Dundee’s Gallery Q is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year, and has launched a special exhibition of work by popular Gallery artists to mark the event.
The selection of artworks assembled in the two-storey space in the heart of Dundee’s art district is quite remarkable: they all comprise a rich tapestry weaved by a selection of outstanding Scottish artists with prolific careers that range in medium, style and size. I have spoken to the curator of the Gallery, Lucinda Middleton, who has shared her reflections, insights and anecdotes from her time working in this veteran establishment.
The Gallery occupies space in the city’s Queen’s Hotel – a lavish Victorian building, steeped in history, with a gothic façade and ashlar front. The building was a base from which Winston Churchill, Member of Parliament for Dundee 1908 – 1922, operated during wartime (the hotel even features a plaque commemorating Winston Churchill himself).
The Gallery opened its doors in 1999, coinciding with the opening of Dundee Contemporary Arts Centre or DCA (its recent Claudia Martinez Garay exhibition review can be read here). Both are part of the roster of galleries that were at the forefront of Dundee’s fledgling art scene at the time, and have been cultural hubs in their own right since.
Lucinda became the second owner of the Gallery in 2018, and has seen the Gallery through tough times, especially the outbreak of the global pandemic. ‘We have held exhibitions online’, the current owner of Gallery Q shares. Nor have the numerous lockdowns changed the proportion of purchasing trends – the Gallery has a strong online presence, but mainly still sells directly from on-site (including a recent despatch to Australia!). There are also returning customers, who are after works by a specific artist and who would prefer to view them on-site, which is an optimistic trend.
Lucinda also commented on the current funding situation in Scotland – the scrapping of art and culture grants that are part and parcel of artists’ practice. ‘Grants enable artists to function, and if the artists can’t function, we have nothing to show’, Lucinda shared. Such is the current reality of arts sector in Scotland, but that will hopefully alter course.
The Gallery’s range has been diversified by the introduction of decorative works such as ceramics and glassworks, and recycling works that have already been on display.
Back to the exhibition at hand: the aim of this show is to look back on the achievements of Gallery Q, from its foundation to the present day. Many displayed artists have been with the Gallery since its inception, notably Francis Boag, Irene McCann and Heather Soutar.
A Dundonian himself, Boag is a prolific artist whose ability to combine vivid colours such as magenta, cadmium orange and indigo blue in the same composition while retaining a visual harmony is unparalleled, whether portraits or landscape of Scotland, they are equally memorable.
An artist whose artworks ‘stand out’, yet in an understated way, is Claire Harkess. Her muted watercolours and horizontally-orientated compositions evoke a Japanese affinity to art. By focusing on one subject at a time, such as a robin or tree branches, Harkess’ compositions read as quiet admirations of nature and wildlife. Her treatment of each composition with a certain haze or patina renders her work slightly haunting, as if the subject might soon disappear from the horizon and become a timely reminder of how precious our natural surroundings and their inhabitants are.
Two works located closer to the window front, draw one’s attention: the warm light that emanates from John McIntyre’s renditions of urban café settings lend a cosy atmosphere, making one linger next to them for longer. Complementing this, Martin Hill’s equally unhurried paintings of a hen and a stowed-away turquoise boat provide a glimpse into a quaint atmosphere of a countryside.
In order to keep audiences engaged, Lucinda has made the astute move to diversify the range of artworks by including decorative art into the fold, particularly fond of glass and ceramic media. The abstract glass compositions by Graem Muir and ceramic wall reliefs by Helen McIntyre add a different dimension to the exhibiting space, while the tactility of the decorative pieces encourages a bond between the viewer and the artwork.
Altogether, this exhibition is a testament to Scottish talent across the board that showcases a kaleidoscopic variety of works of various media, from traditional fine art to unique decorative pieces, that are rewarding to explore.
With tanks to Anna Shevetovska for this review.
