Scottish Art and Artists in Historical and Contemporary Context

INTRODUCTION

SOMETIMES AS A history of art tutor, to stimulate class discussion, I would ask my students who they thought made the most important contribution to the canonical status of Italian Renaissance art. Predictably, the usual suspects were rolled out - Michelangelo, Raphael and Leonardo. Sometimes a more enterprising individual in the group might consider patronage and suggest the Medici Family. After the dust of the debate had settled, and it was my turn, I would take a different tack and propose that that particular laurel crown should go to Giorgio Vasari. I would then argue that his Lives of the Artists, not only endowed sustained, researched, biographical celebrity on individual artists for the first time, but more importantly, created a progressive chronological lineage. Each of those Italian artists could be artistically and historically placed and critically assessed within a 'grand narrative'. In contrast, although Northern Europe had as many outstanding individual artists as Italy - such as van Eyck, van der Goes, van der Weyden, Bosch, Bruegel and Durer - they had no equivalent writer to Vasari to serve their individual reputation and put each of their artistic achievements into an integrated art historical story line.

 Vasari's invaluable contribution to the creation of the enduring reputation of the art of the Italian Renaissance is outstanding, but it is not unique in the history of Western art. For instance, the critical, not to mention the commercial and popular aura, that now surrounds 19th century French painting, must owe a great deal to the championing of such supportive voices as those for example of Baudelaire and Zola. Also, much of the posthumous fame of Delacroix and van Gogh is certainly due to the later publication of their journals and diaries. Turning closer to home, the development of British modern art was very much directed by the critical guidance of Roger Fry and Clive Bell, and later David Sylvester and John Berger. Furthermore, in the mid-20th century the worldwide domination of American Abstract Expressionism was undoubtedly well served by the highly influential promotion of such literary figures as Clement Greenberg and Harold Rosenberg. More recently, the phenomenal impact of the British YBA artists on the international art scene in the 1990s, was greatly aided through the enthusiastic endorsement by the writer/critic Matthew Collins.

In Scotland there have undoubtedly been a notable number of outstanding individual artists, who through their distinctive art have created a national reputation, but rarely, an international one. Furthermore, within Scotland the visual arts has never enjoyed the same serious critical attention and promotion as, for example, Scottish literature. This has meant that no Scottish artist has gone on to gain the international renown of Scott or Stevenson - and in the 20th century does any Scottish artist have the global reputation of Muriel Spark?

Thus critical writing is unarguably vitally important, not only in the encouragement and support of the visual arts, but also in creating a serious respect and admiration for its role and importance within a nation's cultural identity. In contrast to other countries, in Scotland this has almost never been the case - and continues so to be.

No one would deny that there is a very active art scene in Scotland today, but the emphasis is almost exclusively placed on production. This is clearly demonstrated by the numerous art schools and colleges throughout the country, with the many young artists' support schemes, residencies and travelling scholarships. On the other hand, there is little or nothing in place to assess and promote the visual arts in Scotland through the publication of critical writings. This leads one to ask - what is the point in producing and encouraging a disproportionate number of young aspiring artists, if there is little opportunity for meaningful informed public discourse to discuss and encourage their creative efforts and abilities? Furthermore, if this critical dimension is lacking, then it is also certain that there will be little likelihood of a visually educated public - let alone adventurous collectors - to appreciate and support any new and innovative art of an experimental and ambitious nature. This situation inevitably has further dire implications on the art scene, resulting in the widespread domination of the self-congratulatory attitude of 'I don't know much about art, but I know what I like'. Then the conservative taste of 'I like what I know' becomes the prevalent self-satisfied order of the day; and Oscar Wilde's words will ring true in Scotland that they only know the price, not the value, of art.

Some might think the assessment above is over pessimistic and too one sided. If this is the case, then my scenario is still working for a good cause by presenting a necessary warning against cultural complacency. For I feel that this notable deficiency within the contemporary Scottish art world is to everyone's disadvantage - especially for ambitious artists and their keen supporters. As an art history lecturer, I was fortunate enough to teach an excellent Open University course entitled Modern Art: Practice and Debate. It was then that I fully realised how equally important both those components were - not only in themselves, but also, in their relationship to each other. Creative art practice is of course essential to the cultural wellbeing of any society. Critical debate however, is also absolutely necessary, if that art practice is to be encouraged and to maintain high aesthetic quality, along with social relevance. Furthermore, critical debate on artistic practice need not be the sole province of interested and concerned outsiders, but also, a necessary prerogative of the artists themselves. The history of modern art is full of such discursive artists' groupings - from the Impressionists to the Abstract Expressionists - where debate was the life blood of the modern art agenda. Hopefully, Scottish art colleges still are committed to encourage student debate and group solidarity. This should further develop a wider, more rewarding art scene - both for the artists involved and the Scottish art world as a whole.

I hope what I have presented is not just empty rhetoric, but is based on personal experience of working with, and writing about, Scottish art and artists over many years. Within my own experience, I have been extremely fortunate in having the opportunity to support Scottish art through my writings. The first inclination of having that ambition was when I was at Art College in the mid-'60s. There I realised I would never be the artist I aspired to be. Fortunately, through the advice of one of my tutors, I was encouraged to try to become an art historian. To my delight, at Edinburgh University I found that I did rather well as an art history student, winning an essay writing prize and going on to the prestigious Courtauld Institute for Art in London. After I returned to Scotland I was taken on by my former tutor, Duncan Macmillan at the Talbot Rice Gallery. There the exhibition policy was to promote Scottish art and artists - both historical and contemporary. This meant I was privileged to write for a number of important Scottish artists. There I was also involved with the setting up, and writing for, the first Scottish art magazine for decades, Alba, under the editorship of the indomitable Peter Hill. I also joined the university's art history department where they allowed me to develop my own courses on Scottish art history, a subject that proved surprisingly popular - especially with non-Scottish students.

Even with the demands of gallery work and art history teaching, I was always keen to publish my writings on Scottish art. Fortunately there were opportunities for me to do this. After Alba folded, I decided to approach London based publications. They were receptive, and keen to publish articles on contemporary Scottish art. I was appointed the Scottish art editor of Galleries magazine and remained in that post for a good number of years. I also regularly contributed Contemporary Visual Art with the encouraging support of the editor, Lynne Greene. Another fruitful collaboration in London was the Fleming Collection Gallery, where two of my ex-students worked and edited the magazine, Scottish Art News. North of the Border there were also periodicals who published my art copy - such as Radical Scotland and Cencrastus, edited by Raymond Ross. Furthermore, through my wide ranging contacts at the Talbot Rice Gallery I had, over the years, made a good number of acquaintances with Scottish artists and other gallery curators. This resulted in requests to write catalogue essays and to make contributions to artists' monographs.

Right up to the present, I have continued to find publishers interested enough to publish my writings. This is especially so with Luath Press, for whom, with the support of Gavin MacDougall, I have now produce three books.

So, on reaching my 80th year and still aspiring to be a published writer, my own good fortune seems to continue. However, I must admit I am concerned by the lack of opportunities for others. This seems especially so in the area of art periodicals - or the lack thereof. The era of the Scottish non-academic arts magazine seems to have passed and has been now superseded by the new age of online publishing. Of course some young authors might not mind the contemporary online outlets for their writings. I am sure however, that there are also many others who would still...