A Taste of the Modern: Dean Gallery and Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art

Scottish National Modern Art Gallery - taken from the landscape lawn

So with my visit to the Dean and Modern art gallery last friday, I can now proudly say that I have visited all 5 gallery complexes under the National Galleries of Scotland!

The Dean and Modern art gallery are located all the way Northwest in Dean Village (see earlier post). The surroundings are quite beautiful - both galleries are set in the midst of parkland. The Modern art gallery itself has an interesting landscaped lawn, which is full of sinuous curves and water features - you can walk on it yourself and get a mild dizzy high while standing at the peak of the landscaped mound which overlooks the entire lawn.

Sadly, I wish the experience inside the modern art gallery had been as inspiring as its exteriors. I must qualify first that I like and support how museums and galleries are gradually evolving away from their 19th-century image as unassailable temples of reason, perpetuating linear narratives of cultural progress. At the same time, this is no excuse for a movement into post-modern chaos! Or should I say, a generally poor organization of the collection.

My main gripes with the Modern art gallery were that it included no ready floor plan (none I could see) to help orientation within the gallery space, and also poor labelling of the works - descriptions should never be repeated (or appear repetitive) even if they pertain to the same artist!

In general, I came out of the gallery feeling as if I hadn't really learnt or benefitted much as there was too little of the right information, and a weak sense of narrative coherence suggested between the different exhibits in the permanent collection.

The highlight for me though, was finally getting to see in person the handiwork of the infamous Damien Hirst. Frankly speaking, I was not impressed by some of Hirst's works. Call me ignorant or unappreciative of contemporary art, but I don't think an enlarged periodic table should be taking up so much space in an art gallery. Its significance (to me) seems to be drawn from the fact that it once hung in Hirst's restaurant, rather than from any intrinsic artistic or cultural value. It did not draw or engage me into any deeper kind of contemplation either.

Some works of Hirst which I did like however, included "Trinity: Pharmacology, Physiology, Pathology" which is a contemporary and rather playful take on a medieval triptych. I also quite liked his sculpture, "Wretched War" which was disturbing, but nevertheless compelled a powerful emotive response. From what I gather based on the exhibited works, some themes Hirst repeatedly engages is the tenuous interface between life and death, and an observation of the quasi-devotional significance society places on drugs and medicines (reflected best I thought, in "Trinity") At the same time, I don't think he deserves to have so many rooms devoted to him, compared to the other individual artists who were featured. Neither do I think that these fascinating ideas are best explored through animals suspended in vitrine. That's my opinion anyway.

The Dean gallery next door was a better experience for me. If you do go there I would recommend heading straight up to the current exhibition featuring '4 Scottish artists.'

In particular, I enjoyed viewing the small but fascinationg collection of works attributed to John Bellany. They make the Gallery well worth a trip. Check out his interpretation of the Crucifixion scene in 'Allegory.' It is a provoking work that fuses Christological imagery with scenes of realism drawn from Bellany's own experience growing up in a rural fishing community. Really quite something altogether.

Alright have to scoot off now world - ta ta!

Lost and Found in the New Town: An Afternoon in Pictures

Decided to take a walk on Monday afternoon around the New Town in Edinburgh. I didn't have any destination, but I thought I would try and pass the famed George Street. Well, famed for different reasons. It's named after an English monarch for one. It was also designed as the city's main thoroughfare till Princes Street claimed that position. But for most of my schoolmates, George Street is simply known for the posh clubs along the stretch.

And so it was at George Street that I began my rather modest walk in the heart of New Town.

The street itself is nothing exceptional, save for the monument to James Clerk Maxwell, a Scottish physicist. Maxwell presides at the head of George's Street, and I've since learnt that this monument was only unveiled in November last year.

An interesting fact about Edinburgh is that you can't walk 50 steps without bumping into a statue of one of the city's many illustrous sons (sadly, haven't seen any daughters yet). A local mentioned this once, which I think is fairly true: you don't see relatively many statues commemorating great generals, founding fathers or political figures - ie: those in the big, grand equestrian mould! There are however, a prolific number of intellectual and cultural figures immortalized including Sir Walter Scott, John Knox, David Hume and Adam Smith. Make of this what you will.

Incidentally, if you look carefully at Maxwell's feet, you'll see his dog Toby as well! Apparently Maxwell was famed for talking to Toby about his scientific theories.



Ah. Whynot. An apt name for a place where the beautiful people go to drink, make merry and toss restraint out of the window. Why not indeed? One of the clubs I keep hearing about but have yet to check out.



Walking further, I entered St Andrews Square Garden and encountered this magnificent column. It is truly quite a sight, if only because of its immense height which makes it visible all the way from the head of George Street. It's a tribute to Henry Dundas, the first Viscount Melville who died some 200 years back. Check out the inscription at the base of the column.



The name might make you do a double-take. Yes, Robert Stevenson was the grandfather of the other more famous individual who shared his name - Robert Louis Stevenson of Treasure Island and Dr Jekyll & Mr Hyde fame!



Hung around at the Gardens for a while, snapping photos and people-watching. And then I was off to ...nowhere in particular. Along my journey, I transited at:



The nicely-paved Multrees Walks which is a boulevard of fashion. It has a quiet, genteel air about it unlike the animated buzz along Princes Street. Multrees is cool, trendy, and luxuriating in boutique outlets, counting Calvin Klein and Louis Vuitton as permanent residents.



Don't be fooled by its non-descript and somewhat underwhelming appearance. The Stand, on York Street, is one of Scotland's premier stand-up comedy clubs. Have been meaning to go for ages. With tickets starting as low as 2 pounds ('Red Raw' beginners' nights), why not?


Whilst looking for Queen's Street, I accidently chanced upon this narrow sideroad which opened up into a small but charming little square, known as Findlay Court. It was sandwiched between two buildings, one of which I assumed to be a red-bricked church.

It was only after I exited the courtyard that I realized the 'church' was in fact the Scottish National Portrait Gallery! It has a really venerable and intricate facade, complete with gothic arches and fancy niches filled with sculptures. The inner foyer is just as lovely, affirming the resemblance to a lavish cathedral. The balustrades are adorned with this amazing fresco-like artwork, which depicts some kind of procession. The second-floor walls have painted murals on them, while the stairways contain lovely arched, stained-glass windows. The pictures below do no justice to the gallery at all!




Do you spy the unmistakeable likeness of Queen Victoria in the stained glass?

Gorgeous. Something else I love about the gallery is its colours - everything from the striking red sandstone facade, to the unusual but lovely pairing of warm, pinkish-rose walls and green (bordering on teal) carpeted floors. And the portrait collection itself is really quite fascinating. I never thought portraiture could be all that interesting, but I think I have changed my mind especially after browsing the more contemporary works on the 2nd floor. The My favourite work was titled Three Oncologists:

Strange, surreal. It's almost hypnotic. I love the play on light in this picture, and how it makes the figures look almost spectral. Do go visit the gallery if you can, but before April 2009. The gallery will be shut from then till 2011 as it undergoes renovation...though why they want to refurbish such an amazing building I do not know. Sigh.

And so that's how I accidently found myself on Queen Street, within the plush interior of one of the prettiest galleries I've ever encountered. Certainly a visit which was well worth the walk, even though I hadn't intended to stumble across it. But that lends the experience a spontaneous beauty itself I suppose.

The gallery marked a fitting endpoint to my rather long, rambly walk and now (since I'm tired), a close to this equally long, rambly post. Thanks for walking with me :)

Musings about Museums

Yet another post today in an attempt to archive a backlog of events and activities since last weekend!

Well as everyone might know, I absolutely love going to museums... with the possible exception of those dedicated to war or military history. So you must humour me now while I do the mandatory gushing.

A good museum or gallery can have me for the entire day, and even some of the more minor ones can keep me entertained for at least a couple of hours. I like the feeling of contemplative silence in (most) museums ie: those without children. And yes, as odd as it sounds, I adore dusty old things, and even more so what museums can do to them; I think its really fascinating how an unremarkable bit of pottery can be transformed into an object of sacerdoctal reverence when placed in a glass case. It's suddenly furnished with say, a thousand years' worth of history and significance...and in the course of finding that out, you too, develop a new way of looking and thinking about it.

So in my first couple of weeks here, the National Museum of Scotland and the National Galleries were no-brainers on my list of places to visit - and I do highly recommend them, not simply because they're both free, but because the collections are quite excellent. I especially liked the Madonna and Child pieces by Raphael in the Galleries' permanent collection, and I'm sure you will too! I'm no art conoisseur but hey - who can resist a bright palatte?

This past week however saw trips to museums dedicated to rather odd and somewhat unconventional subjects which I want to spend some time describing. First up on Sunday was the Museum of Childhood.


One of the first museums dedicated to the subject of childhood. I'm quite embarassed to say that I've been meaning to go to similar museums in Singapore including the MINT Museum of Toys for the longest time but I just never got down to doing it. Perhaps it was the S$15 admission fee at MINT which always put me off. But in any case, Edinburgh marks the first time I've stepped into a museum which houses the paraphernalia of childhood, and nothing else. It's been highly recommended by several guidebooks I've come across, so when Fel suggested we take a trip down to the Royal Mile to check it out - why not?


Some things I liked:

The first gallery you walk into when you enter the museum provides a historical overview of childhood (in Britain) which is really quite informative. There are sections devoted to things like feeding, play and education, and how attitudes to these sorts of things which we now consider integral to a child's welfare have changed quite remarkably since the 18th-century. However I was disappointed with how all this rather fascinating information was presented through cluttered and long descriptive labels which were (horrors) not even at eye level...some of them hovered somewhere around the hip. Good content, poor display. A pity really.

But moving on to other good things. I think it's a sign that I'm getting old when I experience moments of nostalgia in this sort of museum.


I saw the exact same set of Beatrix Potter books which I used to own as a child! Peter Rabbit, The Tailor of Glouscester...ah familiar names, familiar characters. Now I wonder whatever happened to my own set of Beatrix Potter books?

I might add that it is rather strange to see objects from your own life being encased in a museum exhibit.



And finally this does deserve a bit of a special mention. It's a 'board' game (even though its printed on paper) which is dubiously termed the 'Reward of Merit.' As you might have guessed from the title , it's an absolutely didactic Victorian game which both amused and appalled me with the little boxes players have to travel through en route to the final box termed (you guessed it) 'The Reward of Merit'! Box 24 is entitled 'The Truant,' and woe betide you if you happen to land there, because apparently "you justly merit woe, pay one, and to the Dungeon go." And of course to hammer the lesson in, players may not be released from the "Dungeon" till another player ends up there. You would of course be safer landing up in a box like number 4 entitled "The Gardener." However you'd have to put up with rather revolting little rhymes which go something like "plant what is good, root out what is bad / Then you'll become a charming lad!"

I think in all, a very quaint little place - and I don't mean that in a belittling sense. It's definitely not the kind of museum with sophisticated displays, fancy lighting or plush carpets. It's somewhat messy, with an oddball collection ranging from luncheon meat cans to the report card of an 8-year-old Victorian schoolboy. But it is after all a museum about childhood, and it is quite consciously targeted at children (and their frazzled parents), with little activity corners complete with dress-up stations and puppets. So in that sense, it is certainly not intimidating. If you're the type that scoffs museums as elitist and inacessible, try this one on a free Sunday afternoon!


Visited quite a different type of museum the very next day. I didn't bring my camera along, but I suppose that's just as well - it's not a museum you should step into just before tucking into a meal! I'm talking about the Surgeons' Hall Museum, which is conveniently housed within the esteemed Royal College of Surgeons on Nicolson Street! It's 3 pounds admission, and for that, you get to tour 3 very fascinating galleries, the highlight being William Playfair's Pathology museum which is home to a whole range of anatomical specimens dating back to the 18th C - all perfectly preserved and on public display. They've got everything including preserved human hearts, brains, bones (some with bullet holes still intact), eyeballs, muscles and even a jar of tapeworms and other parasites which might reside within your body. Highly recommended if you're a biology/medical student, my younger brother, or just someone with a morbid fascination with human anatomy.

The other two sections of the museum include one dedicated to the history of dentistry and the history of surgical developments and the college in Edinburgh itself. There's currently a special exhibition on sports, exercise and wellness which is frankly quite underwhelming compared to the rest of the museum. However, there's a nifty device there which allows you to try your hand at key-hole surgery - quite a test in dexterity and coordination!

Like the childhood museum, you can easily cover this in about an hour and a half...it's not that big at all. But definitely worth the 3 pounds if only to satisfy my rather perverse curiousity for the afternoon.

Other museums and galleries which I still want to visit:

1. Talbot Rice gallery
2. The People's Story
3. Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art