Glasgow Boys from Fife's art collection showcased in new exhibition

Works by the ever-popular Glasgow Boys will be shown at Biggar and Upper Clydesdale Museum – the first time the venue has presented an exhibition of nationally renowned artists.

Ten paintings by the Glasgow collective – who represent the beginnings of modernism in Scottish painting – will feature in the show, which runs from 8 July to 25 September.

All of the works are being loaned from the paintings managed by cultural charity OnFife, which has more than 40 paintings by the Glasgow Boys in its collection.

Most of these were exhibited in The Glasgow Boys – A Spirit of Rebellion, which proved popular with audiences at St Andrews, Kirkcaldy and Dunfermline between 2016 and 2018.

Jane Freel, OnFife Curator, said the charity wants to make its collection widely accessible: “With such a large collection, we can't display everything in our museums and galleries, so it’s fantastic to be able to loan paintings to another museum so they can be seen by a wider audience.”

OnFife manages cultural services on behalf of Fife Council and is responsible for more than 100,000 artefacts of local, national and international significance, which includes around 2000 works of art.

Biggar Museum bosses said they are delighted local residents can see work by key artists without leaving town. They hope the show will draw visitors to Biggar and widen the museum’s appeal.

Elaine Edwards, manager/curator, says: “It is a very exciting time for the museum.”