Celebrating 40 Years of Scotland’s Photography Collection
National Galleries Scotland: Portrait
26 October 2024 – 16 March 2025
Celebrating 40 Years of Scotland’s Photography Collection | National Galleries of Scotland
Free
This October the National Galleries of Scotland is partying like it’s 1984 with Celebrating 40 Years of Scotland’s Photography Collection, at the Portrait gallery from 26 October 2024 – 16 March 2025.
Step back in time to the 1980s when the National Galleries of Scotland officially began its world-class photography collection. Explore over 100 art works from Scotland’s national photography collection, dating from the 1840’s to the present day in this free-to-visit exhibition.
Marvel at historic photographs, visit some famous faces and discover an exciting range of what makes a photograph in this eclectic celebration of the nation’s photography collection.
Celebrating 40 Years of Scotland’s Photography Collection marks this magnificent milestone, reflecting on all that has been accomplished in the last four decades and looking to the future. In the 1980s recognition of photography as an artform was growing rapidly as museums and galleries around the world were looking to establish and grow their collections.
National Galleries of Scotland were no different. Having begun collecting photography in the late 19th century, it was in 1984 that the National Galleries of Scotland collection was formally established.
A world-renowned photography collection it is regarded as one of the best in the UK, its breadth and quality matches those of London institutions such as the V&A and National Portrait Gallery, London.
Due to its original remit to collect the very best of Scottish and international photography, the collection has developed over the last 40 years to have global reach.
Now over 55,000 artworks strong the ever-growing collection is showcased in this lively exhibition which explores the major themes, subjects and processes from throughout the history of photography.
Including works by major photographers such as Julia Margaret Cameron, Robert Mapplethorpe and Annie Leibovitz. Highlighting the enticing and universal nature of photography, the exhibition will include six themes; portraiture, landscape, documentary photography, archives, inclusion and experimentation.
Find portraits of famous Scots such as, Andy Murray, The Proclaimers, Jackie Kay and David Tennant as well as fun and vibrant portraits such as Viviane Sassen’s In Bloom.
A newly acquired work consisting of photographs, film and performance by Glasgow-based artists Beagles & Ramsay will be on display for the first time.
The Sanguis Gratia Artis (Black Pudding Self-Portrait), is a performance piece alongside photographs where the artists make black pudding out of their own blood to explore the boundaries of the self-portrait.
Celebrating the connectivity and nostalgia that photographs bring to people worldwide, the exhibition looks at how this incredible artform can be traced through generations of Scottish photographers and schools of photography.
Embracing the eclectic nature of photography, vibrant displays will create interesting contrasts and connections between historic and contemporary images.
Discover how the ideas and subject matters that started with David Octavius Hill and Robert Adamson in the 1840s continues to be photographed centuries apart with different and modern cameras.
Take pride in the influential alumni of Scottish photography schools whose connections extend around the world, making Scotland a significant home to photography.
Explore the idea of what makes a photograph, reflecting on changing technology and taking a look at artists who are pushing the boundaries of what we might have traditionally thought of as a photograph.
Get a deeper understanding of how photographers have explored the themes of landscape and environment change including a new acquisition by American, Sant Khalsa combining photography and sculpture.
Displayed alongside early Scottish photographs by John Muir Wood, showcasing the beautiful shapes created by trees. This offers a fascinating look at how these two artists explore the same subject matter in completely different ways.
Discover works by revered international photographers, with exceptional photographs from the ARTIST ROOMS collection, jointly owned by the National Galleries of Scotland and Tate.
The exhibition draws a selection of works by globally renowned artists, such as Robert Mapplethorpe and Diane Arbus.
This will also be the first time the National Galleries of Scotland has shown work from the ARTIST ROOMS collection by Don McCullin, one of the world’s greatest photojournalists.
Scotland is known as a centre for documentary photography and the exhibition will celebrate this with a medley of the best documentary photographers who have made work in Scotland.
Weaving in some old favourites and new acquisitions this will highlight photographers such as Alfred Eisenstaedt, Eve Arnold, David Hurn, Joseph Mackenzie and Bert Hardy.
A wall of Hill & Adamson’s fisherwomen will mark an important moment in the development of documentary photography not just in Scotland but in the history of the medium.
In the years immediately following its establishment, National Galleries of Scotland received a number of significant bequests which quickly grew the collection.
The exhibition will explore some of these major archives, such as The Riddell collection which joined the collection in 1985, ARTIST ROOMS, established in 2008 and jointly owned by the National Galleries of Scotland and Tate, and the MacKinnon Collection that was jointly acquired with the National Library of Scotland in 2018.
Throughout the decades, the collection continues to grow and each year new additions are made, with an increasing focus on equality, diversity and inclusion.
Looking to the next 40 years, the exhibition also focuses on acquisitions from the last decade which address issues such as equality, inclusion and diversity.
National Galleries of Scotland actively seek opportunities to broaden representation across the collection and the exhibition highlights this as a priority area for collecting in the future.
Representation of female photographers has been a recent priority, with work by artists including Chrystel Lebas, Wendy McMurdo, Chloe Dewe Mathews and Arpita Shah entering the collection.
Anne Lyden, Director-General at the National Galleries of Scotland, said: ‘Photography is a cornerstone of the National Galleries of Scotland, accounting for almost half of the entire collection.
” It is with great delight that we celebrate the medium with this impressive and engaging exhibition drawn entirely from the vast holdings of the nation’s collection.
“Over the course of the last forty years many photographers, collectors, donors, curators, and enthusiasts have contributed to this important world-class collection which belongs to the people of Scotland.
“We are excited to celebrate this anniversary with our visitors through such a dynamic display.’
Louise Pearson, Photography Curator at the National Galleries of Scotland, said: ‘The 40th anniversary is the perfect moment to draw from the full breadth of Scotland’s photography collection.
“This vibrant and fun exhibition includes photographs of famous Scots and works by photographers who have become household names. It opens many possibilities in making connections across our country’s photography collection, sharing highlights as well as celebrating lesser-known works.
“We want visitors to join us in celebrating the collection and take pride in Scotland’s contribution to photography worldwide.’
This exhibition is funded by The Morton Charitable Trust and the players of the People’s Postcode Lottery.
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