Themes of flight, shared humanity and the search for safe harbour will dovetail together in a new exhibition at the Lillie Art Gallery.
The Milngavie venue will host 'Migrations – a Field Study of Adversity' by Derek Robertson, one of the country’s foremost wildlife and landscape artists, between 24 February and 5 April 2024.
For decades, Robertson has been studying and depicting the migration of birds – following them from Africa to the Arctic by their migration routes across the Mediterranean and their home ranges in Europe.
Birds are used as warning indicators of environmental change – their migration patterns reflecting significant climate and habitat shifts.
Robertson said, "Just a few years ago, I watched as 'The Summer of Boats' unfolded into a refugee crisis and I saw newscasters reporting from beaches on Mediterranean islands as desperate people came ashore.
"I recognised these islands as the same places I had travelled to, to watch and sketch migratory birds, and now here were people in a similar state of immediate survival, taking the same lines of flight as the birds I portray.
"The flightways of birds have become the routes of flight for refugees."
'Migrations – a Field Study of Adversity' by Derek Robertson opens on Saturday 24 February at 2.30pm. All welcome. Admission is free.
Councillor Jim Gibbons, Chair of East Dunbartonshire Leisure and Culture Trust – which operates the Lillie, said, "This fascinating exhibition offers a range of paintings created by the artist in response to his experiences travelling through Europe, across the Mediterranean to the Middle East. I hope as many people as possible take the opportunity to see his work between 24 February and 5 April."
Derek Robertson BA RSW SSA SAA IWS was born and raised in Fife. He graduated from Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art & Design in Dundee in 1989 and works from his studio in Balmerino, Fife.
He said, "On my travels I spoke to refugees, to locals and to volunteers, and I sketched what I saw: the people, the places and the birds.
"The project challenged me artistically and personally, and I often found myself very far outside my comfort zone. I taught art classes in refugee schools and organised art activities for unaccompanied children in some of the camps.
"I was mugged in Sicily, caught in a riot in Calais, and was escorted off sites by armed police and soldiers, but my experiences were matched by the inspirational humanity of the many refugees and volunteers that I met."
The Lillie Art Gallery – Station Road, Milngavie, G62 8BZ – is open Tuesday-Saturday, 10am-1pm and 2-5pm. Admission is free.
For more venue information, call 0141 956 5536 or visit the Lillie Art Gallery webpage (external link opens in new window).
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