A major exhibition of paintings by one of the most significant British artists of the 20th century will open on 8 June at Fraser Gallery St Andrews – part of a year of celebration of the artist Wilhelmina Barns-Graham, who was born in St Andrews and whose vivid paintings and prints inspired StAnza poets at this year’s festival.
The exhibition, “A St Andrews Modernist – Paintings, Drawings and Prints by Wilhelmina Barns-Graham 1912-2004” – which will open on what would have been her 100th birthday – will include a range of the abstract works for which she is renowned and has been organised in conjunction with the Barns-Graham Charitable Trust which is based at her home at Balmungo House.
This is a major retrospective of an artist who is now recognised as an important one in the history of British Modernist art, associated with the influential artists of St Ives, where she also lived and worked. According to gallery owner Roderick Fraser, the show gives ‘a perfect snapshot of her achievement as one of the finest painters and draughtsmen of her generation.’
One of StAnza’s most innovative and exciting new projects this year, organised with the Trust, was an all-day workshop at Balmungo House. Our festival blogger, poet Stephanie Green, attended the workshop, which was led by StAnza’s Poet-in-Residence, Lavinia Greenlaw and focused on relationships between poetry and art. Find out more about her experience here.
Balmungo House
And there was more inspiration last winter for Canadian poet Karen Solie, who gave a stunning reading for StAnza, alongside John Burnside, during her time as inaugural holder of the School of English/Barns-Graham Charitable Trust International Writer’s Residency.
The exhibition takes place at Fraser Gallery St Andrews, 53 South Street, St Andrews between 9-30 June 2012.
Photo of Balmungo House by Stephanie Green
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