For his research project Rumours of a New Planet, Glasgow-based artist James N Hutchinson has investigated the life, work and travels of historical figures connected to Calton Hill. These include Margaret Stewart, who made botanical drawings with husband John Herschel in South Africa during the 1830s; geologist Jessica Duncan; Thomas Henderson, first Astronomer Royal for Scotland and prolific amateur astronomer, Thomas Anderson (both of whom were visually impaired). Artworks presented for Affinity and Allusion include an Observers’ Walk audio tour produced with the Royal National Institute for the Blind, a portfolio of botanical drawings produced from a trip to Cape Town retracing Margaret Stewart’s journey and a collection of essays, drawings and rock samples inspired by the travels of Jessica Duncan.
Read more about Rumours of a New Planet in the information which accompanies the exhibition here
James N Hutchinson is a founding member of the curatorial co-operative, Chapter Thirteen, for which he curated The Landis Museum (2018), and is undertaking a PhD at the Glasgow School of Art. Exhibitions and curatorial projects include: Archive, Transmission Gallery, Glasgow (2016/17); Jeremy Deller’s All That Is Solid Melts Into Air (2013), Hayward Touring, London; Proposal For A Warehouse or Towards A Museum Of Reorganisation, part of How to Turn the World by Hand (2011), Collective, Edinburgh, and PiST, Istanbul. From 2006-2010, he was co-director of the curatorial agency, The Salford Restoration Office.
Part of Affinity and Allusion
Featuring new work spanning sculpture, installation, performance, audio work and text by six artists chosen specially for the opening of Collective, Affinity and Allusion will be presented across all of Collective’s exhibition spaces, grounds and buildings. The artists brought together all create art which fundamentally asks us to question how we view the world around us, an approach that is central to Collective’s vision for a new kind of city observatory on Calton Hill.
Affinity and Allusion is sponsored by Baillie Gifford investment managers.
