Pictures at an exhibition

Published on Thursday 10 September 2009 21:35

THE "Scottish" personalities captured by photographer Craig Mackay run from striking new images of familiar figures – such as the portrait of playwright John Byrne, shown from the nose down – to some surprising new faces.

An exhibition of Mackay's work, celebrating emigration, internationalism, and the Scottish impact overseas, opens at the National Museum of Scotland next month. Among his other subjects are people as diverse as Olympian Sir Chris Hoy, to Rosanne Cash, who through her father, the late, great Johnny Cash, claims royal Scottish blood dating back to the 11th Century. "My heart and soul, as well as my ancient ancestry, tie me to Scotland," declared the Grammy-winning US sing-songwriter, who has performed at the Queen's Hall in Edinburgh. "When I go to Scotland, I feel I am at a deeper level of 'home' than I experience in my own home in New York City, which I love. I feel safe in Scotland, and known."

Texas singer Sharleen Spiteri and White Stripes musician Jack White – an American of Scottish Canadian descent – feature alongside football manager Sir Alex Ferguson, among others. An accompanying film, A Pinch of Salt, captures the photographic process, with a soundtrack from up and coming Scottish rock band Shutter.

Another surprise entry among the 20 contemporary photographs in the exhibition, which is entitled Salt of the Earth, is actress Neve Campbell, best known for the Scream films. It transpires that her Scottish father emigrated to Canada from Glasgow's East End.

Originally from the Highland village of Brora and currently working in Louisiana, Mackay has shown his evocative, carefully staged photographs in exhibitions across Europe and the US. "There's an eclectic feel to the content," he said of the show, which opens at the NMS in Chambers Street on 16 October. "It's always been an open book. Everybody was considered a potential subject, although I made a conscious effort to identify people who are not necessarily synonymous with Scotland.

"The response we've had throughout has been exceptional," Mackay added. "Most of those we've contacted have been flattered to be profiled as part of an exhibition celebrating what it is to be Scottish. I wanted to explore the landscapes of people's faces and ask if it's possible to detect a hint of Scottishness in the faces of second and third generation emigrants."

The exhibition is sponsored by the global financial services company, BNY Mellon, in its first corporate sponsorship in Scotland.