Visual Arts - Scotsman.com

Review: Painters in Parallel: William Johnstone & William Gillies

In showing side by side two contemporaries who did not see eye to eye, the Scottish Gallery illustrates the divergence of the art world of the 20th century while still allowing both to shine in their respective traditions

Kremlin’s portraits of royals to fetch up to £10m

The first ever portraits of the Royal Family to be commissioned by the Kremlin are expected to fetch up to £10 million at auction.

Lothians in Pictures: Edinburgh Airport

Edinburgh Airport’s control tower and Cammo Tower are barely visible in the wintry evening haze of this picture by Elliot Gault

Lothians in Pictures: Grangemouth

Evening News reader Dennis Connolly captured the Grangemouth petrochemical complex during a walk from Bo’ness

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Lothians in Pictures: Caledonian Hotel

A brooding sky sets the atmospheric tone of this view of St John’s and the Caledonian Hotel taken by Phil Wilkinson

Louise and Jane Wilson had to show a mixture of cunning and creativity to access restricted areas. Picture: Dan Phillips

Artists break the walls of silence to uncover Dubai murder mystery and Chernobyl ruins

Intrepid duo Jane and Louise Wilson entered the exclusion zone of Chernobyl’s lost city and risked arrest to unlock the door to an assassination mystery in a Dubai hotel

Lothians in Pictures: North Bridge

Lorraine Connolly pictured North Bridge through the ornate ironwork of the Scotsman Steps

Lothians in Pictures: Mirror Image

Evening News reader Eric Tomlinson captured Leith Docks bathed in a rosy glow as the sun set over the calm waters.

Turners playful Rome from Monte Mario. Picture: NGS/PA

Review; Turner in January: The Vaughan Bequest of Turner Watercolours - Scottish National Gallery, Edinburgh

We should appreciate the fact that our National Galleries annually show a superb collection of one of the greatest British painters, whose works are truly a force for good

Nick Cave in the Birthday Party. Picture: Harry Papadopoulus

Review: What Presence! The Rock Photography of Harry Papadopoulos - Street Level Photoworks, Glasgow

Relive the days when music fans would get black fingers from inky weekly music papers with this fascinating retrospective

Whitens show is an attempt to capture the raw but complex intimacy between parents and children

Interview: Kirsty Whiten, artist

Kirsty Whiten’s new work is based on photographs she took of her friends, naked with their children. It’s her latest attempt to get to the heart of the conflict between “civilised” society and people’s ancient animal instincts

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Lothians in Pictures: Esk Estuary

Calton Hill and Portobello beach form the backdrop to this picture of swans in the Esk Estuary by Dennis Connolly

Lothians in Pictures: The Grassmarket, Edinburgh

A wicker stag in the Grassmarket is silhouetted against the Castle on a bright New Year’s Day, as framed by reader Janina Dolny

Duff House: A haven for art lovers falls on harder times

It’s rich in history and a valuable asset for art lovers in the North-east, but cuts and falling visitor numbers mean control of Duff House is to move from the local council to a national body, writes Stephen McGinty

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Lothians In Pictures: Longniddry coast

Evening News reader Dougie Brown captured the raw power of a stormy sea from a Longniddry vantage point

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Art review: Forest Pitch, Selkirk

WHEN I climb into his car in Edinburgh, the Scottish artist Craig Coulthard tells me endearingly that he’s not a very good driver.

Lothians in Pictures: Longniddry Bents

A windsurfer braves the choppy waters of the Forth at Longniddry Bents in this picture taken by John D Thomson

Lorna Freytags photography style manages to be both fairytale and hyper-real at the same time

Fairytale photos with an edge let you take a walk on wild side

LORNA FREYTAG is used to getting funny looks from those around her as she carries out her work.

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Images of Scotland: Ben Nevis

The Loch Ossian Youth Hostel with a snow-speckled Ben Nevis in the background was photographed by Edinburgh-based reader Crispin Agnew. Winter snow first hit the ben last October

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Lothians in Pictures: Port of Leith

Dr Dennis Connolly captured two of Scotland’s marine protection vessels in the Port of Leith with Arthur’s Seat overlooking

Images of Scotland: Blizzard at Blair Athol

Mario Cugini took this photo of a lonely snowboarder traipsing through a blizzard at the Blair Athol estate in Perthshire earlier this week.

Lothians in Pictures: Newhaven lighthouse

Newhaven lighthouse feels the full force of winter in this picture taken by Evening News reader Tor Sodergren

John Bellany: A Passion for Life marks his 70th birthday and will be the biggest show of his work since 1986

Of art and soul: Can culture offer higher values to a society still obsessed with money?

NO doubt you could make an entertaining anthology of articles written like this one for the first newspaper of the new year. What glowing visions were penned in January 1929, for instance, or at the beginning of 1939?

Lothians in Pictures: Edinburgh fireworks

Reader Paul Peter Rhu-Mhor Fraser took this shot of the fireworks at Hogmanay from St Andrews House, Regents Road

Images of Scotland: St Margaret’s Loch

The Scotsman’s Andy O’Brien took this photograph of St Margaret’s Loch - beside Holyrood Park in Edinburgh - being disturbed by yesterday’s severe winds

A dog walker braves the conditions on Portobello Beach. Picture: Jayne Wright

In pictures: Scotland battered by severe winds Picture gallery

Winds reaching 100mph caused widespread travel disruption and structural damage across central Scotland today.

Stuart Kelly: Art and science don’t mix

It’s all very well trying to analyse the brain’s response to a painting, but you can’t choose a Turner Prize winner by giving the judges an MRI scan

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Lothians in Pictures: Newhaven Harbour

Photographer Phil Wilkinson captured the winter atmosphere at Newhaven harbour and lighthouse

Freud etchings at auction

A COLLECTION of 45 works by the late Lucian Freud created over a 25-year period and said to be the most complete array of his prints ever to be auctioned is to be sold next month.

Hockney tears a strip off Hirst ahead of exhibition

PAINTER David Hockney has criticised the likes of Damien Hirst, saying artists should create their own work.

Belated honour for George Wyllie as sculptor hits 90

THE work of celebrated artist George Wyllie is to be exhibited in the National Galleries of Scotland for the first time, it was confirmed yesterday.

Images of Scotland

Stephen Taylor took this twinkly photograph of the illuminated Christmas fun at Glasgow’s George Square

Picture gallery: Dark circles

Visitors to Edinburgh enjoy a Ferris wheel ride at sunset in this picture taken by News photographer Phil Wilkinson.

Images of Scotland

The afternoon sun gave Westerdale Mill in Caithness a warm, golden hue when Dennis Laing from Jedburgh took this photograph of it

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Lothian in pictures: St Stephen’s Church, Stockbridge

St Stephen’s Church, Stockbridge, catches the last of the afternoon sun in this photo by reader Keith McNeill

Edinburgh in pictures: Pentlands

Evening News reader Jim goodall captured the Pentlands covered in the first snow of the winter from the dalkeith to Penicuik walkway

The National Galleries of Scotland have announced a major new acquisition, Rome from Monte Mario (1820) by J.M.W. Turner. The watercolour takes pride of place in the Gallery's 'Turner in January' exhibition.

New JMW Turner artworl on display at National Galleries of Scotland

A MAJOR artwork by JMW Turner has gone on display at the National Galleries of Scotland.

Picture gallery: All the fun of the fair

This carousel provides a bright light in the winter darkness in this picture taken by reader John Gielty.

Illuminated

The Edinburgh Wheel lights up the Scott Monument in News reader John Cherry’s picture.

Picture gallery: Blanket of snow

News reader George Kemp captured this Christmas card image of Silverburn Village while walking in the Pentlands

Up in the air

Graham Thomson took this picture looking past the Scott Monument and on to the Balmoral from the Edinburgh Wheel

Art reviews: The Sculpture Show | Jock McFadyen: Fragments of Scotland

The definition of sculpture has blurred significantly in the past century, and the SNGMA captures the main shift very well, with some striking pieces – but there is a gap where many Scottish artists are not done justice

Scotsman Photo Competition winner: David Gow

We are delighted to announce that David Gow is the winner of December’s Scotsman Photo Competition for this striking image of the Scott Monument in Edinburgh given an unusual psychedlic glow by the lights of the adjacent Ferris wheel.