exhibition – Page 2 – The NEN – North Edinburgh News

Explore the vibrant work of renowned Scottish artist Joan Eardley at the National Galleries of Scotland

Joan Eardley: The Nature of Painting

2 April – 28 June 2026

National Galleries Scotland: Modern Two, Ground Floor

Free admission

Joan Eardley | The Nature of Painting | National Galleries of Scotland

Step inside the mind and brush strokes of much-loved Scottish artist Joan Eardley with a fresh insight into her powerful and expressive paintings in a new, free, two-room exhibition at the National Galleries of Scotland.

Taking over the ground floor of National Galleries Scotland: Modern Two from April Joan Eardley: The Nature of Painting will explore the artist’s vibrant artworks from a whole new perspective. Consisting solely of works from Scotland’s national collection, this exhibition will bring together over 30 of Joan Eardley’s artwworks, alongside some of the most notable names in the art world including Claude Monet, John Constable, Bet Low, William McTaggart, Jean Dubuffet and Antoni Tàpies. It will offer a unique opportunity to look at how the beloved Scottish artist engaged with the world and artists around her.

Joan Eardley: The Nature of Painting will feature 14 of Eardley’s oil paintings from the Scottish national collection alongside a selection of her works on paper and archival materials. Immerse yourself in Eardley’s iconic views of coastal village Catterline, discover never-before-seen objects from her studio in Glasgow and come face to face with the Glaswegian children who inspired many of her works.

The Nature of Painting follows previous National Galleries of Scotland exhibitions dedicated to Eardly’s artwork including Joan Eardley: A Sense of Place at Modern Two in 2017 and Joan Eardley & Catterline at Modern One in 2022.

This new exhibition for 2026 will present a fresh perspective on her artistic practice, inviting visitors to view her paintings amidst a variety of artists and movements, while exploring the possibilities of influence and interest.

Key works on display in Joan Eardley: The Nature of Painting will include the glimmering Summer Fields (about 1961) in which a bright golden cornfield dominates a grey Catterline sky.

This painting comes to life in more ways than one, through both Eardley’s expressive brushstrokes and the inclusion of real blades of grass and wheat from the environment around her, giving insight into her artistic methods.

Several other scenes of Catterline will also be displayed including the atmospheric Catterline in Winter (1963) and Hedgerow with Grasses and Flowers (1962-1963), inspired by the wildflower fields behind Eardley’s cottage.

Visitors will also meet sisters Anne and Pat Samson, immortalised in childhood through Children and Chalked Wall 3 (1962-1963). In this portrait, Eardley’s signature bold style captures the essence of Anne and Pat’s endearing smiles, as they huddle together in a moment of sisterly affection.

The girls are surrounded by a collage of newspapers and painted graffiti, as well as silver and gold papers, presumed to be sweet wrappers. This portrait, displayed in the exhibition along with others including Street Kids (1949-1951), tells the stories of real Glasgow children who lived close to Eardley’s studio, and captures their friendliness and community spirit which Eardley admired.

Born in West Sussex in 1921, Eardley moved to Glasgow with her family during the outbreak of the Second World War in 1939. She studied at Glasgow School of Art and Hospitalfield House where she was taught by Scottish artists including Hugh Adam Crawford and James Cowie. It was during this time that she began to shape her preference for painting everyday subjects. Eardley rented a studio in the centre of Glasgow in 1948, and a few years later moved to Townhead, where the local children became her artistic subjects.

In 1954, she bought a cottage in the small fishing village of Catterline, south of Aberdeen. Catterline’s coastal charm and dramatic seascapes formed the subject of many of Eardley’s paintings, providing the perfect setting for her expressive artwork to flourish. After her untimely passing from cancer in 1963, Eardley’s ashes were scattered on the beach at Catterline, creating a lasting bond between the artist and the place which inspired her.

A range of archival and photographic materials from the Scottish national collection will also be displayed in Modern Two’s Keiller Library.

Donated to the National Galleries of Scotland in 1987 by Eardley’s sister Patricia, the artist’s archive contains a range of interviews, photographs and personal contents from her studio. This display will give a glimpse into the artist’s world, painting a picture of the woman behind the artwork, as well as giving context to what she admired most in the work of others.

For the very first time, visitor favourite from the Scottish national collection Grainstacks: Snow Effect (1891) by Claude Monet will go on display amongst Eardley’s artwork. A key founder of the Impressionist movement, Monet was known for finding his source of inspiration in the outdoors, bringing nature to life through abstract brushstrokes and textures, much like Eardley’s paintings of the Catterline landscape.

The gentle gold light across frosty stacks of grain and bold use of paint echoes elements Eardley used in Summer Fields. Bringing these artworks together especially for this exhibition highlights artistic similarities spanning generations, whether intentional or not.

Kerry Gledhill, Senior Librarian and Lead Curator of Joan Eardley: The Nature of Painting at the National Galleries of Scotland said: “Joan Eardley was an artist so completely driven to paint the truth of what she saw around her that she pushed her medium to its very limits.

“She was drawn to subjects which tap into a common humanity, a connection to nature or a sense of community and kinship. Like all great artists, her paintings speak to us across the intervening decades.

“The opportunity to show Eardley’s work alongside that of Constable, Monet and Tàpies, to name just a few, gives us a unique insight into the nature of painting, experimentation and creativity.”

Joan Eardley: The Nature of Painting is a free National Galleries of Scotland exhibition opening in the lower galleries of Modern Two on Thursday 2 April 2026.

Knitted Bible Exhibition at Blackhall St Columba’s next month

We are excited to bring this exhibition to Scotland for only the 2nd time in its history. Please look at the notice to see when it is available to see and come along with some friends.

We hope to see you here.

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Glamorous Edwardians to be explored in major Edinburgh exhibition

The Edwardians: Age of Elegance

The King’s Gallery, Palace of Holyroodhouse

24 April – 6 December 2026

A glamorous, never-before-exhibited portrait of Queen Mary and a miniature sleigh made of rock crystal will be among highlights on show in Scotland for the first time in a major exhibition opening this spring.

The Edwardians: Age of Elegance will explore the glitzy world of two of Britain’s most fashionable royal couples – King Edward VII and Queen Alexandra, and King George V and Queen Mary – through their family connections, royal events, global travels and art collecting.

The exhibition will open in Edinburgh following a successful run in London and is the first Royal Collection Trust exhibition to explore the Edwardian era. It will bring together more than 150 items including fashion, paintings and books, as well as personal items such as jewellery, photographs and chinaware, more than half of which are on show in Scotland for the first time. Visitors will see works from the Royal Collection by many of the period’s most celebrated names, including Fabergé, Tiffany & Co,and Edward Burne-Jones, and depictions of famous faces including composer Sir Edward Elgar.

Curator Kathryn Jones said: ‘The Edwardian era was a golden age of glamour and parties, but it was so much more than that; it was a fast-paced period making great advances in technology.

Our royal couples wanted to make the most of it all, living lavishly and embracing new trends, before the sobering arrival of war. Throughout, they were collecting art as a way to hold onto tradition and capture the rapidly changing world around them. We hope that visitors to the exhibition will enjoy stepping back in time to this exciting period.’

In 1863, Queen Victoria’s eldest son Albert Edward married Princess Alexandra of Denmark. The marriage of the fashionable young couple – the future King Edward VII and Queen Alexandra – initiated a glamorous new era for the royal family, with Queen Victoria still in mourning and away from public life. Edward and Alexandra established a new, vibrant court filled with opulent balls, society events and contemporary art – a lifestyle continued by their son, the future King George V, and his wife Queen Mary.

Full-length portraits of the two Queens will open the exhibition, showcasing the spectacular fashions of the era. The portraits of Queen Alexandra by François Flameng, and Queen Mary by William Samuel Henry Llewellyn (which has never before been on public display) will be shown alongside marble busts of their husbands, Kings Edward and George. Both couples were fond of Scotland, with Edward having studied at the University of Edinburgh and George and Mary making regular visits and devotedly modernising the Palace of Holyroodhouse to make it once again suitable for royal entertaining.

Displays will evoke the interiors of the royal couples’ private residences, Marlborough House and Sandringham House, where the Edwardian fashion of filling every cabinet and covering every surface with small decorative objects or family photographs reigned.

A star object on display for the first time in Scotland is a paperweight shaped like a tiny 10cm-tall sledge with a figure lying on it by Robert Colquhon. Thought to have been Scottish, Colquhon was agoldsmith based in Russia who made small-scale decorative objects from rock crystal and silver of snowy subjects like sleighs and bears on ice floes. Edward and Alexandra collected several of his works – with one of his sleighs appearing in a photograph of Alexandra’s desk in Marlborough House in the 1890s.

Visitors will also learn of the relationships linking the family to the rest of Europe. Fabergé was introduced to the British royal family through Alexandra’s sister Dagmar, who had married Alexander III, Tsar of Russia. The royal patronage caused the popularity of Fabergé to soar in the UK, and on show will be 21 items from the firm, including an ornate picture frame holding a photograph of Princess Louise, Duchess of Fife; a cigarette case famously given to Edward by his official mistress Mrs Keppel; and six miniature figures of the royal couple’s favourite animals on the Sandringham estate.

As enthusiastic patrons of the arts, the Edwardians embraced new artistic movements including Art Nouveau and Arts and Crafts, and the burgeoning medium of photography.

Alexandra was particularly taken with the drawings of the Pre-Raphaelite artist, Edward Burne-Jones, whose study for a larger painting inspired by Sleeping Beauty will be on display. A soft-focus photograph of Alexandrabyphotographer Alice Hughes was typical of her pioneering yet delicate style, and both are on display in Scotland for the first time.

Garden parties formed an essential part of the Edwardian social calendar, with the first taking place at the Palace of Holyroodhouse during the much-anticipated visit of George and Mary in 1911. Danish painter Laurits Tuxen had been introduced to Queen Victoria through her daughter-in-law Alexandra, and his painting of a garden party at Buckingham Palace captures the spirit of the joyous occasion.

Contributions to society were also celebrated through the founding of the Order of Merit in 1902 to recognise prominent figures in cultural, scientific or military life. George commissioned a portrait of each recipient – a tradition that continues to this day – and drawings of Sir Edward Elgar and the physicist Sir J.J. Thomson by Scottish artist William Strang will be on display for the first time in Scotland.

The turn of the century saw great improvements to methods of travel, and the Edwardian royals travelled further than any previous members of the royal family – collecting and receiving gifts as they went. In February 1901, George and Mary set sail for 10 months on HMS Ophir to open the new federal parliament in Melbourne, Australia. To mark the occasion, the ‘Ladies of Adelaide’ gave Mary a richly embroidered silk hanging featuring a eucalyptus tree and local varieties of irises and orchids.

George and Mary visited the Palace of Holyroodhouse in July 1914, only a few weeks before the outbreak of the First World War. The glamour of the Edwardian era was being eclipsed by a serious atmosphere of duty – a sentiment led by the King, as Herbert Arnould Olivier’s study of King George V and Frank O. Salisbury’s painting The Passing of the Unknown Warrior, King George V as Chief Mourner, Whitehall attest. Collecting had now become a way to honour the many sacrifices made in the Great War; a more restrained and dutiful monarchy had emerged.

The King’s Gallery will continue to offer £1 tickets for visitors receiving Universal Credit and other named benefits. Other concessionary rates are available, including discounted tickets for Young People, half-price entry for children (with under-fives free), and the option to convert standard tickets bought directly from Royal Collection Trust into a 1-Year Pass for unlimited re-entry for 12 months.

Books as Art at Central Library

Our new exhibition on the Mezzanine, Books as Art, opens this Saturday 3rd January, our first day of services in 2026.

This exhibition presents a selection of artists’ books from the Art & Design Library, revealing the remarkable range and freedom of a form that continues to challenge how we see, read, and move through the world.

Bringing together works from Britain and abroad, the exhibition traces the many ways artists use the book as a site of exploration—from walking, observing, and documenting the everyday, to testing the boundaries between text and image, material and message, intimacy and public voice.

#artanddesignlibrary

#centrallibraryedinburgh

#edinburgh

#modernandcontemporaryart

Anna V Phillips exhibition at Madelvic House

Join us at granton:hub for our next exhibition, a 20 year retrospective from artist Anna V Phillips running Friday 28th to Sunday 30th November.

Artist statement:

“Brought up in a very artistic home, I’ve always had a deep love for art – but like many creative journeys, mine has taken a few detours along the way.

I moved to Aberdeen in 1978, where I studied Occupational Therapy, and stayed until 2006, during which time I was married and raised three Children.

I attended watercolour classes from 2003 – 2006. These included drawing, acrylics, gouache and soft pastels.

I lived in Houston, Texas for nine years (2006 – 2015).

I volunteered at The Printing Museum, where I met Charles Criner (1945 – 2025) the artist in residence. Charlea mentored me and introduced me to a wide variety of printing techniques – leaving a lasting impression on my artistic path.

I discovered @grantonhub Painting for Pleasure weekends in 2018, and with that, a new chapter began.

This is my first exhibition since my return to Edinburgh in 2015, so I have chosen to display artworks that follow my artistic journey.

I hope you take time to visit and enjoy this exhibition.”

Drawings by Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo and Titian go on display in Scotland for the first time

A design by Leonardo da Vinci for a fantastical dragon costume is one of more than 80 drawings by 57 different artists that are now on display as part of the widest-ranging exhibition of Italian Renaissance drawings for over half a century in Scotland.

Drawings by Leonardo, Michelangelo, Titian and more are among 45 works going on display in Scotland for the first time as part of Drawing the Italian Renaissance at The King’s Gallery at the Palace of Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh.

Following a critically acclaimed showing in London, the exhibition explores the variety and range of drawings in this period, from preparatory studies for paintings and altarpieces to designs for sculpture and elaborate drawings which were made as gifts.

Drawings were often discarded after they had served their purpose, with only a small proportion surviving, but the works on display have been carefully preserved in the Royal Collection for centuries, allowing them to be enjoyed almost as vividly as when they were created.

Lauren Porter, curator of the exhibition, said ‘This is a remarkable opportunity to share so many of the Italian Renaissance drawings from the Royal Collection, with over half being shown in Scotland for the first time.

“As works on paper cannot be permanently displayed for conservation reasons, this exhibition offers a rare opportunity for visitors to view these drawings up close, giving a unique insight into the minds of the great artists who made them.’

Reflecting the continued importance of drawing today, the Gallery is hosting its first artist residency, in collaboration with Edinburgh College of Art.

Edinburgh-based artists Phoebe Leach and Dette Allmark, both alumni of the School, will respond to the masterpieces on display by drawing in the Gallery throughout the exhibition. Their creations will form a changing display for visitors, who are encouraged to take inspiration and try drawing themselves, with materials freely available.

A highlight work on display is an example of one of Leonardo’s anatomical studies drawn from a real-life dissection. The double-sided drawing which shows the muscles of a man was created in c.1510–11 and shows his detailed, personal notes in his left-handed ‘mirror-writing’.

Perhaps lesser known are the anatomical studies of Michelangelo, who reportedly conducted human dissections as a young man.

On display for the first time in Scotland is his study of a male torso in pen and ink, which was likely drawn from a wax model made by the artist, which shows his ongoing interest in human anatomy later in life. This can also be seen in his highly finished black chalk drawing of the resurrected Christ, with the artist capturing the energy of the muscular figure rising from his tomb.

Other striking figure studies on display include two works by Raphael: a vigorous drawing of Hercules slaying the many-headed Hydra, and a red chalk study of The Three Graces that was – unusually for the period – drawn from a nude female model.

Scenes from mythology were common subjects for Italian Renaissance artists and are well-represented in the exhibition. They include drawings by lesser-known artists including Paolo Farinati’s design for a fresco showing the goddesses of fruit and agriculture.

The drawing, which has not been on display before in Scotland, is inscribed with instructions for the artist’s assistants on the height of the figures, telling them they should be around three-feet-high but to ‘do it as you fancy when you are on the scaffolding.’

Other highlights on display include a drawing attributed to the Venetian artist Titian of an ostrich, believed to have been drawn from life, and Leonardo’s design for a dragon costume, which appears to house two men, in the manner of a pantomime horse.

A series of portrait drawings and head studies show therange of subjects, materials, functions and coloursof Italian Renaissance drawings.

The distorted and tormented face of a grotesque mask sketched by Michelangelo, possibly a design for a sculpture, contrasts with the classical features of Leonardo’s red and black chalk drawing of a curly-haired young man which is displayed nearby, with both works on show for the first time in Scotland.

After almost 120 hours of conservation work by Royal Collection Trust conservators ahead of the London exhibition, Bernardino Campi’s cartoon for an altarpiece of the Virgin and Child is on show for the first time in Scotland.

The cartoon, a large-scale drawing made of four pieces of paper joined together, was originally used to transfer the drawing onto a painting’s surface. The conservation work involved painstakingly removing the drawing from its deteriorating canvas backing and supporting sections where the paper had become as delicate as lace.

The Italian Renaissance saw the range and purpose of drawing greatly expand, resulting in some of the finest works of art in any medium.

Michelangelo’s meticulous drawing A children’s bacchanal marks a highpoint of Renaissance draughtsmanship and is in perfect condition, allowing us to see Michelangelo’s mastery of the art of drawing.

Following a successful launch in 2024, The King’s Gallery will offer £1 tickets for the exhibition to visitors receiving Universal Credit and other named benefits.

Further concessionary rates are available, including discounted tickets for young people, half-price entry for children (with under-fives free), and the option to convert standard tickets bought directly from Royal Collection Trust into a 1-Year Pass for unlimited re-entry for 12 months.

Making a Statement: Craft & Activism in Edinburgh

Exhibiton explores the intersection of traditional craft and social activism

A new colourful and vibrant exhibition bringing together historic objects and contemporary protest material to explore the recent explosion of ‘Craftivism’ in Edinburgh is now open.

Running until 26 January 2026, the exhibition will explore Craftivism – the practice of using traditional craft techniques like knitting, sewing and collage to address political, social, and cultural concerns. Over the past two decades, the movement has gained significant momentum, especially in the wake of the global pandemic.

Edinburgh has become a centre of Craftivist activity due to its position as Scotland’s capital and the home of its Parliament, as well as its strong heritage in teaching and nurturing craft skills.

The exhibition shines a light on how these humble, time-honoured practices have been repurposed as powerful forms of expression, from political protests to expressions of personal identity.

It will feature a rich variety of items from Edinburgh’s collections, including pieces from the People’s Story, Museum of Edinburgh, and the Museum of Childhood.

Culture and Communities Convener Margaret Graham said: Edinburgh has strong craft heritage so I’m delighted that the Museum of Edinburgh will be showcasing how the tradition of craft has evolved into a powerful form of activism.

“It’s wonderful to see historic examples of work from across our museums displayed alongside the work of talented contemporary makers. The range of creativity displayed, and the issues engaged with, shows what a vibrant city Edinburgh is.

“This exhibition is a testament to the resilience and spirit of communities who are using their craft to advocate for change, from environmental justice to mental health awareness.”

Curator Vicky Garrington said: “It’s been a fascinating experience, diving into Museums & Galleries Edinburgh’s historic collections to explore the history of crafting and protest in the Capital.

“We hope viewers will enjoy seeing objects from our collections alongside works by talented contemporary makers.

“From quiet explorations of wellbeing through lacemaking to bold knitted panels demanding climate justice, there is something for everyone on display.”

Highlights include crocheted protest banners, a Victorian scrap screen, and even a Jacobite drinking glass, each providing a unique lens through which to understand Edinburgh’s history of activism.

Alongside these historic items, the exhibition will present the work of contemporary Craftivists, with pieces that touch on topics such as politics, feminism, LGBTQ+ rights, environmental justice, and mental health.

Among the featured works are those made in collaboration with MindRoom, a charity that supports neurodiverse young people, and the City Art Centre South Asian Youth Group.

The exhibition will also host a variety of public programmes, lacemaking demonstrations, interactive workshops.

It runs from Wednesday 17 Sept 2025 until Monday 26 Jan 2026.

Museum of Edinburgh 142-146 Canongate, Edinburgh EH8 8DD

Take to the skies with Daredevil Photographer Alfred Buckham at the National Galleries of Scotland this autumn

Alfred Buckham: Daredevil Photographer

National Galleries Scotland: Portrait

18 October 2025 – 19 April 2026

Free admission

Alfred Buckham | Daredevil Photographer | National Galleries of Scotland

A Dropbox of images can be found here

This autumn at the Portrait gallery in Edinburgh, take to the skies and see the world from above the clouds through the remarkable work of Alfred Buckham: Daredevil Photographer.

From 18 October 2025 – 19 April 2026, meet the man behind some of the most iconic aerial photographs ever taken, marvel at the death-defying lengths he took to capture the perfect image and explore how his innovative techniques in the darkroom paved the way for modern technologies such as Photoshop and AI.

Free to visit at the National Galleries Scotland: Portrait, this will be the first major exhibition dedicated to Alfred Buckham and can only be seen in Scotland.

This exhibition will bring together over 100 photographs and objects including popular works from the Scottish national collection, alongside extensive archival material generously loaned by Alfred Buckham’s grandsons, Richard and John Buckham. Thanks to the support of the Buckham family, personal objects including letters, photographs and even the passport Alfred Buckham used will be put on public display for the first time.

A maverick of early aviation, Alfred Buckham (1879-1956) created his own unique style of photography by combining daring exploits in the air with innovation in the darkroom. Born in London, Buckham learned his craft by teaching photography before joining the Royal Naval Air Service in 1916, a predecessor to the Royal Air Force.

Hailed as an exceptionally skilled flyer, he combined his talent for aviation with his passion for photography, resulting in remarkable endeavours and trailblazing images. Based for most of his military career at RAF Turnhouse, now Edinburgh Airport, central Scotland became a natural playground for Buckham to refine his photographic techniques and let his imagination soar.

Daredevil Photographer will chart his phenomenal story from his early photographic experiments in Scotland to exciting adventures in South America and look closer at the skilled and inventive ways he created his work.

Explore Scotland from the air and get a new perspective of well-known sights, just as Buckham himself would have. Daredevil Photographer celebrates the impact Scotland had on Buckham’s work through his images of recognisable landmarks including St Andrews Golf Links, Linlithgow Palace and the Wallace Monument in Stirling.

The exhibition will also feature several images of the Forth Rail Bridge, Buckham’s most photographed landmark. The iconic bridge was the subject of one of his first composite photographs and appeared on the 1918 RAF Turnhouse Christmas card, which will go on display alongside the original photography.

Daredevil Photographer will delve into the darkroom and uncover more about the creative processes used to bring Buckham’s unique images to life. After the First World War, Buckham began experimenting with composite photography; a technique where several negatives are used to create one photographic print.

While this wasn’t a new concept, composite photography added a layer of creative freedom to Buckham’s work, much like a very early form of Photoshop.

From his vast collection of glass negatives – he had over 2000 cloud images alone in his ‘cloud library’ – Buckham had the means to create images which became immersive, giving a unique sense of flying alongside these incredible aircraft while viewing the world below.

It was through the technique of composite photography that some of Buckham’s most famous works were born, including the iconic aerial view of Edinburgh (about 1920). This striking photograph shows a bi-plane hovering amongst wispy clouds above Edinburgh Castle, with Arthur’s Seat visible through the mist in the background, and the bustling city below.

For the first time, Edinburgh will be displayed alongside the camera and original glass negatives Buckham used to capture and create this much-loved image. Visitors will also be encouraged to get inspired and try their hand at creating their own composite creations through interactive exhibits.

Telling Buckham’s story through his own words and memories, Daredevil Photographer allows visitors to meet the courageous and humorous man behind the camera. Firsthand accounts of his incredible exploits in the air and ingenious creative methods on the ground will enhance his story and highlight his adventurous spirit: Ah! One was a rare daredevil in those days! (Alfred Buckham, The New York Times, 1930).

A free and unique immersive audio experience will bring Buckham’s world of flight and imagination to life through his own words. Hear Buckham’s grandson Richard give a voice to his grandfather’s memories and reflections on his daredevil persona.

Daredevil in every sense of the word, Buckham went to incredible feats to capture the perfect shot, which the exhibition will explore. His preferred methods included standing in an open cockpit while mid-air, with his leg tied to the seat as a nod to safety. As a result, he experienced no less than nine crashes in his lifetime, one ending in a serious throat injury that cut his military career short.

However, he would not be deterred, describing his eccentric photography methods in a surprisingly relaxed way:

“It is not easy to tumble out of an aeroplane, unless you really want to, and on considerably more than a thousand flights I have used a safety belt only once, and then it was thrust upon me.

“I always stand up to make an exposure and, taking the precaution to tie my right leg to the seat, I am free to move rapidly, and easily, in any desired direction; and loop the loop; and indulge in other such delights, with perfect safety” – Alfred Buckham, The Camera, January 1927.

Daredevil Photographer will celebrate Buckham’s skill in the air through a range of his mesmerising photographs. Encounter stunning images of the leading aircraft of the day, such as the Bristol Fighter, a two seated bi-plane designed for aerial reconnaissance, and the bizarre airships of the 1920s.

See them soaring through the skies in all weathers, amongst an array of remarkable landscapes. The exhibition will include one of his most well-known works, The Heart of the Empire (1923), on loan from the V&A Museum in London and displayed in Edinburgh for the first time.

The photograph follows a bi-plane as it glides across the London skyline, with landmarks such as Tower Bridge and the River Thames in view. Exhibited by the Royal Photographic Society in 1925, The Heart of the Empire secured Buckham’s position as one of Britain’s leading aerial photographers.

Experience the golden age of travel through Buckham’s portfolio of images spanning across the globe. In 1931, a commission from Fortune Magazine took Buckham on an epic fifteen-week trip across the Americas, covering 19,000 miles and setting a world record. Starting in New York City and taking the opportunity to capture the newly built Empire State Building, Buckham photographed his intrepid journey from the United States to the tip of South America to share with the world.

Daredevil Photographer will chart Buckham’s incredible journey, from expansive views of Christ the Redeemer in Rio De Janeiro and the snowy caps of the Andes Mountains to perilous scenes of smoking volcanic creators in Guatemala and Mexico. Through his death-defying adventures and stunning photographs, Buckham expanded public understanding of the world, creating an exciting legacy which continues to capture imaginations today.

Louise Pearson, curator of photography at the National Galleries of Scotland says: “Alfred Buckham’s eye-catching photograph of Edinburgh is one of the most popular artworks in the National Galleries of Scotland collection.

“This enthralling image becomes even more intriguing when you learn that it is a darkroom jigsaw – a composite photograph made through a combination of technical skill and creative vision. Alfred Buckham: Daredevil Photographer tells the remarkable story of this maverick of early aviation whose adventures took him from aerial reconnaissance photographer to intrepid explorer via numerous loop the loops.”

Alfred Buckham: Daredevil Photographer is a free exhibition at National Galleries Scotland: Portrait, opening on 18 October 2025.

Untold story of how one of Scotland’s most controversial public buildings was created, unveiled in new Holyrood exhibition

A new exhibition which showcases how Enric Miralles, Holyrood’s lead architect, brought to life his vision for a Parliament ‘growing out of the land’ has gone on display at the Scottish Parliament.

The exhibition, Enric Miralles: Creating the Scottish Parliament and other stories by Benedetta Tagliabue and EMBT, will be on display from 31 July until 30 October and entry is free.

Barcelona-based architects EMBT, co-founded by Enric Miralles and Benedetta Tagliabue in collaboration with Edinburgh-based architects RMJM, won the international competition to design the Scottish Parliament in 1998.

Their vision was to create a new Scottish Parliament building that embodied the values of Scotland – a space rooted in its landscape, traditions and people.

Many of the original designs featured in this exhibition will be going on display for the first time, including hand-drawn concept images, sketches, photo collages, site studies and competition boards. They formed part of the rich creative process led by Enric and completed by the EMBT team under Benedetta, following his untimely death in 2000.

The exhibition illustrates the importance of drawing, photography and writing as part of Miralles’ creative practice. From the early inspiration behind the famous ‘upturned boats’ on the roof, the ponds symbolising the lochs of the Scottish landscape and the semi-circular debating chamber, the impressive centrepiece, are just some of the design concepts explored within the exhibition.

The late Queen officially opened the Parliament in October 2004, with the building going on to win many accolades for its architecture and it continues to attract thousands of visitors each year.

Deputy Presiding Officer, Annabelle Ewing MSP said: “20 years on from the opening of the Scottish Parliament, people in Scotland have embraced this building and the vision that Enric Miralles had for it.

“That vision was about more than aesthetics. It reflects principles which still guide our work today – openness, accessibility and transparency.

“This exhibition highlights Enric’s creative process and how the Parliament he envisioned on paper was brought to life, something which sadly he would never see completed.  EMBT along with RMJM created a national legislature, providing a home to Scottish politics and changing Edinburgh’s landscape forever.” 

Benedetta Tagliabue, co-founder of EMBT said: “I was sure this Parliament would be loved by the people, and now this is happening.

“20 years has passed from the opening of the building and I am so happy to come back to Edinburgh and see how beautifully the building is kept and cared for.

“I hope people will come and discover how the building was conceived and see the many art pieces on display here for the first time. Including original work, photographs and hand drawn designs by Enric which were used to create this landmark”.

The EMBT studio was founded on an ethos that architectural design should enrich the day-to-day lives and experiences of people.

To showcase this philosophy, the exhibition also includes a selection of works developed by EMBT, such as the Santa Caterina Market, Hafencity, Kálida Sant Pau Maggie’s Centre and Parco del Mare Rimini.

Opening Saturday: Celebrate Fifty Years of Andy Goldsworthy at the National Galleries of Scotland

Andy Goldsworthy: Fifty Years

National Galleries Scotland exhibition at the Royal Scottish Academy building

26 July – 2 November 2025

Tickets £5-£19 | Friends go free

Andy Goldsworthy | Fifty Years | National Galleries of Scotland

This Saturday, the largest ever indoor exhibition by Andy Goldsworthy will open to the public, taking over the National Galleries of Scotland in the heart of Edinburgh.

Featuring over 200 works, the show will include major installations made in response to the iconic Royal Scottish Academy (RSA) building, as well as drawings, photographs, films, sketchbooks and archival items dating back to the mid-1970s and spanning fifty years.

Sure to be one of the most talked-about art events of the year and only to be seen in Edinburgh,. Andy Goldsworthy: Fifty Years opens on Saturday 26 July 2025, and is brought to you by National Galleries Scotland.

Tickets are on sale now.

Born in England in 1956, and based in Dumfriesshire, Scotland, for the past four decades, Goldsworthy is internationally recognised for his work with natural materials such as clay, stones, reeds, branches, leaves, snow and ice.

Over fifty years, he has created a unique and highly influential body of work that speaks of our relationship with the land. In Andy Goldsworthy: Fifty Years the land is brought indoors, into Scotland’s capital city.

Working as a teenager on farms near Leeds in Yorkshire, where he grew up, Goldsworthy developed a passion for working with the land: harrowing the fields, bailing hay, picking out and piling stones, feeding cows and sheep.

This is where he acquired many of the skills he uses in his practice today: cutting, digging, gathering, stacking, building. Goldsworthy then studied art at Bradford and Preston, while based in Morecombe Bay.

It was there that he began making ephemeral works in the sand, recording what he made in photographs and film.

Andy Goldsworthy: Fifty Years has been conceived by the artist as a single immersive artwork in response to the space, materials and character of the RSA building. Occupying all of the upper rooms and most of the lower floor, the exhibition is at once beautiful and ambitious in scale.

The interrelationship of humans and the working land is a recurrent theme in Goldsworthy’s art and in the exhibition. He often presents the land as a hard, hostile and brutal place. Fences and barriers feature prominently, in the form of rusted barbed wire stretched across a room, and a massive, cracked clay wall.

As in nature, beauty and danger co-exist.

In dialogue with the oak floor, the vast 20-metre-long Oak Passage fills the largest room, with hundreds of oak branches forming a narrow path through its centre. Made from the leftovers of windfallen trees, the passage acts as a reminder that the gallery floor was once a tree, and that a building is part of nature – just as we are.

Another highlight is the floor of one large room which is entirely covered with stones left over from gravedigging – collected from over 100 graveyards in Dumfriesshire.

With this new work, Goldsworthy explores the metaphorical correlation between the body and the earth. When a body is buried, the body takes the place of the stones, and the stones take the place of the body.

At the other end of the sculpture court, in contrast, a room will contain 10,000 reeds suspended from a halo on the ceiling. They will appear to rain down from the sky and float above the gallery floor at the same time.

Red Flags was originally created for the main square in the Rockefeller Center in New York and installed there for a month in September 2020.

The fifty large canvas flags, individually stained with red earth collected from each of the fifty US states, refer equally to difference and similarity, a work, in the words of artist, ‘that talks of connection and not division.’

The colour red features in many of Goldsworthy’s works in the exhibition, referencing blood and the iron content which makes blood red – another connection between our bodies and the land.

Themes of access to the land and the right to roam have informed Goldsworthy’s work. Another new sculpture, which stretches up the impressive entrance stair at the RSA, is made of sheep fleeces marked with the colour codes of different farmers.

While Andy Goldsworthy is one of the most celebrated figures in contemporary art, his work is seldom seen in exhibitions. He has completed outdoor commissions all around the world, from the Arctic Circle to Tasmania, but the inclusion of his work in museum shows is rare.

Andy Goldsworthy: Fifty Years is by far the largest and most ambitious indoor exhibition of his work ever attempted. Conceived by the artist specifically for the RSA building in Edinburgh, never seen before and never to be seen again, this exhibition is set to cement Goldsworthy’s position as one of the leading artists of our time.

Andy Goldsworthy, says: “The show has come at a particular time for me. I don’t think I’ve ever had an exhibition that has paralleled the work that I’m making in the landscape here in Scotland.

“That’s because the RSA is not far from where I live, so I have been able to make work in Dumfriesshire alongside visits to the RSA, which has become connected to what I am doing outside. I couldn’t have done this exhibition anywhere else.

“Actually, describing it as an exhibition seems wrong – it is a work in its own right.”

Anne Lyden, Director-General at the National Galleries of Scotland, says: “Andy Goldsworthy is a unique artist, he has such vision, and his work is extraordinarily beautiful.

“Andy Goldsworthy: Fifty Years is incredibly special, bringing the land indoors, and only at the National Galleries of Scotland. I’m so excited for everyone in Edinburgh to have the opportunity to visit this wonderful exhibition this summer.”

Andy Goldsworthy: Fifty Years is a National Galleries Scotland exhibition at the Royal Scottish Academy building, opening on 26 July 2025.

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