The Society of Scottish Artists (SSA) unveiled its 127th Annual Exhibition at the Royal Scottish Academy (RSA) in Edinburgh on Sunday, aiming to honour the legacy and embrace the future of the two historic institutions. 

The “landmark” exhibition opened on Sunday and features more than 250 pieces of art by 229 artists, including 10 of Scotland’s most promising up-and-coming talents, who were selected to showcase their work through the SSA’s graduate award scheme. 

Several works this year highlight themes such as women’s rights and the conflict in Gaza and were selected from more than 2000 submissions and include mediums such as film, sculpture, textile, drawing, brickmaking and ceramics. 

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Frank To, co-president of the SSA, said that it is a “special year” for the organisation because they are part of the RSA’s 200th anniversary celebrations and have collaborated with the exhibition to reflect on their shared legacy.

This includes not only showing the world of RSA’s first three presidents, Robert Noble, Robert Buchan Nisbet, and James Cadenhead, but also showcasing newer, emerging artists.

“We’re kind of in some ways showing artists from the beginnings of the Society of Scottish Artists, all the way up to the kind of the emerging artists who are coming through Scotland,” he said. 

“You’re going to have a merger of both temporary and traditional, and it’s the first time you’ll be able to see the actual history of it.”

To continued: “We want to show the most emerging, the most contemporary art that’s in Scotland right now and have that sort of conversation.

He added: “For us, it is really important to show them, but also give them a platform.

“We want to give as well within the building of the Royal Scottish Academy, as you can imagine, it’s a big platform, right in the middle of Edinburgh, we give this platform to give these emerging artists, these graduates, the opportunity to show alongside very established artists as well.”

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Christopher Ivor Adam, who graduated from the Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art in Dundee, is one of those who will be exhibiting at the event after he was one of the 10 winners of this year’s New Graduate Awards. 

The Paisley-born artist and composer’s work spans drawing, painting, printmaking, and filmmaking, and he often explores the lyrical and mythic aspects of human culture, from ancient songs to contemporary fictions, reflecting on our collective desire to belong and make sense of the world.

Along with graduate works, multi-disciplinary artist Susan Pearson, based in Shetland, will also have work on show after winning this year’s SSA Award.

Pearson is best known for making use of foraged materials to investigate the connections between art, archaeology, and philosophy.

Her work is inspired by natural forms, landscape, and the human figure, often resulting in ambiguous, dreamlike narratives.

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Luke Vinnicombe, co-president of SSA, hailed Pearson’s work and said he is excited to have her work on show at this year’s exhibition. 

He  said: “It’s really great to get, artists, who are from all parts of Scotland, so that we can kind of, you know, best represent, the whole of Scotland and since we’re in the Society of Scottish Artists, it’s really great to be able to show as many, artists from different parts of the country as possible.”

Vinnicombe went on to explain that topics at the exhibition are “quite varied” and that the SSA is trying to encourage artists to really focus on what they wish to express as they welcome all kinds of freedom of expression.

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To added: “Some artists may explore things that are political, but there are some works that are quite fun and quite engaging at the same time.”

Vinnicombe urged visitors to check out the exhibition because the SSA shows the “most exciting, newest contemporary art in Scotland”, adding that there will also be a range of artists from abroad.

“We give our artists the space to really express themselves as well, so I think that’s really important for us is that we show so many different varieties of artists and the range of diversity of work.”

Scots are also being encouraged to check out the exhibition’s 30 by 30 series, which includes work from artists all over the world, where they can purchase original artworks for themselves. 

Tickets are £5 entry, £4 concession, and are free for under 16s and SSA Members, with free entry for all on Mondays. The exhibition runs from January 11 to February 4.