Calum Colvin’s rich, anarchic and often highly amusing photopieces are amongst the most significant artworks to emerge from Scotland during the eighties.The elaborate scenarios of the imagination which Colvin develops in his tableaux permit access to a realm wherein myth, identity and cultural traditions are dismembered and reordered with genial impunity.
As with all projects we depend on the co-operation of certain individuals for their success. Calum Colvin’s active collaboration and unstinting response to our numerous requests is deeply appreciated. We are greatly indebted to David Mellor whose catalogue essay thoughtfully interprets the complex of themes and references which form the background to Colvin’s work.We wish to thank Simon Salama-Caro for his assistance and generous support. In addition we are most grateful to the Salama-Caro Gallery and M. Heiting for the loan of works.
Fiona McLeod
Director, The Fruitmarket Gallery
‘Untitled’ 1985 (76 x 102cms)
‘Death of Venus’ 1986 (76 x 51 cms)
‘Cenotaph’ 1987 (Each panel: 155 x 122 cms)
‘Cenotaph’ 1987 (Left panel)
‘Cenotaph’ 1987 (Centre panel)
‘Cenotaph’ 1987 (Right panel)
‘The Temptation of St Anthony’ 1989
‘The Temptation of St Anthony’ 1989 (Left panel)
‘The Temptation of St Anthony’ 1989 (Centre panel)
‘The Temptation of St Anthony’ 1989 (Right panel)
‘Deaf Man’s Villa’ 1989 (Centre panel: 244 x 196, Side panels: 196x156cms)
‘Deaf Man’s Villa’ 1989 (Left panel)
‘Deaf Man’s Villa’ 1989 (Centre panel)
‘Deaf Man’s Villa’ 1989 (Right panel)
‘Brief Encounter’ 1990 (Left panel)
‘Brief Encounter’ 1990 (Centre panel)
‘Brief Encounter’ 1990 (Right panel)
‘The Art of Memory’ 1990 (Left panel)
‘The Art of Memory’ 1990 (Centre panel)
‘The Art of Memory’ 1990 (Right panel)
‘Rebus’ 1990 (Left panel)
‘Rebus’ 1990 (Centre panel)
‘Rebus’ 1990 (Right panel)
Calum Colvin exhibition catalogue with essay by David Alan Mellor, Fruitmarket Gallery 1990.
Brief-Encounter