With works in the permanent collection of the Scottish National Portrait Gallery and the City Art Centre, Scottish artist Joyce Gunn Cairns needs no introduction.
It is refreshing to get a chance to see some of her works in one place, and this exhibition – a mixture of portraits and wildlife studies – shows off Gunn Cairns’s elegant and curious style.
'Woman Child' (right) is a technically brilliant portrait, and the apparently frustrated pencil lines that form the outlines of the subject help to heighten the mood. I see an emptiness in the subject. She appears at a loss, as if in some kind of transition, and perhaps the clue is in the title.
'Ahimsa' is a beautiful study and is almost mythical. The word – of Sanskrit origin – means ‘not to injure’, and this is evident in the way the subject is at one with the two birds that sit by her. At first glance you may think it's just a simple nude study, but it is so much more than that. This is a truly stunning painting and one that is worth the visit alone.
The screen-print 'Reclining Figure' shows again how effective the outlines of Gunn Cairns’s work are. That and the emptiness in the frame and the lack of colour combine to create a powerful study. This work is beautiful and yet expressionless. It’s moody but lifeless.
'Lady Lazarus', which is inspired by a Sylvia Plath poem, is spectacular mixed-media artwork. The lack of colour accentuates the feeling of fear. Gunn Cairns paints primarily on board as she likes to remove some of the background for added effect and to create a rough and real creation. This is evident in 'Lady Lazarus', and you get a sense that the artist has hacked away at the background with real vigour. This helps to animate the attacking birds and it creates a magnificent spectacle.
'Twa Corbies' and 'Still Life' are two examples of how Gunn Cairns is at ease with a variety of subjects. If you stare at 'Twa Corbies' for long enough, you’d be forgiven for thinking that the corbies are moving as if in a stop-frame animation. She certainly brings the poem to life, which makes for scary viewing. She manages to do this by the use of colour and the shades in the background. Thankfully 'Still Life' is lighter and more calming.
If you ever think one of Gunn Cairns’s portraits is quite normal, then you need to take a closer look to be certain.
'Embrace' appears to be a simple study of a couple hugging, but take a closer look and you’ll notice a face and a figure in the background. Not everything is as it seems in Gunn Cairns’s work. Can you explain the mysterious hand on the waist, which doesn’t quite fit with the positioning of the arms?
Joyce Gunn Cairns is hailed as one of Scotland’s most cherished artists and, judging by the work on show here, for good reason. —Rhys Fullerton
Joyce Gunn Cairns MBE continues until 4 July 2015 at The Sutton Gallery (18a Dundas Street). Admission free.