Menoting; Memorable

I've been in Edinburgh this week. Wanted to go to the 200 Years Exhibition at the National Gallery of Scotland, which celebrates two centuries of Scottish art and artists, with all works available for sale. 

Tuesday, like nearly every other day this month, dawned very dark, very grey, very wet and on the chilly end of comfort. Nothing some woollens and macs wouldn't overcome. We hopped on the bus and were down to the city centre just ahead of eleven in the eh and em. Walking onto the plaza that precedes entry to the gallery, we were met with the most astounding sight.

Fireproof was - it turned out - on its last day of display, and neither of us had heard anything about it being on, which is an immense shame. Then again, it was slap bang in the centre of one of the busiest thoroughfares in the country, so it would not have lacked viewers. Neither, I am pleased to see, has it lacked for donations to the cause it was there to promote: providing necessary supplies to the Ukrainians. There is still just a little way to go to reach the target amount... can you help?

Mostly, I took only wide shots, only picking a very few to be more detailed. You will see the three I chose in the upcoming Menonday post, but here is one with Mac1 contemplating the soldier in the trench, so reminiscent of WW1 images... the photographer is Oleg Petrasiuk.

It was all very moving, just by the visual impact... but I had a brief interaction with a young family from Ukraine, he a soldier, here for a week's respite. They were deeply moved by the support they have found here. Then, Mac1 and I got chatting with a tall, well-spoken young American, who is an army attaché to the US embassy in Kyiv, who was appreciative of the 20 or so minutes we afforded him to 'download '. We assured him of confidentiality, but suffice it to say, he was glad of sleep without air raid sirens, and driving without fear of drones... We left him reluctantly, wishing him well, both so very impressed by his clear strength and sense of love and duty towards Ukraine and its citizens. A marked counterfoil to what has been in the news... My sister and I both shed a tear later.

From this, we had to transition to our main purpose. The piper helped, as incongruous as his presence was beside the trauma on display...

The 200 proved to be very worth our while, and was an excellent balm to the sore hearts we had from the first encounter of the day. There were lots of photos taken, of course, and you know you will be seeing most of them in Art Vibe posts... but here are just a few tasters to give you an idea. (Oh, and yes, more purchases by yours truly, which will be revealed in due course..) By the time we returned home, we knew we had had a day out, one that will stick in memory for quite some time.

(L) Edward Arthur Walton. (R) Alexander Fraser

(Lx2) Kate Downie. (Rx2) Norman McBeath

Michael Snowden

(Lx2) John Mackechnie, (C) Victoria Crowe, (R) Annie Cattrell.