The National Galleries of Scotland are proud to present major exhibitions of works by Robert Mapplethorpe and Ron Mueck at this Augusts Edinburgh Art Festival.
RON MUECK | Royal Scottish Academy Building, Edinburgh
5 August 1 October 2006
For information, tickets and podcurator: www.nationalgalleries.org/mueck
Ron Mueck is one of the most exciting sculptors working today. He shot to fame in Charles Saatchis Brit Art extravaganza Sensation at the Royal Academy, London in 1997, with Dead Dad – a poignant sculpture of his fathers small, naked corpse. His 4.5m crouching Boy also drew considerable acclaim when presented at the 2001 Venice Biennale.
This exhibition comprises the five recent works that were shown at Fondation Cartier in Paris last winter attracting 110,000 visitors (In Bed, Two Women, Mask III, Spooning Couple and Wild Man), as well as important earlier works (such as Man in a Boat, 2002) and a giant baby (A Girl, 2006) made especially for this exhibition and shown in Edinburgh for the very first time.
ROBERT MAPPLETHORPE | Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art, Edinburgh
29 July 5 November 2006
For information and tickets: www.nationalgalleries.org/mapplethorpe
Statuesque nudes, portraits of artists and celebrities, depictions of New York’s S&M underground and delicate flower photographs – a rare retrospective from the provocative perfectionist, Robert Mapplethorpe (1946-1989).
The show comprises nearly 80 photographs, some of which have never been exhibited before. The works highlight the range of the artists technique and subject matter; the largest group being portraits including Andy Warhol, Patti Smith, Truman Capote, Louise Bourgeois, David Hockney, Philip Glass, Grace Jones, Iggy Pop, Arnold Schwarzenegger and Marianne Faithfull.
Also included are a number of extraordinary self-portraits which chart the artists life and final illness; works from his infamous X Portfolio series which chronicled New Yorks S&M underground; and exquisite studies of leaves and flowers.
National Gallery of Scotland | Royal Scottish Academy Building | Scottish National Portrait Gallery | Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art | Dean Gallery
Media enquiries:
Patricia Convery, Head of Press, pconvery@nationalgalleries.org or 44 131 624 6325
For more information on the Edinburgh Art Festival: www.edinburghartfestival.com