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Helen Wilson was given access to record Scottish Opera at work, writes Jan Patience
The creative process is never prescriptive, but in an organisation such as Scottish Opera, currently celebrating its 50th anniversary, so many elements fuse to make a performance that when you see the finished product, it's as though the blood, sweat and tears of getting it to the stage never existed.
At the end of last year, Helen Wilson was given an 'access all areas' pass to observe behind the scenes at Scottish Opera, and the results have now gone on show in Edinburgh's Open Eye Gallery. Wilson is an artist who loves to observe and she does so quietly and with aplomb. She works mainly in oil paint – but not exclusively. Recently, the Glasgow-based artist has been exploring etching as a medium and creating 'sets', which are a fusion of painting, drawing and construction.
For this exhibition, titled simply A Portrait Of Scottish Opera, Wilson tells the stories of the people who come together to create this ensemble. An expert in silently touching on the tiny nuances which most people miss, her portraits are always tender, never obvious. This intimate portrayal shows many faces and factors: a wardrobe mistress ironing, a 'gentleman of the chorus' looking tired; a flautist in the pit; head of costumes, John Liddell, in his apron, working at a table; even a pair of well-worn gloves looking for a pair of hands.
A wordsmith as well as a painter, Wilson's titles are a joy. Personal favourites in this exhibition include Sun Enchanted Evening II, a pair of shiny shoes belonging to a Rigoletto performer beside a copy of the Sun newspaper, and There's A Chip Shop In Space, a beautifully painted poke of chips garlanded by stars.
Her large, 48in x 72in work, Rigoletto Residency (fully opened), plays with the idea of the painting as paint box-meets-stage set, never allowing the viewer to forget the fact that each is an artificial construct. Fittingly, Wilson has now given this work to Scottish Opera as a thank-you for granting her access to the company at the tail end of last year.
While there, she observed rehearsals and attended performances of Rigoletto, Hansel And Gretel, Seven Deadly Sins, Intermezzo, The Marriage Of Figaro and Douglas Irvine's adaptation of Philip Pullman's novel Clockwork.
The Paisley-born artist's behind-the-scenes foray into opera follows on from A Portrait Of Scottish Ballet. Her daughter, Jenny, is a professional dancer and this involvement in the world of dance has led to a fascination with depicting the performing arts.
"The linchpin for this Scottish Opera exhibition was my friend Kally Lloyd-Jones of Company Chordelia," Wilson explains. "As well as having her own dance theatre company, Kally has worked regularly with Scottish Opera, directing and choreographing. My last Open Eye show featured work I did when I was behind the scenes with Company Chordelia, when they were working on a production of Les Amoureux. The then director of planning at Scottish Opera, Jenny Slack, bought one of the paintings from that exhibition and I broached the subject of a possible Portrait Of Scottish Opera exhibition with her.
"The idea was met with enthusiasm from the beginning, and when it transpired that Scottish Opera's 50th birthday was on the horizon, it seemed only right to have the exhibition coincide with that. Everyone at the company was incredibly helpful. And trusting. I tried to make my presence felt as little as possible. I wasn't around for long periods of time. I did a lot of coming and going, depending on what was happening, and relied on my camera to record most of the visual information I needed. It was a fantastic experience for me, and my understanding of and respect for the art form has most definitely increased."
One can't help but search around for a musical term to describe the work of Helen Wilson for this particular exhibition, and in doing so, I discovered the Italian word "maestro".
Her art speaks to the viewer in a way which defies mere words. There are works in this exhibition which veer from painting, but still speak in a clear visual language.
Wilson is not just a master of her craft, she possesses a deep empathy and fascination for how creativity happens. If you are serious about painting and observing how a quiet maestro goes about her business, then go see this body of work before it is scattered to the wind in ten days' time. It's a virtuoso performance.
Helen Wilson: A Portrait Of Scottish Opera, Open Eye Gallery, Edinburgh (0131 558 9872, www.openeyegallery.co.uk) until June 19
