Important painting acquired for the Portrait Gallery
Ken Currie’s Unknown Man, a portrait of the preeminent forensic anthropologist, Professor Dame Sue Black, has been acquired by the National Galleries of Scotland. The portrait has been on long loan to the gallery since 2021 but has now been secured for the nation permanently.
The acquisition of this work will ensure the continued enjoyment of it, and it is currently available to view for free at the Portrait Gallery. Unknown Man depicts one of the most distinguished, internationally famous contemporary Scots, Professor Black. Currie’s large-scale painting shows her in surgical robes standing behind the covered remains of a body. The idea for the portrait grew when Currie and Professor Black met during a BBC Radio 4 discussion on the relationship between art and anatomy. Currie later visited the Centre for Anatomy and Human Identification at the University of Dundee, where Professor Black was Director. The artist was so moved by the work he encountered there that he asked her to sit for a portrait.
Collection: National Galleries of Scotland. Purchased with assistance from the Heinz Fund, Art Fund and Vivienne and Robin Menzies, 2023. Pic caption: Carmen Brannan and Ahmad Deeni of the National Galleries of Scotland walking past the Unknown Man.
Workplace Parking Levy in Edinburgh
The council is running a survey on the introduction of a Workplace Parking Levy (WPL) in Edinburgh. A new law was introduced from the Transport (Scotland) Act 2019 giving councils in Scotland the ability to introduce the charge in their local area or part of their local area if it decides to. Since its introduction back in 2012, the Workplace Parking Levy (WPL) has directly raised over £90m for sustainable transport in Nottingham by placing a levy on workplace parking spaces at employers with eleven or more spaces.
All the money raised from the WPL must, by law, be invested into improving local transport. Edinburgh has not made any decision on the WPL and your feedback from this survey will inform what the council will do – whether it introduces the tax and what it will be spent on.
Further details on what the scheme involves can be found on the Guidance for Local Authorities on a Workplace Parking Levy published by Transport Scotland on 30 June 2022.
Building Resistance to SAD: free event with Gin Lalli
This event will be held at McDonald Road Library on 19 December – As the seasons change and winter approaches, many individuals may experience Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), a form of depression that occurs at specific times of the year. To address this common concern, Edinburgh Libraries are thrilled to announce a transformative and empowering event – “Building Resistance to SAD with Gin Lalli.”
- Event Details
- 19 December
– 6-7.30pm
– McDonald Rd Library
– Registration: Free (Limited spots available)
This unique event aims to provide attendees with practical tools and strategies to build resilience against Seasonal Affective Disorder. Psychotherapist and author, Gin Lalli, will lead the session, offering insights, expert advice, and open the discussion to managing your mood through winter. Particularly timely with the shortest day of the year coming up on 22 December.
Gin will be selling copies of her first book, How to Empty Your Stress Bucket, and will be taking questions on both Seasonal Affective Disorder, and Mental Health in general.
Sports news
Bill Lothian has contributed his latest sports article here – this time on water polo. The variety of sports which The Edinburgh Reporter now covers is quite considerable. Meantime Nigel Duncan has put his fishing rod away for now and is covering snooker. Read more here.
If you have a sports story for us then please do email your news here editor@theedinburghreporter.co.uk
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Founding Editor of The Edinburgh Reporter.
Edinburgh-born multimedia journalist and iPhoneographer.
