On the Mainland; Over the Water: This Month in Scottish Art
Getting back a little bit of summer for those who made it to Queens Park in July, The Common Guild will represent Phil Collins’ film Tomorrow is Always Too Long in the GFT on Sunday 7 December at 7.30pm. The work forms a version of Glasgow, from scenes with surreally quick camera pans that follow game show buzzers to musical numbers and a shadow-puppet style animation. Yet, Collins steps in front of any moments of too-sharp humour with sudden and perceptible sidesteps into wrenching sensitivity.
Still in Glasgow, the 2|1|4|1 Collective will present their 2014 Members Show / festive end of the year PARTY / Integrated Programme at the Old Hairdressers from the evening of Sunday 7 December until Tuesday 9 December. Work on show will be from the members of 2|1|4|1, a 12-strong collective that started during May last year. Their members are mainly "artists in the youth of their careers," and the group's ethos is defined by "accessibility and a critical commitment to making and showing contemporary works." On Sunday 7 December there will be an open meeting, followed by the exhibition opening and a party at 8pm with mulled wine, a raffle and DJs.
Heading to Edinburgh, Ponte City, an exhibition by Mikhael Subotzky and Patrick Waterhouse will open in the Scottish National Portrait Gallery on Saturday 6 December. This will be the only UK showing of the exhibition, which takes its title from the Johannesberg landmark of the same name. Erected in 1975, Ponte City began as classy residences for the wealthy white elite. Following the end of apartheid in the 1990s, it fell into disrepair and became a representation of urban decay, while housing black newcomers from townships and immigrants from elsewhere in Africa. It was during a failed renovation plan that saw the involvement of Subotzky and Waterhouse, who planned a 'before and after' series. Their striking photographs were the result of meticulously documenting the space and the lives of those within. There’ll be a feature on the show in the January print edition.
Having featured Charles Avery’s Billboard for Edinburgh at the end of October in the online weekly rundown of events across Scotland, it’ll be exciting to see Ingleby’s exhibition on their billboard project. For the last six years, the Ingleby has been inviting artists to exhibit on the billboard on the side of the gallery. The exhibition on the project is open from the 6 December until 10 January and Long’s edition will be up until 30 January.
Moving to Dundee, in the Wasps Artists' Studios, Meadow Mill there is an exhibition by the newly formed Dundee Print Collective. In the exhibition, there will be screenprints from over 20 Dundee based and associated artists. Their brief was simple: "use one colour and black." On Saturday 6 December, there is an opening event featuring performances by Bob Flambé and the Atoms of Desire, Man with Machines and Fallopé & The Tubes. The exhibition will continue from 7-14 December.
Crossing the water to Shetland, and also on the mainland in the East Ayrshire town of Kilmarnock, Tate have installed two of their Artist Rooms. Work by the internationally acclaimed photojournalist Don McCullin will be on display in the Bonhoga Gallery until 22 February 2015, while Gerhard Richter will be in the Dick Institute in Kilmarnock until 6 December 2014. The Artist Rooms series is joint collaboration between the National Galleries of Scotland and Tate, and aims to display its collection of over 725 works of seminal artists across the UK. For more information on the tour around the UK and future events, see tate.org.uk/artist-rooms