Yellow Court Studio is holding an art exhibition this week. This is not an exhibition of traditional art however, but a foray into the world of digital art.
All the prints are unique as they have been made by a wholly digital process. The results are stunning, although the end result is not always recognisable as the object which was first photographed.
The studio was established by Margaret Donaldson, who has been a traditional artist as well as Professor of Developmental Psychology at the University of Edinburgh from her appointment in 1980 until her retirement. Her main research interest has always been in the study of human thought and language.
Donaldson has produced most of the works displayed by using a camera with a macro lens, and then employing digital editing to produce the finished work. She confesses that the possibilities which this process throws up are endless. The works you will see at the exhibition are one-offs. There is no print run made from the same image.
The other works are by Martin McAdam, amateur photographer and wave energy pioneer who has produced his images printed on aluminium.
McAdam is offering his works for sale and said:-“The challenge of digital images is that they can be reproduced perfectly within the limitations of the print media and printing technology. Without controlling the original digital source can a buyer truly own an original?
“Here the artist provides the printed image and the digital file. No copies of the digital file will be retained and all back-up copies will be deleted – creating a truly unique piece of digital art.
The art is reproduced as a high gloss image reflecting the current trend for digital tablet surfaces.”
Donaldson’s husband Professor Stephen Salter MBE, winner of the Saltire Prize and Emeritus Professor of Engineering Design at the University of Edinburgh has also contributed three images to the exhibition.
Salter is responsible for the invention of the Salter Duck with which he began the wave energy pursuit. His art therefore is not surprisingly based on cross-sectional drawings of a wave energy machine!
The exhibition is accompanied by a pamphlet entitled Why does Art Matter, this is meant to provoke some comment from those in the know about art. It begins:-“Yellow Court Studio was founded in the belief that art is greatly important for human well-being…”
For your own well-being we would recommend finding your way to Yellow Court’s exhibition at Whitespace Gallery this week and sit down to have a look at the images on display.
We interviewed Margaret Donaldson about the art which she has produced:-
Whitespace Gallery 11 Gayfield Square EH1 3NT from 14-23 October 10.30 – 5.30pm daily.
Founding Editor of The Edinburgh Reporter.
Edinburgh-born multimedia journalist and iPhoneographer.
