Modern Two will reopen on 29 April 2023 with a new exhibition, Decades: The Art of Change 1900-1980.
The journey through the decades will span a period of dramatic change, moving past the birth of the motorcar to the dawning of the space race.
All the works are coming from the Gallery’s own collection.
There is Matisse and André Derain in the first room which is filled by French artists and their colourful works. The derogatory label given to these works was “Fauves” which means wild beasts. The term stuck and Fauvism was a major impact on British and Scottish art.
Two fabulous new acquisitions, by Scottish Colourists FCB Cadell and JD Fergusson, feature in this room. Leith-born JD Fergusson, who lived in Paris before the First World War, was one of the key Scottish artists of the twentieth century. Painted in 1911, Flowers and Pink Box, is vigorous and confident in its brushwork, bright and clashing in colour. The Rose and the Lacquer Screen, by FCB Cadell, combines several of his favourite still-life props: a rose in a transparent vase, a black fan and its trailing ribbon and a detail of the lacquered screen that dominated the drawing room of his house in Edinburgh’s New Town. These new acquisitions have been generously donated by private owners.
Moving into the 1930s, artists such as Piet Mondrian believed that art could change society. This room will feature work by Alexander Calder, Paule Vézelay and Ben Nicholson.
The 1940s are represented by Joan Eardley, Bet Low and Francis Bacon with work created during and after the war.
In the 1950s the work was a battle between Abstraction and Realism, shown by two murals created for the great Festival of Britain exhibition staged in 1951. These will be shown together for the first time.
Exceptional creations by Alan Davie, Louise Nevelson, Fernand Léger, Eduardo Paolozzi and Elisabeth Frink will also be on display, making up the 1950s presentation.
The 1960s was an experimental decade with work by artists like Man Ray, Edith Rimmington and Salvador Dali and pieces from the national collection pushed the boundaries.
Director-General of the National Galleries of Scotland, Sir John Leighton, said: “National Galleries of Scotland is delighted to reopen Modern Two with an exhibition that celebrates the strength of the national collection. Featuring a fascinating range of works by many of Scotland and the world’s greatest artists, Decades: The Art of Change 1900-1980 encourages visitors to think about how art can both reflect and change the way we see the world around us. We welcome you to join us on a voyage of discovery through 80 years of bold artistic achievement.”
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