Yesterday, Tuesday 18th June 2019, I decided to get myself out of the house and visit something cultural.

I had seen adverts for the photography exhibition at the Scottish National Portrait Gallery in Edinburgh showing works by Robert Mapplethorpe, Diane Arbus and Francesca Woodman in the Artist Rooms there.

It was sad to learn all three had tragic ends to their lives but fascinating to explore the visions and ideologies they left behind. Both Diane Arbus and the younger Francesca Woodman took their own lives whilst Roberts Mapplethorpe succumbed to AIDS.

For those who have never visited the Portrait Gallery in Queen Street, it really is a treasure, both architecturally and representationally of prominant Scottish historical figures, and so I, like so many others visiting, took a few moments to explore some photography options whilst there.

20190618-_MG_1340Light streams through the arched windows onto the main stairs leading up from the central hall of the Scottish National Portrait Gallery, Edinburgh.

As I was heading up the stairs to the Artist Rooms where the exhibition was I was struck by the light filtering through stair windows and could not resist the temptation to photograph an atmospheric composition of light, shadow and texture.

From above there is a balcony that overlooks the grand hall below from all four sides and is richly decorated with figures from history in a beautiful mural that covers all sides. Looking over, I was struck with the colours of the lights, observing the interplay of the light and shadow when a woman in a red top walked into my view to complete the composition.

20190618-_MG_1348Looking down on the main hall from the upper balcony when the lady in red enters a side door, complimenting the red hanging lights.

The Artist Rooms are located on the upper floors and I soon found myself in the exhibition I was seeking. There is always a kind of reverence in galleries touching almost on religious, spiritual and meditative peace.

Inside as I walked around, there seemed so many options to create images from the setting and so I stealthily took a few shots and created my own art from theirs.

20190618-_MG_1343The Artist Room housing the photography exhibition 'Self Evidence' with works by Francesca Woodman, Diane Arbus, and Robert Mapplethorpe. Scottish National Portrait Gallery, Edinburgh. Runs until 20th October 2019. 20190618-_MG_1346A visitor studies the works on the wall and unwittingly becomes the subject of my image. In the Artist Rooms, Scottish National Portrait Gallery, Edinburgh.

If you would like to know more about the gallery or its exhibitions, then do visit their web site. Here's a link below to the exhibition 'Self Evidence' which runs until the 20th October 2019.

Self Evidence - Photography Exhibition

©Graham Riddell Photography