This December, artworks by Scottish Barbadian artist Alberta Whittle are to be exhibited across Edinburgh on a series of large scale billboards and advertising spaces as part of BUILDHOLLYWOOD’s UK-wide ‘All About Love’ commission curated by Zarina Rossheart. The public art project, made in collaboration with the National Galleries of Scotland (NGS), celebrates the legacy of All About Love, the seminal text by cultural critic, feminist theorist and author, bell hooks.
Against the backdrop of political and social turbulence, Alberta invites us to confront difficult truths from both the past and our present times to try to find collective healing. Often drawing on profoundly personal materials, poetic imagery and intimate stories, Alberta’s message is one of hope.
The works in this outdoor exhibition, taking place in 12 locations across Edinburgh including Market Street, Newhaven, Haymarket and Leith, are drawn from original watercolours featured in Alberta Whittle’s largest solo exhibition to date at NGS.
The central work of the city takeover titled Invest in Love comes from a series of new watercolours by Alberta currently on display in NGS: Modern One. Inscribed in hand-painted script, the work acts both as a direct call to action and as a reminder to audiences (and herself) to bring love into the everyday – love for the self and love for others. Alberta has used this phrase on a number of occasions throughout her career including in her solo presentation at La Biennale di Venezia in 2022 where she represented Scotland.
Other messages in the billboard series include Fill your heart with hope and Step lightly, tender encouragements by the artist that come in the spirit of love, care and hope. These are situated alongside more defiant and rebellious calls such as Raise the alarm, as well as Create Dangerously, areference to Haitian writer Edwidge Danticat and their meditation on the lived experience of an immigrant artist, telling stories of those that have managed to thrive and create in spite of the harrowing events they have experienced.
The works will be presented as large-scale billboards for the first time using the block colour from the original water colours and for this new project the ultramarine blue drawn from the wall colour used at NGS where Invest in Love is hanging is displayed.
Alberta Whittle’s billboard takeover is the final in a series of BUILDHOLLYWOOD’s UK-wide ‘All About Love’ commissions that have taken place across 2023.
BUILDHOLLYWOOD Founder Tim Horrox said “The journey of our first major UK wide curatorial and artist commission has enabled us to explore the concept of Love, through artists celebrating cities including Birmingham, Manchester, Glasgow, Brighton and Bristol. We are now delighted to be presenting such important works by Alberta Whittle in Edinburgh – we are honoured to work with Alberta and look forward to audiences engaging with her work this December.”
Alberta Whittle: create dangerously is open at Modern One until 7th January 2024.
‘All About Love’ runs from 11th – 17th December 2023
Irene Brown
Radio Summerhall Arts 