Venus de’ Medici et al. in Janet Boulton’s Remembering Little Sparta

Commencing 30th July, until 30th August 2009

sculpture court

An artist of international acclaim, Janet Boulton specialises in watercolour and paper relief works. While she was Artist in Residence at Edinburgh College of Art in 2006-07, she began work on Remembering Little Sparta, a collection of over 120 paintings, paper reliefs and photographs reflecting on her experience of working for such a prolonged period at Finlay’s garden set in the Pentland Hills.

An illustrated catalogue with texts by acknowledged authorities on Ian Hamilton Finlay’s work – Jessie Sheeler, Dr Patrick Eyres and Harry Gilonis – serve as an introduction to the four main categories of Remembering Little Sparta: The Landscape Garden (with a section devoted to the Roman Garden), Interiors (Temple to Apollo and the Boat Window Series), Toys, Models and Maquettes (a little known aspect of Finlay’s prodigious output including works made in the early 1960s) and finally photographs of Janet Boulton’s own garden at Abingdon Oxfordshire (demonstrating the influence of Ian Hamilton Finlay’s work in a small urban setting).

The exhibition, each section being accompanied by explanatory wall texts, dispels the popular myth that the work of Ian Hamilton Finlay is obscure and only for the cogniscenti. It illustrates his love of the ordinary and at the same time shows how he can inspire another artist. On this, Janet Boulton comments: ‘Studying Ian Hamilton Finlay’s work and meeting many of his circle of friends and collaborators has greatly enriched my life and practise as an artist, not least in widening my understanding of the importance of our classical heritage as a continuing source of renewal and inspiration.’