27 March 2008 at 6pm
This month we will be visiting the studio of Alan Kilpatrick to join him in discussion about his work, and in particular, his recent exploration of the cultural diversity of contemporary India. Some of you will remember Alan Kilpatrick from our January Spin event at the Carol Rhodes exhibition.
Kilpatrick is interested in the lives of others in the new India, particularly the many artisans whose traditions and methods are coming under increasing threat from India’s rapid technological advances. Using henna, spices and rice paste as well as marble dust and Indian inks, Kilpatrick has incorporated many of the customary materials employed by artists and craftsmen in his work.
Alan Kilpatrick was born in Assam and has lived and worked from his studio in Edinburgh since 1991. He graduated from St Martin’s School of Art in London. He recently had a solo exhibition at Art First in London and his work is held in many collections including the Fleming Collection, Royal Bank of Scotland, Bank of Scotland, The Bonham, Turcan Connell and Hans Rausing.
31 January 2008 at 6pm
For our first Spin event of 2008, we will explore the work of Glasgow-based artist, Carol Rhodes. This exhibition of paintings features almost fifteen years of work, exploring her very distinctive approach to landscape.
Carol Rhodes’ paintings resemble oblique aerial photographs. They depict fictional landscapes, depopulated, yet shaped, by human activities of industry, habitation, forestry, landscaping, transport and quarrying. Nearly all of these ‘landscapes’ are seen from a bird’s-eye view and almost all possess a hazy atmosphere.
Joining us in our exploration of these fascinating landscapes will be Edinburgh-based artist Alan Kilpatrick, who currently has a solo show at Art First in London. We will discuss the content and psychological effect of these peculiar, yet familiar images. Rhodes grew up in Bengal in India and at the age of fourteen came to the UK. We will think about Rhodes use of colour and, in particular, how the dry, earthy, muted colours of Indian colours have informed her palette.
26 May 2005 at 6pm
Amber Roome’s gallery in Cumberland Street opened a few months ago, and since then everyone has been watching with interest as a vibrant programme of exhibitions has unfolded. Amber currently works with nine painters and photographers, and often shows the work of other artists who have caught her attention in her downstairs space (including the likes of Andrew Mackenzie, who was our guest speaker in March).
It is a particular pleasure to visit Amber Roome Contemporary Art for this latest exhibition. Shadows and Tall Trees brings together a new body of work by Alan Kilpatrick that is drawn from his experience of two different cultures. Alan spent part of his early life in India, and continues to be fascinated by the relationship between post-independence India and Scotland. As Amber explains, this show ‘chronicles the fusion of the two cultures by examining the landscape, industries, people and artisan culture of the north east frontier region of Assam where he once lived.’
Alan has been an important painter on the Edinburgh art scene since 1991. He shows internationally, and his works are owned by The Fleming Collection, Royal Bank of Scotland, Bank of Scotland, Turcan Connell, Hans Rausing, The Bonham and further collections in Italy, USA, France, Eire, Australia and Germany. For this exhibition, he has been given the run of the entire gallery and so has been able to explore some new strategies in his work. He is addressing the figure here for the first time, with a number of portraits and also clay and resin figures arranged in two related installations. Alongside these are enigmatic landscapes, which literally ‘use elements from the artisan culture,’ incorporating turmeric, paprika and henna into the painting. Alan is also rather good at telling stories, so I anticipate illumination and entertainment in equal measure.
