Bernie's Blog

Upside-Down…..Orkney’s Industrial Heritage……From Talbot Rice Gallery….. Upside-Down….. Our world is upside-down. I quote from Robert MacFarlane on Bluesky…. “This is an abysmal, brutally reverse-engineered instance of mega-corp fossil-fuel lawfare waged against Greenpeace. It’s a strategic takedown of a deep-rooted, rare-growing force for good on Earth. A(nother) desperate day for justice and the planet.” He’s talking about this…. https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/mar/19/greenpeace-lawsuit-energy-transfer-dakota-pipeline?CMP=share_btn_url ******************************************************************************************* Orkney’s Industrial Heritage…… The data structure report for the 'From Peat Spade to Tangle Trade' industrial heritage project is available to download…… https://archaeologyorkney.com/2025/03/18/industrial-heritage-dsr/ ******************************************************************************************** From Talbot Rice Gallery….. “Current exhibitions Walker & Bromwich / Searching for a Change of Consciousness | Trading Zone 2025 Until Saturday 31 May Our brand-new exhibitions Walker & Bromwich / Searching for a Change of Consciousness and Trading Zone 2025 are now open! A huge thank you to everyone who attended our Opening Reception last week and we look forward to seeing more friendly faces over the coming weeks of the exhibition. Searching for a Change of Consciousness highlights the duo's pioneering socially engaged practice, bridging labour movements, Indigenous struggles, capitalism, and extractivism. Trading Zone 2025 showcases work from Edinburgh College of Art students, including PhD researchers in Design, Art and Creative Writing, and students in Fine Arts (MA), Contemporary Art Practice (MA), Painting (BA Hons), Illustration (BA Hons), Sculpture (BA Hons) and Fine Art (BA Hons). Upcoming event Performance Lecture: Rita Mahfouz / Chasing Depth on Even Skies Friday 21 March, 5pm - 7pm Rita Mahfouz's work explores the intersection of aesthetics and politics, focusing on the architectural changes in Beirut, Lebanon, shaped by recent political turmoil. Through a performance lecture and sculptural piece, Mahfouz examines the panels that have covered windows and facades since the 2020 Beirut port explosion, revealing their deeper significance as screens of protection, concealment, and hidden political power. These panels, which proliferated in various forms after the blast, have been in place long before, dating back to earlier crises that originate since the Civil War, and seem to portray the more recent crises such as the 2019 financial collapse or the latest Israeli invasion. Mahfouz's work invites reflection on the hidden forces shaping our world, drawing connections between visibility, opacity, and the structures of power. Latest news Edinburgh International Festival's 2025 programme is now live and we are delighted to announce that our summer exhibition of Wael Shawky will be presented in association with the festival. A curated programme of world-class opera, music, theatre and dance will run from 1 - 24 August with Talbot Rice Gallery open every day of August to welcome visitors. Weaving together a number of Wael Shawky's large-scale film productions, sculptures and drawings, the exhibition will celebrate an extraordinary artist. It will also honour the Byzantine and Islamic Art Historian who gave the gallery its name 50 years ago - David Talbot Rice, within a vision for the 2025 festival that seeks to explore fact, faith and fiction, and where the truth lies within. Support us For fifty years, Talbot Rice Gallery has played a unique role in Edinburgh's cultural landscape. As the University of Edinburgh's contemporary art gallery, we deliver an ambitious and innovative programme of world-class exhibitions, commissions, community engagement and education programmes. Talbot Rice Gallery is free and open to all. We invite those of you who believe in the power of art and what we can achieve at Talbot Rice Gallery to consider joining our Community of Supporters to help us to shape the future of contemporary art in Scotland. Engagement round-up During our last exhibitions we visited Granton Primary School with our Community Engagement Officer Sarah Leal, and artist Eden Bø Dower to deliver a workshop inspired by Guadalupe Maravilla / Piedras de Fuego. The children explored art, discussed the places they come from, reflected on the challenges of displacement, and talked about the importance of being kind and welcoming. They then created beautiful artworks which we have turned into postcards and shared with Refuweegee as part of their 'Letters fae the Locals' initiative. We hope these postcards provide a warm welcome to everyone who needs it. For the past few years we have been woring in partnership with Fife College and HMP Shotts, delivering sessions and workshops designed to enhance learners practical skills, knowledge and contemporary art techniques. Last month we delivered a workshop with artist Greer Pester, followed by a creative making session inspired by Guadalupe Maravilla's retablos. We engaged in conversations about spirituality, alternative medicine experiences, near-death encounters, and the the things we are grateful for. We'd like to thank the group for their enthusiasm and openness. Talbot Rice Gallery The University of Edinburgh Old College. South Bridge Edinburgh EH8 9YL Visit our website