The 'gifted' exhibition is reviewed on behalf of craftscotland by Dale Idiens. 

The latest exhibition in the Royal Museum Crafts Gallery is a major departure from tradition. This is a selling exhibition and every exhibit is clearly priced. The gallery has been designed to look like a shop, with open displays on shelves, gilt-framed mirrors for shoppers wanting to try on a scarf, a piece of jewellery, or even a black leather kilt, and new display cases (some so low that you will have to kneel to see what’s at the bottom). Attractive banners bearing the exhibitors’ names and colour images of their work flag the show to museum visitors in the adjoining main concourse and café area. Prices range from as little as £3.00 to almost £300.00 and business at the till-point is brisk. What on earth is going on?!

Management has, until now, been cautious of appearing too commercial where the core museum activity of exhibitions is concerned. For example, in Making Weaves, the launch exhibition of the Crafts Gallery in 1998, the baskets on display were not priced, nor for sale, although the exhibitors could sell other work in the National Museums of Scotland shop, just a step away.

Times have changed, and gifted is the first direct selling exhibition ever presented by the Royal Museum. Rose Watban, Curator of Applied Art and Design, aims to introduce the museum audience to a variety of good quality, affordable work in the hope that this experience will whet the appetites of those who might not normally seek out either a maker’s studio or a commercial gallery. The Royal Museum does not intend to make a profit, and the low mark-up on prices will meet only administrative costs.

The pieces on exhibition are the work of 34 artists working in Scotland. They responded to advertisements placed by the museum on this website and in the Applied Arts Scotland Newsletter, so are to some degree self-selected with further tweaking by the museum and by Pure Creation, the Scottish-based on-line gift shop, which assisted with advice. Much of the work is quirky, colourful and fun and falls within a very appealing price range. Unsurprisingly, there is a higher proportion of jewellery and textiles than anything else, but the organisers have made an effort to include a range of other crafts, such as glass, ceramics, basketry, leatherwork, calligraphy, paper, bookbinding and silverware. The standard of individual items is strong, within selection parameters determined by what is expected to appeal to the gift-buying public at this time of year.

The lower-priced exhibits include Ceri White's vibrant coasters in ceramic tile, and Lorraine Linton's frivolous knitted egg cosies and stripey ice-cream-coloured babies bootees. In the mid-price range are Margaret Wilson's elegant textured scarves, Calene Scott-White's trendy applique corduroy bags, and cushions from several makers, among them Sarah Campbell's smooth felts and crazy, tufted 'dervish' designs by Ingrid Tait. Among the most expensive pieces the delicate art books of calligrapher Susie Leaper stand out, as do Abigail Brown's seductive silver dishes and some impressively large glass platters from Inge Panneels.

Rose Watban hopes that if this test case is successful, the exhibition might be repeated on an annual basis. The exhibitors are also keen to respond to the endorsement of a national platform and to a substantial new audience. All are aware of the issues that could go wrong, such as maintaining replacements for sold items. But gifted is a welcome experiment, and when it closes on 29 January 2006, the outcomes will be of considerable interest, both to museums and to the crafts community.

‘gifted’ is on at the Crafts Gallery, Royal Museum, Chambers Street, Edinburgh EH1 1JF tel 0131 247 4422 from 11 November 2005 to 29 January 2006.  Opening hours Monday to Saturday from 10am to 5pm, Tuesday 10am to 8pm and Sunday 12 noon to 5pm.  Admission Free.  Details of all exhibitors can be found in our craftscotland news story.

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