CV
Robin Gillanders
Selected Solo Exhibitions (since 1995)
2026
‘Ten Men and Other Stories’ Studies in Photography Gallery, Edinburgh. Feb 2026
2024
‘Ian Hamilton Finlay: Little Sparta and Collaborations’ Studies in Photography Gallery, Edinburgh. May 2024
2018
‘Robin Gillanders – a Retrospective’ Stills Gallery Edinburgh. Oct 2017- January 2018. Major retrospective exhibition including new work commissioned by Stills.
2016
‘A Lover’s Complaint’ Argentea Gallery, Birmingham. Oct – December.
2012
‘Ten Men’ Street Level Photoworks. Glasgow. November – December
‘The Philosopher’s Garden Redux’. Summerhall, Edinburgh August – September
2011
‘Little Sparta, Portrait of a Garden’ House for an Art Lover, Glasgow.
2009
‘Highland Journey: In The Spirit of Edwin Muir’, Pier Arts Centre, Stromness, Orkney June – August
2008
‘Labanotation’ (with Alec Finlay) ‘Section:A Gallery’, Technisches Museum, Wien Austria. April – July. Then to ‘Gallery SC’, Zagreb, Croatia. Sept – Nov. 2008
‘Highland Journey: In The Spirit of Edwin Muir’. Touring in the Scottish Highlands from June – November 2008. Iona Gallery, Kingussie. Inverness Museum and Art Gallery. Swanson Gallery, Thurso. St Fergus Gallery, Wick.
2007
‘Highland Journey, In The Spirit of Edwin Muir’ Scotland House (Scottish Government), Brussels. Sept. 2007 – February 2008
2005
‘The Philosopher's Garden’ Gallery of Modern Art, Glasgow, March 2005. Scottish National Portrait Gallery, Edinburgh, September 2005
2004
‘The Photographic Portrait’ Stills Gallery, Edinburgh June 2004
‘The Philosopher's Garden’ Solo exhibition.
Santa Maria de Olivo, Beaulieu-sur-Mer, France Sept. 2004, International University of City of Paris, Oct 2004, Rousseau Museum, Chambery, France Jan. 2005, and Gallery of Modern Art, Glasgow, March 2005. Scottish National Portrait Gallery, Edinburgh, September 2005
16 large scale photographs plus text.
2002
‘Labanotation’ The Archie Gemmill Goal Baltic Centre for Contemporary Arts. In collaboration with Alec Finlay and Andy Howitt. Catalogue pp 42 – 49.
ISBN 1-903655-08-0
Little Sparta Exhibition touring Highlands. Inverness; Wick; Thurso
1999
Artists Gardens. Crawford Arts Centre, St Andrews. 20 photographs.
Toured for 18 months throughout Scotland and UK.
Photographs: Robin Gillanders, Pluto Gallery, Oslo. 7 large scale analogue prints from paper negatives. May 1999
1998
‘Little Sparta’ Exhibition in two parts: ‘Portrait of a Garden’ 33 photographs of Ian Hamilton Finlay’s garden, Little Sparta and ‘Collaborations’ 18 prints of collaborative projects with IHF over the previous 5 years. Scottish National Portrait Gallery, Toured by British Council, City Hall Barcelona Feb. 1999 then Gulbenkian, Lisbon May 1999, Awangarda Gallery, Wroclaw, Poland Sept. 2000
Selected Group Exhibitions (since 1995)
2024
Unmasked: Exploring Scottish Portraiture. One portrait, Karine Polwart, musician and singer
2021
Incoming: New Acquisitions at the City Art Centre, Edinburgh, UK
One photograph Hannah Tuulikki artist
2018
Machines à Penser, Prada Foundation, Venice. May-November 2018. 16 photographs, plus publication.
2016
Obsolete and Discontinued Revela-T Festival,Vilassar de Dalt, Barcelona, Spain. Group show. May 2016.
2009
‘25 Years of Photography’ National Galleries of Scotland. Weston Link
2008
The Scottish Show Four prints from the series, ‘The Philosopher’s Garden’. in group show of Scottish artists. Donna Beam Gallery University of Nevada, Las Vegas.
Toured to University of Louisville, Kentucky, (January 2009.) University of Maryland, Baltimore (March 2009).
Scottish Makars, Contemporary Scottish Poets. Two specially commissioned portraits by National Galleries of Scotland, Scotland House, Brussels. December 2008 – February 2009
2006
Ian Hamilton Finlay, Works. Stampa Galeria Basel. May 2006. 6 Photographs.
Between Substance and Matter. University of The South, Sewanee, Tennessee. With Pradip Malde and David Williams. August to October 2006. Artists’ Lecture Sept ’06
2005
Visual Arts Scotland Annual Exhibition, January 2005. Invited Artist. Royal Scottish Academy, Edinburgh. Series of 8 works entitled ‘Entente’.
2004
‘Modern Women’ Scottish National Portrait Gallery Aug 2004 – Feb. 2005. 3 portraits inc. group portrait of MSPs 1999.
‘Keeping Faith’. Scottish National Portrait Gallery Sept 2004 – Feb 2005
2002
Scottish Photography, Navigator Foundation. Boston Public Library, Boston USA.
2001
Narcissus Scottish National Portrait Gallery, Edinburgh
April 2001.
Degree of Freedom. Line Gallery, Linlithgow. Dual show.
The Fine Art of Photography Scottish National Portrait Gallery,
2000
‘Encounters – New Art from Old’ National Gallery, London June 2000. 6 large scale photographs on the theme of Claude (with Ian Hamilton Finlay)
1999
Murray Johnston’s Landscape. Scottish National Portrait Gallery. Touring to Zelda Cheatle Gallery, London, June 2000.
Catalogue published SNPG, June 1999. pp 32 – 33. ISBN 0 903598 95 7
Political Contemporaries. Scottish National Portrait Gallery, 1 SNPG commissioned large scale group photograph (with Chris Hall) of 129 MSP’s on the occasion of the (re)opening of the Scottish Parliament, 12th May 1999. Collection SNPG. and permanent exhibition Scottish Parliament.
The Shed Collins Gallery, Glasgow. Theme exhibition. CD Rom ISBN 0 907 1143 18
Stanza ‘99 (Scotland’s Poetry Festival) Crawford Arts Centre, St Andrews, Aug. ‘99.
1997
Fire Hundrede Ars Skotske Portraetter 4 portraits.
Frederiksburg, Denmark. Catalogue pp190 – 197. ISBN 0 903598 77 9
Stars of Stage and Screen Scottish National Portrait Gallery. Three portraits.
1996
Imagined Lands. Commissioned designs for imaginary postage stamps. City Art Centre, Edinburgh exhibition, with 5 other artists. Toured to Crawford Arts Centre, St. Andrews, Jan/Feb ‘97. then throughout Scotland.
Catalogue, pp 16 - 17. IBSN 0 905072 76 5
1995
‘Light From The Dark Room’, Royal Scottish Academy, Edinburgh. 6 photographs plus specially commissioned composite portrait of Ian Hamilton Finlay.
Picpus Cemetery 10 large scale photographs of Picpus cemetery, Paris in the exhibition Works: Pure and Political. Ian Hamilton Finlay. Sept. 1995
Deichtorhallen, Hamburg, Germany.
Writing
2012
‘Vote Progressive’ Introductory essay in ‘An Eye on The Street’,
Photographs by David Peat ISBN 978-0-9543961-3-B
2011
‘August Sander’ article published in Professional Photographer: Archant Specialist, April 2011 pp 80-87
2010
‘Conversation’ (Introduction) 6pp, published in ‘Bjorn Sterri, Polaroid Work’, Pilver Press 2010 ISBN 978-82-998355-0-3
2004
The Photographic Portrait: Techniques, Strategies and Thoughts on Creating Portraits with Meaning. Solo publication. 30k words. David & Charles, May 2004. ISBN 0 7153 1651 6 Hardback. 149 pp. Illustrated with 130 of the author's portraits with text. Worldwide distribution.
2002
'The Actual Photograph' (transcript of SSHoP Annual Photographer’s Lecture, ECA) Studies in Photography May 2002 Published lecture with 20 illustrations. pp 5 – 15. Published by Scottish Society for History of Photography ISSN 1462-0510
2000
Without Day (a book of proposals for the new Scottish Parliament) p62. Text. ‘To take a photograph of 129 MSP's...’ Published by Pocketbooks 2000
ISBN 074686277 4
1998
Conversation: Ian Hamilton Finlay and Robin Gillanders, February 1998. Edited from an extensive interview with Finlay.
Published in ‘Little Sparta, Portrait of a Garden’ NGS 1998
1995
‘Photography in Scotland: The Human Face’, Essay in Light from The Dark Room. National Galleries of Scotland, July 1995. pp 88-94. ISBN 0 903598 58 2.
‘Paul Strand’. Book review. Scottish Photography Bulletin, Sept 1995,
pp 21 - 24. ISSN 0269-1787
Features
1996
‘Studies in Photography’. Annual publication of Scottish Society for the History of Photography.
Interview by Julie Lawson (Curator, Scottish National Portrait Gallery)
pp 13-14 and cover photograph. 1996. ISSN 0269 1787
1995
Around Scotland: Looking at Scottish Art (BBC Education series). Subject of the episode dealing with ‘People’. Portrait commissioned especially for the programme. Broadcast Oct. ‘95. Exhibition of contributing artists work, Kelvingrove Gallery, Glasgow.
‘Looking At Scottish Art’ Featured in section ‘People’ with commissioned photograph. Text by Brian McGeoch. P 11. ISBN 0-7502-1749-9.
Major Solo Publications
2024
Ian Hamilton Finlay: Little Sparta and Collaborations. 150pp Published by Studies in Photography. ISBN 978-1-7394161-4-0
2016
A Lover’s Complaint 64pp soft cover. Limited edition ‘artist’s book’ Dingle Press. 2016. With Haiku by Henry Gough-Cooper ISBN 978-1-5262-0228-4
2012
Ian’s Fleet Artist’s book. Photographs of Ian Hamilton Finlay’s fleet of model boats, Little Sparta 2002. Published Peter Foolen Editions
ISBN 978-94-90673-11-6
2009
‘Highland Journey: In The Spirit of Edwin Muir.’ Solo publication. 128pp H/B. 50 photographs plus 25k words text. Birlinn Publishing. June 2009
ISBN: 978 1 84158 782 0
2004
The Photographic Portrait: Techniques, Strategies and Thoughts on Making Portraits with Meaning. Solo publication. David & Charles, May 2004. ISBN 0 7153 1651 6 Hardback. 149 pp. Illustrated with 130 of the author's portraits with text. Worldwide distribution.
‘The Philosopher's Garden’. National Galleries of Scotland, September 2004. 64pp hardback with slipcase. ISBN 1 903278 64 3
In collaboration with Dr. James Lawson, Edinburgh University.
2002
Labanotation With Alec Finlay. The Archie Gemmill Goal May 2002
Pocketbooks ISBN 0 7486 6325 8 128pp
1998
Little Sparta: Portrait of a Garden, published by Scottish National Portrait Gallery June 1998 64pp 33 duotone prints, hardback. Edited text of a conversation between Gillanders and Finlay. Designed by the author and Alec Finlay. ISBN 0 903598 85 X
Other selected published work, lectures and writing since 1995
2020
Imagining an Island online Symposium. Taigh Chearsabhagh Art Centre and Museum Lochmaddy North Uist, Scotland. Contributed a ‘paper’ Culture, Place and History. September 2020
2012
Photography at Edinburgh Napier University. A Retrospective 2012. 80pp. Softcover. To mark 35 Years of the Photography programme at Marchmont campus. Curated and Edited.
ISBN 978-0-902703-89-6
2009
Edinburgh Review No 126 (June 2009) “Passing Place” Cover image plus pp 77-101 “Highland Journey” ISBN 978-0-9555745-7-3
Parnassus Poetry Review. Vol 31.August 2009 ISSN 0048-3028. Two photographs from ‘Little Sparta’. pp 80-81.
2007
‘Scottish Photography: A History’, Tom Normand. Various references and illustrations. Luath press. ISBN 978-1-906307-07-3
2000
Huff Lane Artist’s book. Wild Hawthorn Press. Christmas 2000.
Commissioned by, and in collaboration with, Ian Hamilton Finlay.
1999
Textbook Artist’s book. Wild Hawthorn Press. Commissioned by, and in collaboration with Ian Hamilton Finlay. August 1999.
1998
‘Bleck Stanes an’ Chitterin Licht’ 12 sequenced images of Hunter Square, plus frontispiece, in ‘Brilliant Cacophony’, the architecture of the Royal Mile, Edinburgh, pp 89 – 101. Published, Scottish Sculpture Trust, May 1998.
ISBN 0 9516146 5 7
Portfolio magazine. Selection from ‘Little Sparta’ November 1998. ISSN 1354-4446
1997
Highlights Artist’s book. Wild Hawthorn Press. Christmas 1997. Commissioned by, and in collaboration with Ian Hamilton Finlay.
Dinghy Artist’s book. Wild Hawthorn Press. Commissioned by, and in collaboration with Ian Hamilton Finlay.
1996
Three Gates. Artist’s book. Wild Hawthorn Press. Christmas 1996. Commissioned by, and in collaboration with Ian Hamilton Finlay.
1995
Brount. Artist’s book. Published by Peninsula (Netherlands). Commissioned by, and in collaboration with Ian Hamilton Finlay.
Selected Commissions
2014
The Evergreen. Five Portraits commissioned by Edinburgh Old Town Development Trust
2008
Scottish National Portrait Gallery. Commissioned portraits of Thomas A. Clark and James Robertson for Scottish Makars, contemporary Scottish poets, exhibited at Scotland House Brussels
2007
Pier Arts Centre, Orkney. Ian Hamilton Finlay Installation, Rousay, Orkney Isles. ‘Gods of The Earth, Gods of The Sea’. Exhibited at the Pier’s Reopening exhibition July 2007. Purchased for permanent collection.
University of St. Andrews, Portrait Professor Graham Smith.
2001
University of St. Andrews, Portrait Sir Kenneth Dover, Chancellor, University of St. Andrews. Permanent collection, University of St Andrews.
University of St. Andrews. Portrait, Dr Brian Lang, Principal, University of St. Andrews. Permanent collection, University of St. Andrews.
2000
Royal College of Surgeons, Edinburgh. Millenium Group portrait of Fellows as a contemporary facsimile of a painting by F.A Hay in 1889. Permanent exhibition, Surgeon’s Hall.
1999
University of St Andrews. Portrait, Professor Struther Arnott, retiring Principal, University of St. Andrews. Triptych. Permanent exhibition, University of St Andrews
Selected Public Lectures
‘Man Ray – Photographing Dreams’ National Galleries of Scotland, July 2013
‘August Sander: Look, Observe, Think’ National Galleries of Scotland, March 2011
‘Diane Arbus: Walking into an Hallucination’ National Galleries of Scotland, 30th March 2010
‘Highland Journey’ Wigtown Book Festival; Inverness Book Festival, 2009
‘Highland Journey’ Artists Talk, Pier Arts Centre, Stromness, Orkney, June 2009
‘Concrete Poetry, Photography and Ian Hamilton Finlay’ St Andrews University, May 2007
‘The Actual Photograph’ Scottish Society for the History of Photography Annual Photographer’s Lecture 2002
Collections
University of St Andrews.
Scottish Photography Collection, Scottish National Portrait gallery
Victoria and Albert Museum.
Polaroid Collection.
Pluto Gallery, Oslo.
Vanderbilt University, Nashville.
Pier Arts Centre, Orkney
NHS Stobhill Hospital
National Portrait Gallery, London
Private Collections in Europe and North America.
