Aberdeen gained prominence in the art world by introducing
Scottish art to the rest of Britain and the world through the works of
George Jamesone. Jamesone's achievements provided the opportunity for other Scottish artists to follow in his footsteps and make their art available throughout Scotland, and the rest of the world. In 1884 a neo-Classical building was built for the purpose of displaying the world's finest art; subsequently this was called the
Aberdeen Art Gallery. Within this Gallery the impressive permanent painting collection of
Damien Hirst,
Ian Hamilton Finlay,
Francis Bacon,
Monet and
Renoir have been held for over 100 years, allowing the inhabitants of Aberdeen and visitors to the city alike to admire their collected works in one central hub.
Grampian Hospitals Arts Trust (GHAT) arose from the simple idea that improving the hospital environment by displaying art made everyone who spent time in the buildings feel better. GHAT strives to highlight culture as a central component of wellbeing and is a sector leader in developing bespoke arts projects for people visiting, working or utilising the services within hospitals and healthcare. The city is regularly visited by
Scotland's National Arts Companies. The
Aberdeen Art Gallery houses a collection of
Impressionist,
Victorian, Scottish and 20th Century British paintings as well as collections of silver and glass. It also includes The Alexander Macdonald Bequest, a collection of late 19th century works donated by the museum's first benefactor and a constantly changing collection of contemporary work and regular visiting exhibitions. In 2017, the
NuArt Festival came to Aberdeen and saw the installation of
street art in many places around the city, including a large mural on the side of the
Aberdeen Market.
Places of artistic interest in Aberdeen •
Aberdeen Art Gallery and Museum •
Gray's School of Art • Grampian Hospitals Art Trust •
Peacock Visual Arts Famous Aberdeen artists •
George Jamesone •
James Cromar Watt •
John Phillip ==Museums==