CHRIS FREMANTLE

Inspired Editions: Prints and Multiples at the Robert Burns Birthplace Museum.  Very good answer to the question “What does Robert Burns mean to you?” when asked to Scottish artists living and working now.

The National Trust for Scotland’s press release:

Earlier this year, conservation charity The National trust for Scotland launched a programme of contemporary exhibitions for the first time. Inspired Editions: Prints and Multiples brings together 14 of the very best artists today and will run between 7 September and 24 December 2012.

All of the sculptures and prints on show are ‘editions’ – that means there are a small number of versions available for purchase – a move which makes them much more affordable to the general public.

The artists taking part in Inspired Editions are:

· ROB AND NICK CARTER (The Red Rose)

· CALUM COLVIN (Burns Country)

· GRAHAM FAGEN (Red Rose)

· EUAN HENG (Volunteer)

· KENNY HUNTER (Monument to a Mouse)

· WHYN LEWIS (Survivor)

· DAVID MACH (Robbie Burns)

· JO McDONALD (The Songs you used to Play II)

· HARLAND MILLER (Sweet Afton)

· ROBERT POWELL (A Tripartite Diptych: The Ploughman Poet flanked by Ossian/Macpherson and Topaz McGonagall)

· JEPHSON ROBB (Love & Kisses)

· CATHERINE SARGEANT (Tirl)

· FIONA WATSON (My Heart’s in the Highlands a-chasing the Deer)

Affordability, without compromising on quality, was an important consideration for this new exhibition, which was curated by Sheilagh Tennant.

Commenting on the exhibition, Sheilagh said:

“There are over a dozen artists involved and it’s fascinating to see the variety of different interpretations of Burns’ work.”

The roots of the new exhibition were in Inspired 2009, an exhibition of original work inspired by the life and times of Robert Burns. This exhibition was part of the 2009 Homecoming Scotland programme of events and was also curated by Tennant.

Sheilagh adds:

“Inspired 2009 was a labour of love really – I had been aware for a long time that there had never been a major exhibition of contemporary art inspired by the work of Burns and the Homecoming celebrations provided a perfect vehicle.

“However, during the run of the exhibition, I became aware that, while many would have liked to, most people were disappointed that they could not afford to buy the work on show in Inspired 2009. When I was invited to manage the new contemporary exhibition programme at the RBBM, this provided the opportunity to exhibit a series of editioned work inspired by Burns’ life and works.”

Inspired Editions runs daily at the Robert Burns Birthplace Museum in Alloway. Entry to the exhibition is free and a proportion of all sales from the museum will go to support the property.

The museum is a cultural hub for Ayrshire and beyond, attracting the best from the world of art, music and literature and presenting their works with irreverence and fun.

Along with the Auld Kirk and Brig o’ Doon, the cottage where Burns was born has been combined with the Burns Monument and the new award-winning museum building to form the Robert Burns Birthplace Museum. Generously supported by the Scottish Government and the Heritage Lottery Fund, the museum commemorates the life and works of Robert Burns.

Since opening to the public in December 2010, the museum has welcomed more than half a million visitors and has won a series of accolades including being selected as a finalist for the prestigious Art Fund prize, securing a five star rating from VisitScotland and being named as Horace Broon’s ‘new favourite place in Scotland’.