Edinburgh exhibitions: Again, a Time Machine at Edinburgh Printmakers, Union Street

By RORY FORD
Published on 14/09/2012 18:00

Again, a Time Machine is an evolving touring exhibition conceived by art commissioning organisation Book Works. For “Make The Living Look Dead” a selection of artists have been invited to create a new work on A4 paper that plays with the notion of time.

These are shown alongside artists’ books, posters, prints and a showreel of images, film, video and sound recordings. • Edinburgh Printmakers, Union Street, until 3 November, free, edinburghprintmakers.co.uk

TIM ROLLINS AND K.O.S. – THE BLACK SPOT

Rollins is a teacher in the South Bronx and K.O.S. (“Kids of Survival”) are his students, many of whom had been written off by the US educational system. Responding to Rollins’ teaching methods, K.O.S. make energetic, collaborative artworks inspired by music and literature (“The Black Spot” is a reference to Treasure Island). Showing as part of the Edinburgh Art Festival, this is a heartening reminder that art really does have the power to change lives. • The Talbot Rice Art Gallery, South Bridge, until 20 Oct, free, trg.ed.ac.uk

TAKE FIVE ILLUSTRATORS

A showcase for five very talented children’s book illustrators. Bruce Ingman has illustrated Allan Ahlberg’s The Runaway Dinner, while French artist Barroux guides you through the streets of his native Paris. Alice Melvin and Sara Ogilvie (right) both won the Book Trust Best New Illustrators Award last year while Cate James is best known for her Grandpa and Lollipop stories. All three women are Edinburgh- based, a fitting celebration of home-grown talent. • Scottish National Gallery, until 30 Oct, free, national-galleries.org

IAN HAMILTON FINLAY – TWILIGHT REMEMBERS

Major exhibition devoted to the work of the late Scottish artist, poet and “avant-gardener”. Finlay (1925-2006) is perhaps best-remembered for Little Sparta, the garden he created in the Pentland Hills, and this installation emphasises the irreverent humour of his work, not least in the little-seen Carrier Strike – an epic naval battle as staged by a child and re-enacted on an ironing board. • Ingleby Gallery, until 27 Oct, free, inglebygallery.com

IN IT TO WIN IT

Scotland’s athletes did their nation and Great Britain proud at London 2012. This specially commissioned display features several paintings by the Portrait Gallery of Scots famed for their athletic prowess. They sit alongside new photographic portraits of sports stars and Scots sculptor Kenny Hunter’s recent work, Young Olympians. • Scottish National Portrait Gallery, until 7 Oct, free, nationalgalleries.org