A cure for the summertime blues

There are certain lessons quickly learned when beginning life as a student: tupperware is indispensable, second-hand clothing is ‘vintage’ and abandoned furniture is invariably worthy of the laborious journey back to the flat. Students have mastered the art of turning one man’s trash into another's treasure, however inventive the demands. Yet at the beginning of term, among the hazy chaos of freshers’ week and the assumption that the Fringe packed up and left long ago, it is easy for even the most economical student to miss out on some of the finest leftovers going: the Festival’s blockbuster art exhibitions.

Determined not to fall into the same trap as in recent years, when acclaimed Festival shows such as Andy Warhol and the Impressionists lingered on into term-time so quietly that they were ignored altogether, my aim was to cram the four leading shows into a single day. The Fruitmarket’s collection of Eva Hesse’s Studiowork proved an intriguing starting point. A suspended waxy, ochre sheet of cheesecloth, closely resembling the translucency of dead skin, opens the show and immediately establishes the exhibition's visceral nature. It is surrounded by encased objects whose primitive design dates them as easily centuries older than their mere forty years. Aptly described by curator Briony Fer as ‘material thoughts’, these curious sculptures are inherently experimental, exploring the unconventional materials—fibreglass, latex and resin— through which Hesse established her reputation and challenged common perceptions of sculpture.

Upstairs the artworks appear further resolved and emit the organic sensuality of Hesse’s more famous works. Black enamel pieces hung along the wall oppose a plinth holding several fragile, shell-like paper sculptures. Despite exploring a broad range of ideas and materials, all contrasts collapse through Hesse's complex arrangements, keeping the exhibition congruous. After the ephemeral and experimental Hesse, the painstaking and accomplished technique of my next stop, the National Gallery’s The Discovery of Spain, was all the more amplified. Not only is the show a testament to the great artistic talents of that country and those who sought inspiration from it, but also a rich illustration of Spanish history. Goya’s etching series The Disasters of War, a violent and gritty commentary on the Peninsular Wars, is a sobering start to the exhibit. The real show-stopper, however, is the central room, so loaded with masterpieces from Murillo, El Greco and Velazquez that it is almost overwhelming. Even perennial favourites from the National Gallery’s permanent collection, such as Velazquez’ Old Woman Cooking Eggs, breathe new life when surrounded by the loaned works.

The focus of this room is largely on Murillo’s Christ at the Pool of Bethesda. Painted with such astounding naturalism, the foreground figure appears to fall out of his gilded enclosure and onto the entranced viewers.

Even the most illustrious of galleries may struggle to follow a show as captivating as The Discovery of Spain. Nevertheless, the non-profit, contemporary Collective gallery is so entirely different that it proves a refreshing change in scenery after the hours spent in the National Gallery complex. The intimate space currently holds two videos from Susan Norrie, entitled Enola and Shot. Taking its aesthetic from budget sci-fi movies and the soundtrack from Disney’s “It’s a Small World”, Enola hovers over a toy-town of famous landmarks; a chilling commentary on what Norrie envisions to be a world scarred by nuclear trauma. That said, this conclusion is difficult to unravel, particularly after the relatively clear narratives in The Discovery of Spain.

The Collective’s ambiguity proves a worthy predecessor to the greater mystery inherent in Joseph Kosuth’s show at the Talbot Rice. 'An Interpretation of The Title': Nietzsche, Darwin and the Paradox of Content proves the perfect exhibit to close the day, since its challenging nature can afford no distractions. Kosuth litters the installation with philosophical and scientific references, provoking many questions but no easy answers. It is this uncertainty which draws in the viewer and prompts a real engagement with the piece.

With 20th century icons, Old Masters, and up-and-coming contemporary artists all on your doorstep, now is the perfect time to explore Edinburgh's rich art scene. The great differences between the works on show are an intriguing and effective way of sampling the richness and diversity of culture available at the Edinburgh Festival. For those who missed the Fringe and associated cultural festivities, or those already nostalgic for its return, a day spent at the galleries is the perfect remedy.