A new exhibition coming to the Scottish National Portrait Gallery is set to open this weekend, capturing a portrait of the nation during the coronavirus pandemic.
Socially distanced garden visits, family Zoom calls and home-school activities are some examples of the photographs, submitted by the public, that will keenly depict Scotland's experience of the last six months.
'You Are Here 2020: Stories, Portraits, Visions' will include a rotating selection from more than 200 public submissions to be displayed alongside five artworks from the national collection at the gallery in Edinburgh.
These include a selection of works by photographer Iain Stewart from his series Tender, for which he shadowed two Edinburgh GPs, a bronze bust of Scots Makar Jackie Kay and a bust of the pioneering surgeon Dr Elsie Inglis.
People across Scotland have been invited to submit stories, poems, portraits and ideas about the future to the exhibition and are encouraged to continue doing so until the end. of December.
All works shown will be shared on the National Galleries Scotland (NGS) website and social media channels.
Learning and engagement outreach officer Richie Cumming, who devised the display, said: “It has been humbling and a privilege to receive these submissions.
“The project has given participants the opportunity to share intimate and moving stories and portraits that, when taken together, create a powerful portrait of human experience.
“I know it has been cathartic for many people who have taken part and I hope these stories give visitors renewed perspectives on their experiences, too.”
The other artworks from the national collection that feature in the exhibition include a video work featuring Mercury Prize-winning Edinburgh band Young Fathers titled Man Up.
Singer-songwriter Emeli Sande will also feature, thanks to a portrait painted by Samira Addo, winner of the Sky Arts Portrait Artist of the Year 2018 prize.
Nine submissions will be shown during the opening week of the exhibition and the display will be updated every week.The Scottish National Portrait Gallery reopens on Sunday and will be open on Sundays, Mondays and Tuesdays each week until January 10.
Visitors can book their free ticket to visit the gallery and find out how to submit pieces to the exhibition on the National Galleries Scotland website nationalgalleries.org.
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