A large steel eagle proudly stands guard at the entrance of a new exhibition of work by the late George Wyllie at Summerhall in Edinburgh.
In a previous life, this vast, sprawling arts venue was a vet school, so it's fitting that Wyllie's eagle, which once stood guard outside his eyrie-like home in Gourock, has found a temporary perch.
This show, curated by George Wyllie Foundation curator Lynne Mackenzie, focuses on artworks by Wyllie and others created during the lead up to, and in response to, the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1988.
During his long life, Glasgow-born Wyllie saw profound changes in society and in the wider world. He left Scotland for the first time when he joined the Royal Navy in 1942 at the age of 20 and subsequently travelled all around the globe, experiencing first-hand the D-Day landings and the devastation wreaked on Hiroshima in the aftermath of the dropping of the atomic bomb. Decades later, he witnessed the fall of the Iron Curtain.
Wyllie trained as an engineer before joining the Navy and, after the war, he entered Customs and Excise as a waterguard, a job which involved asking many questions. At the age of 58 he embarked on a four-decade-long late-flowering career as an artist.
In his art, performance and film work, Wyllie constantly asked questions, be it politically or philosophically. He prodded and poked a wide range of subjects, such as the management of our global economy, our relationship with the planet and the value of art to society.
Chiefly known as the creator of the Straw Locomotive (1987) and the Paper Boat (1989), Wyllie also represented Scotland as part of Glasgow-Berlin 88 with two major commissions, the Berlin Burd and the Glasgow-Berlin Spire. Both works questioned the absurdity of a city divided by a wall.
As this exhibition reveals, from the mid-1980s the concept of equilibrium began to weave its way through all Wyllie's work. His call for a more harmonious relationship between people and the planet is voiced through his Spires and related installations.
Two years after his death, this exhibition begins the process of distilling Wyllie's work and giving him his place as one of the most significant artists Scotland produced in the 20th century. It's a must-see.
George Wyllie: Keeping The Balance, Summerhall, Edinburgh (0131 560 1581, www.summerhall.co.uk) until January 31
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