Bob Dylan fans will be knocking on Jenners' door to see art exhibition

Published on Friday 19 December 2008 08:54

IT is perhaps a sign that the times they are a changing at Edinburgh's oldest department store.

After undergoing a major refit to modernise its sales floors, Jenners is to host an exhibition of art work by rock legend Bob Dylan.

The works are reproductions of drawings and sketches made by Dylan while on the road from 1989 to 1992, and subsequently used for a book of work entitled 'Drawn Blank'.

There are around 30 pieces, each one part of a limited-edition set of 295, each personally signed by the American singer-songwriter.

Fans clamoured to get their hands on their own small piece of Dylan when a selection of the work went on show in Peebles earlier this year.

The reproduction watercolours and sketches, which go on public display today, have been priced between 1200 and 5000.

The work goes on display in the Breeze gallery which was created on the third floor of Jenners as part of its 4.5 million refit.

Bob Corsie, the manager of Breeze, who staged the initial exhibition in Peebles, said: "We're very excited to be part of the new Jenners and what better way to launch our new gallery than to bring Bob Dylan's distinctive art to Edinburgh for the first time.

"Dylan's paintings are unique and have proved extremely difficult to get hold of since they went on sale in June, so we are delighted to be showcasing them and I am sure they will attract a lot of interest not just from art lovers but the general public.

"The paintings and sketches were all done while he was touring America, and so they capture a very specific point in his life, and cover a wide range of very different subjects."

For those fans who don't have the money to purchase one of the Dylan paintings, or simply want a chance to see the original works, an exhibition featuring more than 100 paintings by Dylan – the biggest collection of his art ever seen – will go on show at the City Art Centre in January.

David Patterson, keeper of fine art at the City Art Centre, said the popularity of Dylan would undoubtedly mean the work being shown in Jenners would sell.

"Dylan has come back into fashion quite heavily recently – he's never stopped working of course but he was perhaps a little anonymous a few years ago, whereas now he seems to be very popular again," he said.

"The works at Breeze might not be 'originals' but if they are signed by Dylan, fans will be desperate to get their hands on them."