About the Artist

Artist's Statement

Murray Robertson studied at Glasgow School of Art and continues to live and work in Glasgow. Whilst maintaining an interest in traditional fine art and printmaking through many years of association with Glasgow Print Studio it is the research, development and application of new technologies, specifically digital imaging and printing, that has most influenced current professional practice, be it in the role of Master Printer at GPS, managing the Digital Imaging Suite and disseminating that knowledge to others, or as an individual practicing artist.

Robertson’s work is underpinned by enquiries into aspects of nature and the environment that lie at the core of many of our current concerns and scientific paradigms.Exploring and contrasting the significances of cultural perceptions and misconceptions, Robertson endeavours to interpret and create systems of representation via structured visual matrices that are realised as hopefully legible and meaningful patterns of knowledge.

Imagery develops from a process of experience, documentation and interpretation, employing a wide variety of techniques from traditional drawing and painting to 3D computer modeling. Diagrammatic representations and their related iconography has motivated recent works using sources including textbooks on natural history, early and contemporary printed maps, scientific/technological imagery and cultural icons.

CV

Date of Birth                             01.10.61

Place of Birth                            Sunderland

Education

1979-83                                      Glasgow School of Art, BA(Hons), Fine Art

1983-84                                      Glasgow School of Art, Postgraduate Diploma

Solo Exhibitions

1988 - A Waking Dream, Glasgow Print Studio, Scotland.

1993 - Errors In The Age Of Discovery, Glasgow Print Studio, Scotland.

1994 - Atlas, Yamanaka Fine Arts Centre, Kyoto, Japan.

1994 - Mirror To The Land, British Council, Kyoto, Japan.

1996 - Recent Prints, Glasgow Print Studio, Scotland.

1999 - Periodic Landscapes, Royal Museum of Scotland, Edinburgh.

1999 - Works, Gallerie Sandelius, Nykarleby, Finland.

2000 - 109 - Table of Elements, Gallery of Modern Art, Glasgow, Scotland.

2001 - Uncertain Pantheon, Glasgow Print Studio, Scotland.

2003 - Visual Elements, Concourse Gallery, Derry, Northern Ireland.

Timeline, Glasgow Science Centre, Scotland.

2005 - Talisman, Glasgow Print Studio, Scotland.

2006 - Recent Work, MUDD Gallery, Lawrence University, Appleton, USA.

2007 - Molecular Machines, Glasgow Science Centre, Scotland.

2007 - Nanovisions, Glasgow Science Centre, Scotland.

2013 - A Century of Discovery, Centre for Virus Research, Glasgow University, Scotland.

2015 - Mapping Scotia - Wild Boundaries, Sabhal Mòr Ostaig, Isle of Skye, Scotland.

Mapping Scotia - Inscribed Landscapes, Sabhal Mòr Ostaig, Isle of Skye, Scotland.

2017 - Murray Robertson - Mapping Scotia, Braemar Gallery, Braemar, Scotland.

2018 - Stravaig, Stravaiger, Stravaigin, Howden Arts Centre, Livingstone, Scotland.

Selected Group Exhibitions

2006 - Places and Spaces: Mapping Science, New York Public Library, USA.

New Editions/Scotland, International Print Centre, New York, USA.

2008 - Merge, Developments in Digital Printmaking, Glasgow Print Studio.

2011 - Impressit, RGI Kelly Gallery, Glasgow.

A Passion for Prints: Ten Years of the Golder-Thompson Gift, Pallant House Gallery, Chichester.

Poetry Beyond Text, Royal Scottish Academy, Edinburgh.

2012 - The Medium is the Message: words in printmaking since the 1960s, Glasgow Print Studio.

Observations, Jim Pattison and Murray Robertson, Glasgow Print Studio.

2013 - 40th Anniversary Suite, Glasgow Print Studio.

Fabric of the Land, Geology & Petroleum Geology Department, University of Aberdeen/Dynamic Earth, Edinburgh.

Living Proof, Glasgow Print Studio.

Sea Change/Sexy Peat (Tìr mo Rùin), Royal Botanic Gardens, Edinburgh.

2014 - Jacki Parry & Murray Robertson, Line Gallery, Linlithgow.

2015 - Between the Land and the Sea, Royal Academy of Arts, Piccadilly, London.

2016 - The View From The Train, Glasgow Print Studio.

Trigger Words, Glasgow Print Studio.

2017 - The Artist Traveller, Royal Scottish Academy, Edinburgh.

CUT, Glasgow Print Studio.

microMACRO,RGI Kelly Gallery, Glasgow.

2018 - Innovative Printmaking, Glasgow Print Studio.

Selected Residencies, Projects and Commissions

1990 - Vier + Four, Glasgow-Berlin Book Project with Joe Davie, Alasdair Gray and Liz Lochead. Glasgow District Council Artists Exchange Project.

1994 - Artist in Residence, Yamanaka Arts Centre, Kyoto, Japan, (six month residency)

Glasgow District Council/British Council Exchange Project.

1998 - Visual Elements, multimedia arts & science collaborative project with Dr. John Emsley, Science Writer in Residence, Cambridge University. Supported by the Royal Society of Chemistry and Glasgow City Council.

1999/2000 - Artist in Residence, Svenska Yrkeshögskolan, Nykarleby, Finland.

2001 - Link Exchange Project, Artist in Residence, Sir JJ School of Art, Mumbai, India (eight week residency). Supported by Glasgow Print Studio, Cymroza Gallery, Mumbai, Royal Over-Seas League, Glasgow City Council and the British Council.

2004 -Artist in Residence & Speaker at International Symposium on Digital Printmaking (Simposium de Grafica Medios Digitales Aplicados), Museograbado, Zacatecas, Mexico (5 week residency). Glasgow Print Studio/Museograbado, Glasgow City Council/Zacatecas Exchange Project.

2007 - Molecular Machines, arts & science collaborative project with Dr. David Bhella, Centre for Virus Research, Glasgow University.  Supported by Medical Research Council, Glasgow Science Centre and the Scottish Executive.

2007 - Nanovisions, arts & science collaborative project with Dr. Charles Ironside, Electrical Engineering Dept, Glasgow University.  Supported by the Engineering & Physical Research Science Council and Glasgow Science Centre.

2013 - Sea Change/Sexy Peat (Tìr mo Rùin)- residency (Bragar & Stornoway, Isle of Lewis) and new works created in response to the biodiversity of the Lewis Peatlands in partnership with Highland Print Studio and Cape Farewell.

2015-16 - Mapping Scotia - Wild Boundaries, 6 month residency at Sabhal Mòr Ostaig, Isle of Skye, Scotland.Supported by Creative Scotland and the Royal Scottish Academy.

2017 - Elected Member Royal Glasgow Institute of Fine Arts.