Famous stairs to become high art

Published on Monday 24 August 2009 22:16

FOR decades, The Scotsman steps, built in 1899 with ornate Victorian decor and linking the heights of North Bridge with Waverley Station below, have defied efforts to keep them clean and clear of vandals and litter.

Now the prize-winning conceptual artist, Martin Creed, whose work has run from a singing elevator to a room whose lights turn on and off, has been given them to use in an artwork.

And on the other side of the capital, fellow artist Richard Wright is planning to do the same by producing his biggest ever artwork for the imposing twin stairwells at the Dean Gallery.

The Edinburgh Art Festival (EAF) announced three major commissions yesterday for next August, funded by 150,000 in grants from the Scottish Government's Expo fund for Scottish work in the festivals.

One of them will see Creed, who won the Turner Prize in 2001 with "No. 227, the lights going on and off", developing a mystery project for the steps at the heart of Edinburgh's World Heritage Site.

Meanwhile, for Wright, all but a few pieces of his intricate designs – created on walls, ceilings, corners and alcoves of galleries in paint or goldleaf – have been painted over a few weeks later when his exhibitions end.

But at the Dean, part of the Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art, he will leave a modern mural he expects to stay in place for his lifetime, or longer.

A third commission for the EAF will showcase an "emerging artist" from Scotland alongside the two established figures.

The art festival, founded in 2004 to promote the summer art shows at the city's growing array of galleries, tallies over 130 exhibitions this August.

Staff claimed the festival's programme is booming this year, with high demand for special events and artists' appearances.

More than 400 people have inquired about the Art Late programme this Thursday, when eighteen galleries open late with music and artist talks.

The National Galleries of Scotland said its major exhibition, the Discovery of Spain, at the National Gallery Complex on the Mound, was doing "extremely well", selling 35,500 tickets since 18 July.

The Enlightenments show in the Dean Gallery, curated by the Edinburgh International Festival, has had more than 7,700 people through the doors since it opened on 7 August.

Creed's work will run "from top to bottom" of The Scotsman steps, said Fiona Bradley, director of the Fruitmarket Gallery for contemporary art, who is overseeing the commission.

"The steps are very close to the Fruitmarket steps – we go up and down them all the time, as do the public – and it would be very nice if they were a more interesting experience," she said. Edinburgh City Council and the Edinburgh World Heritage organisation are already working on a 125,000 plan to rejuvenate the steps.

While the French-style octagonal staircase boast artisan iron grilles and glazed tiles, they are notorious for the smell of urine and people sleeping rough. Two months ago, a man died after being found on a landing there with serious head injuries in the early hours of the morning.

From next spring, working with two assistants, Mr Wright expects to take about six weeks on his project, to be unveiled for next August's festival.

"It will be my biggest work I have ever made," he said. "There are very few permanent works that survive."