A striking photography exhibition titled Counted: Scotland’s Census 2022 has opened at the Scottish National Portrait Gallery just at the time of the 2022 Scotland’s Census.
Running until 25 September 2022, the display celebrates the varied make-up of past and present Scottish society. Thought-provoking projects by contemporary photographers which explore themes of ethnicity, sexuality, and occupation in Scotland will be included in Counted: Scotland’s Census 2022.
Drawing on The National Galleries of Scotland’s rich photographic collections, this free exhibition considers the complexities around the notion of identity in the year of Scotland’s Census, which takes place every ten years. Counted: Scotland’s Census 2022 will also present nineteenth-century photography alongside contemporary acquisitions, offering comparisons between the experiences of past and present generations of Scots. Among these, are Hill and Adamson’s portraits of the fishing community in Newhaven, Edinburgh, which are some of the earliest photographs ever taken of working men and women. Through their portraits, we see how working life in Scotland has vastly changed since the 1840s.
A variety of new photographs representing a diverse range of sitters will be on display for the very first time since they were acquired by the Galleries. These include portraits of Pakistani and Polish communities who have been in Scotland for generations to newly settled refugees living in Glasgow. Many of these acquisitions have been made possible with the support of Art Fund.
Highlights of Counted: Scotland’s Census 2022 include:
- Captivating shots which raise awareness of the complexities that people from a mixed-race background face growing up in Scotland. Taken from Kim Simpson’s series Girls and their Mothers, her photographs challenge perceptions of what a Scottish family might look like.
- Recent additions to Kieran Dodds’ arresting series Gingers. Dodds’ photography project showcases the diversity of appearance amongst red-headed people in Scotland and beyond. Begun in the lead up to the 2014 Scottish Independence referendum, it speaks to his interest in clichés of Scottish national identity, and the difficulties in assuming someone’s heritage based on appearance.
- Portraits from Arpita Shah’s body of work titled Purdah, The Sacred Cloth, which depicts women from Muslim and Hindu communities living in Scotland, who practice the tradition of head covering, or veiling.
- A moving portrait of an asylum seeker, one of the last residents of an abandoned Glasgow tower block. Taken from Chris Leslie’s series Disappearing Glasgow, which documents harrowing stories of the people on the frontline of the city’s extensive demolition and regeneration programme.
Louise Pearson, Curator, said: “This exhibition is about celebrating who we are – what we have in common and what makes us unique. In the year of Scotland’s Census, we are delighted to be showing a wealth of new acquisitions that reflect the wonderful diversity of people living in Scotland.”
Jenny Waldman, director of Art Fund, said: “The juxtaposition of nineteenth-century photography with contemporary portraits in this exhibition provides a fascinating opportunity to examine and reflect on ideas around Scottish identity. Art Fund is delighted to have supported through a New Collecting Award the acquisition of new works that celebrate and represent the diversity of Scotland’s population.”
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