibitions.
Both collections are celebrations of lives well lived, surrounded by art which gave so much pleasure, each a way-marker in life, of time, place, and people. For the Gallery these returning works are a reminder of how a collector is the benign, temporary custodian, providing another layer of provenance in the journey of a work of art which will be there long into the future.
Christine McArthur responds intuitively to the world around her, subjects revealing themselves to her over time. Working across all media, Borrowed Gardens reveals work made from visits to Le Vieux Logis, The Christian Dior Garden, Storrier Stearns Japanese Garden, Mayfield Farm, Le Bugue,
The Charleston Garden and Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons.
McArthur comments, 'The Borrowed Gardens in this exhibition are borrowed in every sense. I have used them as starting points for my own imagination. I visit many gardens. I draw if it’s quiet and take photographs if it’s not. Each garden became about something different, and I didn’t know what until I got there until I had left it behind.'
Where possible we will update our listings to notify of cancelled, postponed and rescheduled events, however we STRONGLY ADVISE that you check with the venue/organiser in the first instance for updates.
All information (whether in text or photographs) is supplied in good faith but should not be relied upon as being a statement of representation or fact.GOT AN EVENT TO SHARE? It's free to post your events on What's On Edinburgh, click here to find out more!
Want to be the first to hear about what's happening in Edinburgh? Just hit 'Like' on our Facebook page, join the What's On Scotland Facebook Group and 'Follow' on our Twitter account and you're all set!Sponsored Links
Similar events you might like...
Snapshots: Gallery Short Talks
Join us on Thursdays at The Palace of Holyroodhouse for a short talk on one of the fascinating photographs in our exhibition Royal Portraits: A Century of Photography!
READ MORE
You’re a House of Many Rooms and All the Secrets Deep Entombed Within You, I Know a Few
This exhibition, showing at SETT Studios in May, explores meanings around parts of ourselves and others by multidisciplinary artists!
READ MORE
Works in Progress
Works In Progress is an exhibition of collaborative artworks by students at the University of Edinburgh. Catch it at Whitespace from 9th to 15th May!
READ MORE
Connecting Europe Fair
Come along to the Connecting Europe Fair at French Institute on 10th May, it's offering support and inspiration for exploring and planning European travel, learning exchanges and adventures.
READ MORE
Edinbrick - A LEGO Model Show
Edinbrick is back for 2025! Edinburgh's biggest LEGO Model Show, will be held on the weekend of the 10th and 11th of May at Meadowbank Sports Centre.
READ MORE
Grain and Groove Art Exhibition
Catch the Grain and Groove Art Exhibition by young Edinburgh based artists, showcasing their handcrafted designs, at Dr Neil's Garden in Duddingston from 10th to 14th May!
READ MORE
Grid : Alan Chapman and Eleanor Symms
Grid is an exciting new works by painter and printmaker, Alan Chapman, and contemporary jeweller, Eleanor Symms at Coburg House Art Studios on Saturdays & Sundays from 10th to 18th May.
READ MORE
Your Art World
Your Art World is a colourful exhibition, showcasing the artwork of creative 3–18-year-olds from across Scotland, at the National Galleries of Scotland: National.
READ MORE
Falastin Film Festival: Exhibition: Nakba 77 - Palestine’s Depopulated Villages
A photographic documentation of the 500+ Palestinian villages across Mandatory Palestine that were depopulated during the Nakba in 1948 and subsequently destroyed by the Zionist settler state.
READ MORESponsored Links
Find other events in Edinburgh
Sponsored Links