The Royal Scottish Academy
Address Princes Street
The Reviewers JoyLiz

The Exhibition Connections 2000

This is the annual exhibition of the members of the Royal Scottish Academy and their invited guests. It is the best I have been to in recent years, if you ignore the four piles of dirty washing in the sculpture hall which Andrew Stenhouse has the audacity to submit as 'Demon Trap' at £2000.

There are a few other 'sculptures' which leave one wondering about definitions and divides between subjects. The urine sample from General Sir Henry Rawlinson may be of historical interest to someone (who? not me!), but is it a sculpture?

Other interesting pieces are Frank Pottinger's 'sinew form' and William Brotherston's 'grey coil'. They are just so simple, tactile and pleasing.

However, my favourite was 'overcast sky' by Helen Barrett which involves glass and slate and is conceptually brilliant - a snip at £480.

An easily missed exhibit is Prayer stick 169 by Eileen Lawrence, on the door jamb, but well worth a few moments of contemplation.

Many of the Scottish great and good are represented, at astronomic prices. Bellany had a very recognisable-style triptych, featured in the catalogue, The Wayfarer at £55,000, with all the usual red noses, almond fish eyes, phallic symbols, bare boobs and sea things.

There is Shore Altandhu by Barbara Rae, still pricey at £23,500, but a far better buy. James Morrison and Jennifer McRae are represented by noteworthy works along with many less familiar names.

One of my least favourite was Alexander Guy's Revenge - looking like a bad cartoon from the wild west. A favourite was Chris Bushe's Crusader Arch; this has simple but dramatic shapes evocative of the title but without unnecessary detail.

We were a bit bored by the number of architectural drawings in room VI and the balcony, however it is an exhibition worth visiting even if the call of coffee at M&S did make us rush past the last few exhibits with unseemly haste.

Opening Times Mon-Sat 10am-5pm, Sun 2-5pm 29th July to 24th September
Admission free; list of exhibits (worth having) £1

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