An Edinburgh art gallery its opening a new exhibition of work from some of Scotland’s most notable contemporary artists, celebrating the joy, loyalty and character of dogs.
Woof! The Dog Show opens in Morningside Gallery on Saturday 24th May, and includes new paintings from over twenty contemporary Scottish artists. All of the artworks feature favourite four-legged friends and continue an age-old tradition of artists drawing inspiration from their canine companions.
Few subjects have captured the hearts of artists and audiences as enduringly as the faithful hound. From Pablo Picasso’s paintings of his beloved dachshund Lump to David Hockney’s warm and intimate ‘Dog Days’ series, dogs have been a cherished source of subject material for artists over the centuries. The exhibition includes work from a range of contemporary artists, including Joe Hargan PAI PPAI, Gordon Mitchell RSA RSW, Joyce Gunn Cairns MBE, Stuart Buchanan and Gordon Wilson.
Another of the featured artists, illustrator and author Catherine Rayner, will act as judge for an accompanying children’s drawing competition. The response to the competition has been huge, with almost 700 entries received from Edinburgh school children. The winning artworks will hang in the gallery alongside the main exhibition on Saturday 31 May and Sunday 1 June, with an accompanying catalogue featuring all of the entries.
Eileadh Swan, director of Morningside Gallery said: “We’re absolutely delighted to launch this exhibition – it continues a long-standing tradition and it really is an incredible showcase of work from some wonderful contemporary artists, each with their own take on this timeless theme.”
Catherine Rayner, illustrator, author and competition judge said: “Seeing the children’s entries for the dog exhibition is so heartwarming! Man’s best friend has always been a huge inspiration for me – I love drawing dogs. I’ve held exhibitions full of them, painted them in every size and medium imaginable, and even written books about them. What makes this exhibition so special is that it celebrates the idea that art and illustration are for everyone – not just those who’ve already stepped into galleries. I hope it inspires little ones who dream of a creative future, and encourages people of all ages to pick up a pencil and draw more!”
Based at Church Hill in Morningside, the gallery will display more than 50 new paintings for the exhibition, which can also be viewed online and toured as a virtual exhibition for anyone who can’t make it to Edinburgh.
The exhibition will run in the gallery from Saturday 24 May – Sunday 8 June, and is open to the public, with all welcome to the Private View from 2 – 4pm on 24 May.
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