The Exhibition Galleries at Fruitmarket will present the inaugural Scottish solo show of late American artist Ida Applebroog.
Running from November 2026 to February 2027, the exhibition will display works that explore themes of violence, power, and women in the domestic and social arenas.
The presentation includes Angry Birds of America, a series of portraits drawn in 2019 during Donald Trump’s first US presidential term, intended to reflect the political climate of the time.
The exhibition also features Ethics of Desire, a collection of life-sized figures printed on translucent mylar, and Monalisa, a house-like structure displaying private sketches from 1969.
Applebroog, who died in 2023, came to prominence in New York during the 1970s through self-published books distributed by mail. She described herself as “a woman artist with feminist concerns”.
Her work addresses complex social subjects using simplified human forms and bold outlines. The forthcoming exhibition at Fruitmarket is her most significant presentation of work to date in the United Kingdom.
Fiona Bradley, Fruitmarket Director, said: “We are delighted to be celebrating the work of Ida Applebroog, a fierce body of work exploring politics, violence, and gender. We can’t wait for our audience to encounter her ideas and work that is rich and unapologetic.”
Barry Rosen, of The Estate of Ida Applebroog, said: “Fruitmarket is the perfect place to show the work of one of the most exciting and ambitious artists of her generation.
“Combining painting and sculpture, the exhibition will give visitors an insight into the rich practice of Ida Applebroog. People and birds; portraits and specimens; bodies in magazines, books and mirrors; the exhibition confronts us with things Applebroog has looked at so we can look at them anew.”
The exhibition at Fruitmarket completes a presentation exploring how Applebroog viewed bodies, desire, and herself over a multi-decade career.
