Reflection: Contemporary Visual Arts and Crafts in Edinburgh

The third and fourth floors of the City Art Centre are currently playing host to a great spectrum of works, ranging from ceramics, printmaking and textiles, to photography, jewellery, painting, glassmaking and new media. All of the 22 artists and makers exhibiting here have been supported by the Visual Arts Awards and Craft Maker Awards, run by the City of Edinburgh Council in partnership with Creative Scotland since 2000.

With the scheme now having run for a decade, this exhibition highlights not only the development and creative practices of these artists, but also emphasises the artistic talent that Edinburgh has to offer. Alan Kilpatrick’s Flame Tree, a stunning and soothing painting using henna and turmeric, is cleverly contrasted with Aeneas Wilder’s destructive video Est Nord Est, in which beautifully complex stacked creations are destroyed through Wilder’s forceful touch.

Beverley Hood reflects on the tradition of portraiture in the 21st century in her work, Doppleganger, depicting international artists in digitally printed portraits, disrupting the traditional notion of portraiture by producing almost computer game characters. Whilst Hood’s practice is clearly based in the digital medium, seen also in a video installation, many artists have taken to using everyday objects to create beautiful and sometimes dainty sculptures. Gemma Coyle’s Bonnie Biro Canvas 3, a delightful little caravan made out of biros, is presented almost regally on a rotating plinth, whilst Rebecca Wilson’s Memoria – 100 Cups of Tea, Never to Be…highlights the sadness of a beautiful broken object, turning the everyday into a collage of pleasurable extravagance.

An ambitious education programme accompanies the exhibition, and many of the exhibiting pieces are for sale, offering an opportunity to invest in the city’s talent and support Edinburgh’s thriving visual art and craft sector.