Contemporary North-East
Far, far away from the Scottish urban ‘cultural capitals’ of Edinburgh and Glasgow you will find contemporary art thriving in another habitat. The tour begins in the calm, idyllic village of Berriedale, where a hunting lodge covered in antlers is an auspicious precursor to Patricia Niemann’s striking body adornment pieces. Follow the line of the north-east coast to discover the only public gallery showing contemporary art in the county of Sutherland, who recently brought the world-renowned work of Joseph Beuys to the Highlands. Journey further south for fascinating sculptural forms, a contemporary architectural intervention, and two exciting, stimulating private galleries.
If you’re still on the hunt for contemporary art when you reach Inverness, visit the Highland Institute of Contemporary Art (HICA), a gallery which narrowly missed inclusion on Artlands North due to its location (south of the Caledonian Canal). This artist-run space runs an progressive exhibition programme and has a particular thematic interest in Concrete Art.