The Red Door: Crag & Tale Exhibition

Friday 25 August 2017

Crag & Tale Exhibition

For Edinburgh Festival 2017, The Red Door Gallery put out a call to our illustrators, inviting them to take a new view on Edinburgh. The Red Door Gallery has been here for around 14 years, and these are some fresh takes on our dear city!

Old Town Whisky & New Town Gin by David Fleck

“Crag & Tale”, the title of the exhibition, was intended as a point of inspiration. Edinburgh city is famously built around the castle, which perches above the cities Old and New towns, on an ancient volcanic rock. Fleck’s craft spirt inspired prints means there is a city view to accompany your favourite tipple, gin or whisky anyone?

Edinburgh Fizz by Ray Taylor

Known locally as the Castle Rock, the craggy, solid land mass under the Castle was emphasised and exposed during the ice age. It was so resistant to glacial pressure that most soft rock surrounding it was carved away, with the exception of a protected slope leading off to the East. In geological terms, Edinburgh’s Old Town was built upon a “Crag and Tail”. Ray Taylor’s print captures all the energy of a volcano and turns it into a celebration, a little reminiscent of Edinburgh Tattoo!

The Edinburgh Dragon by Emily Hogarth

The Red Door Gallery is part of this tail, nestled underneath the Castle. Paper cut artist Emily Hogarth has created a Dragon themed cut-out of this fantastic site. This is an original piece from the renown artist currently designing works for the entrance to the new Sick Kids Hospital in Edinburgh. A rare piece of work which will form the starting point for a screenprint later in the year. This paper cut is available to buy here.

Our call to artists has produced an original and varied collection of contemporary works on paper. Each artist has used the city as the foundation on which to build their own, personal story and style. Mister Peebles has found her trademark pun in this print of “Edinbear Waverly”, which is sure to bring a smile.(available here in A2 and here in A3 size).Libby Walker’s Edinburgh story focuses upon her time spent at Edinburgh College of Art. The iconic architecture forms the back drop and memories to her print, while her heroes and memories of art school add life and colour. We are also lucky enough both prints and the original drawing (click here). A rare to see her impressive drawing skills and for one wise investor to own an original Libby Walker! The Lindstrom Effect contributed two very different looking prints. One captures the dramatic, ancient ruin at St Margaret’s Loch which can be found on Edinburgh’s other great crag, Arthur’s Seat. The second print features a modernist tribute to Edinburgh’s Commie Pool which was built in the shadow of Arthur’s Seat in 1970. These two impressive buildings are separated by centauries, but are both well loved spots which hold personal memories for the artists.There are many more wonderful pieces in this exhibition, all of which take a recognisable, yet different view of the Edinburgh. Click here to read more about each individual print and hear the artist’s motivation and inspiration!