E X C U R S I E : I N S E L H O M B R I O C H

 Just some snaps from the Insel Hombrioch Museum near Dusseldorf which I visited in the name of 'research' last week.  The former NATO base was redeveloped as a sythesis of art and nature in 1994, allowing this so-called 'neglected corner of the earth' to become something quite beautiful. It's a totally different sort of art experience; there are no guards (and hardly any other people at all!) or signs to explain the artwork, and some of the buildings don't house anything at all. Paths, sculptures and gardens weave effortlessly together and there's no way of knowing where the art ends and nature begins. But I guess that's probably the point. Enjoy :)

T H E S E A T H E S E A

I  thought I would share some pictures of my trip back home to the Kingdom over Christmas.

After around 4 days of sofa surfing, and with cabin fever brewing, me and my sis decided to get out of the house for a few hours and take a wee donder to the Harbour and Ravenscraig Castle, where there are also some really brilliant pieces of land art on display. Designed to integrate with rather than oppose the landscape, each piece is site specific and reflects the coastal environment in a subtle, elegant fashion. Donald Urquhart's Sea Beams play homage to the vast colour spectrum of the sea (and seem to work whatever the weather), whilst the Portal and Sailor's Walk Window capture and frame specific views over to the Bass Rock and Edinburgh. The steps between park and Harbour are adorned with two stone inscriptions by the wonderful Thomas A. Clark, and allude to the changing light conditions as you travel between. Other works include Alec Finlay's bird boxes with crossword puzzles written on them (they're pretty tough though... and where are the blimmin' answers?) and the shaded wall also by Donald Urquhuart. The artwork, both individually and collectively, really make such a difference to the area and I'm so happy that Kirkcaldy (...ok, Dysart) is home to them. You can read more about the project here. 

NB - I've added in some other pictures of the artwork taken in Summertime which are a bit better quality. Nope it wasn't as sunny as that in December!     

(E X T R A) O R D I N A R Y

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Old paintwork. Rusty, flaking metal. Trodden on chewing gum. Wherever I’m describing it sounds like a dive, right? Most probably, that’s exactly what it was, the sort of place you wouldn’t look twice at, or would hurry through to get home. For American artist Ingrid Calame however, these banal spaces and all their blemishes tell an important story – one which she brings to life in spectacular fashion in her first solo exhibition in Scotland at the Fruitmarket Gallery in Edinburgh. Using every scratch, scrape and smudge as the foundations for her drawings, Calame’s intricate tracings provides a visual commentary on a fleeting moment in time, like an abstract photograph that will never be captured again. Her art is the product of a meticulous, almost forensic, mapping process of the physical environment and is enriched by the vibrant colours that detach each piece from its humble beginnings. Downstairs in the gallery, Calame showcases bright, glossy paintings on aluminium that are much more clever than they appear, but it is upstairs that she really excels, revealing a softer side with a delicately constructed chalk masterpiece that is as temporary as the markings she so carefully records.

W E A R E N O W H E R E

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Well the Edinburgh festival is finally upon us! I only picked up all the brochures and other paraphernalia on Saturday so I'm a little behind the times, as per. I do actually feel quite excited this year though. I think being an Edinburgh resident you can sometimes get a little blasé about it all, but this time I'm determined to catch as many things as I can! This is my first spot, Anish Kapoor's rather stunning waxwork masterpiece which is currently residing in the Sculpture Court at my old gaff, ECA.  I do tend to love eveything that Kapoor does, and the way he can fill a space is incredible. I also love the blood-red, fleshy colour scheme that features in the majority of his work, I think it appeals to my inner scream queen!