Discoveries and Dramas
I was a last minute visitor to Kimono: Kyoto to Catwalk at the V&A in Dundee, here are a few of my favourite things from that exhibition.
In Edinburgh I recently visited the Benno Schotz and A Scots Miscellany show at the RSA. I’ve come across Schotz’s work over a very long time; the stone carving below right when I was a student at Gray’s School of Art in Aberdeen. The fabulous Iron Knight on the left was new to me, both of these works are not typical of Schotz. He’s probably best known for his portrait heads, these were initially modelled in clay in a very loose gestural manner. The film in the exhibition was fabulous, it was lovely to hear his voice and see him demonstrate his modelling techniques, he came across as unpretentious and full of energy.
The images below are of Schotz’s work in St Paul’s Roman Catholic Church, Glenrothes. In March 2020 I was to run workshops on mould-making and plaster-casting inspired by these as part of Art UK’s nationwide Sculpture Around You project, unfortunately after months of planning it didn’t happen.
Below is an excerpt from a text by David Harding about the commission
Part of The Scots Miscellany exhibition was the work of Fanindra Nath Bose, according to the RSA website ‘as far as is known, he was the first sculptor of Indian nationality to receive official recognition in Great Britain.’ Below left are photographs that were in a display case in the exhibition that relate to the war memorial in St John’s Kirk, Perth. The memorial was designed by Sir Robert Lorimer (Scottish National War Memorial, Edinburgh Castle). Apparently a sculpture of John the Baptist by Fanindra Nath Bose guards the shrine. The photo to the right of the angel is of this figure which is in bronze at the Kirk, I hope to see this in person soon.
Finally some images that sum up last week’s dramas caused by Storm Éowyn.
