3-D Natural Magic show for Highland galleries

An exhibition of stereoscopic images by artist Calum Colvin entitled ‘Natural Magic’ is currently on show at Inverness Museum and Art Gallery before going on display in Thurso, Wick and Kingussie.

The exhibition is inspired by Scotsman David Brewster (1781 - 1868) who pioneered 3-D in Victorian Britain and is an open-ended exploration of a time of great change in science, religion, nationality and our understanding of the visual world.

The exhibition explores parallels between the invention and development of the stereoscopic viewer in 1838 and the development of the digital camera and printed digital image towards the end of the 20th century.

The artworks are presented as a series of wall-based and free-standing stereoscopic images some of which require to be viewed through 3-D specs whilst others are viewed through angled mirrors.

Based on portraits of Brewster, Charles Wheatstone, who created the ‘mirrored stereoscope’  and Lord Byron, and including shadowy rabbits, skulls and a host of  other objects, Colvin plays with perception and cultural identity.

Colvin makes photographs by constructing a three-dimensional assemblage of objects which is then photographed from a particular viewpoint which means that the image portrayed only exists as a photograph rather than in real life. It is then and printed onto canvas. In this exhibition the images are then bounced back to the viewer in three dimensions.

First shown a the Royal Scottish Academy in Edinburgh last year, the exhibition is toured in partnership with the National Galleries of Scotland, the Royal  Scottish Academy and The Highland Council.

Natural Magic is on show at Inverness Museum & Art Gallery until 13th February.  Other  tour dates are:

• Swanson Gallery, Thurso Library   20th February – 27th March
• St Fergus Gallery, Wick   3rd April – 1st May
• Iona Gallery, Kingussie   8th May – 5th June