Tilda portrait in John Byrne show
FAMOUS subjects such as Hollywood actress Tilda Swinton and Scottish comedian Billy Connolly are included in a new art exhibition by artist John Byrne opening at Inverness Museum and Art Gallery on Saturday.
The self-portraits of the artist will stand in for John until he appears at the venue for a special event in conversation with Gordon Brown of Brown’s Gallery, Tain, on Friday, November 28 at 6.30pm.
Organisers say booking for the event is essential.
The show, Sitting Ducks, includes a selection of drawings, paintings and multi-media works from across his career, which depict friends and family as well as famous sitters, such as his former partner, actress Tilda Swinton and Billy Connolly.
Byrne has also produced many witty self-portraits which form a strong element of the show.The organisers of the exhibition say that the the work on show demonstrates the technical skill, brilliant draughtsmanship, versatility and inventiveness, fun and gravity that John has brought to his art.
But as well as being a painter, the artist is a successful playwright whose stage play trilogy The Slab Boys has become a Scottish theatre classic. His 1987 BAFTA award-winning black comedy BBC TV series Tutti Fruitti starred Emma Thompson, Robbie Coltrane and Richard Wilson.
John was born in Paisley and studied at Glasgow School of Art - and is no stranger to the Highlands, having lived in Nairn for a number of years with Tilda and their two children.
With Sitting Ducks, John guided the selection of works included in the show - first seen at the Scottish National Portrait Gallery in Edinburgh this summer. It's presented in Inverness in a collaboration between the National Galleries of Scotland and High Life Highland and runs till November 29.
Inverness Museum & Art Gallery is open Thursday-Saturday, 10am-5pm with late night opening on Thursdays until 7pm.
For further information phone: (01463) 237114 and to book a place at the John Byrne in conversation event, email:cathy.shankland@highlifehighland.com
