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A "tremendously important" exhibition exploring issues such as the legacy of systemic racism has opened at the Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art. Alberta Whittle: Creating Dangerously is the largest exploration of the artist's work to date, offering an overview of his work, including sculptures and installations, digital collages, drawings and watercolours, as well as new pieces created especially for the exhibition. The exhibition also features two works that were central to the Barbadian-Scottish artist's critically acclaimed exhibition at the 59th Venice Biennale in 2022, where she represented Scotland.
Speaking earlier this week, Whittle said the free exhibition, which opened on Saturday, has a "message of hope".
She told the PA news agency: "I got the invitation when we discovered Venice and I really wanted this exhibition to bring the work back to Scotland, but also present themes of care, compassion and hope for the public."
"Because I really think that as we get involved in this abolition work, the work against racism, it's very important that we actually really sit down together in community so that we can find new ways to better listen, to understand the harm what is being done." done, but also trying to really think about how we can create turnaround strategies.
"And also about how we can drive change, and it's really my view that this work really starts at home in conversations with other close groups, with communities."
The artist, who studied at the Edinburgh College of Art and visited Glasgow, declared that c'était "vraiment spécial" d'avoir le travail exhibito à la galerie, et que le retour du travail de Venise ici resemble à un "back to the origins".
Two of the works on display in Venice, the tapestry Entanglement Is More Than Blood and the film Lagareh, The Last Born, were purchased for the nation by the National Galleries of Scotland (NGS).
Lucy Askew, NGS Chief Curator of Modern and Contemporary Art, said: “This highly significant exhibition, dedicated to the work of one of the leading artists working in Scotland today, is underpinned by the profound generosity and warmth of Alberta.
"Alberta speaks to fundamental truths about the violence and injustices of our past, 'the burden of proof,' and the legacy of systemic racism that permeates our society today, asking us to confront this with her.
"With compassion and care, he sustains and guides us, encouraging us to pause, breathe, and think differently."
The exhibition at the Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art (Modern One) will be open from April 1 to January 7 next year.
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