Moray College, Elgin, 11-18 June 2004

AS THE FOUR Scottish colleges open their studio doors to the public, let Moray College be highlighted, and congratulated, in this annual opportunity to view the work of BA Fine Art graduates. As the forgotten 5th Scottish art college, the only degree-giving art school in the Highlands, the quality of the work on show surprisingly surpasses many other colleges’ degree shows I have attended in the past.

Work by Julieann Fullarton

With only 9 students’ work on show, all housed in and around the new dedicated gallery space, this exhibition allows the viewer to spend more time than normal receiving the work. The variety of visual media on offer, from oils and tapestry through to video and photographic spatial art, raises exciting questions about the quality and motivation of the students and staff alike.

One piece that caught my eye, and imagination, was Trevor Parker’s video installation. Even on a packed out degree-show opening night, the beauty and simplicity of this work immediately quietened the space all around. Like half shutting your eyes and seeing variations of light, it reminded me of Scottish ‘poet’ Ivor Cutler’s comment about wanting to be alone yet surrounded by people you don’t know. If you can’t make it down to Edinburgh to see James Turrell’s show at the Ingleby Gallery, then try and catch this visual experience.

Two mixed media artists showing, Kitty Crawford and Julieann Fullarton, have a more obvious personal approach to their work. Sometimes this can alienate an audience, but here it engages you. Both artists ease you into their female world, and at a pace you feel comfortable with.

In a rich and varied exhibition strong work sits comfortably next to strong work. It is great to see that the execution of said work is also of a consistently high standard, and, considering this is only a third year show, many of the other Scottish art colleges could learn a few things from Moray.

This is not an array of ‘heather and weather’ type images perhaps conjured up when thinking of art school in the Highlands. This is fresh contemporary work from a mixed group of students from the University of the Highlands and Islands. With the continued success rate of students going on to complete their fourth honours year elsewhere, it is about time this college was recognised as one of the five degree-giving arts schools of Scotland.

Jacqueline Bennett is an Arts Development Worker with Moray Council

© Jacqueline Bennett, 2004