Presented in partnership with The Dean Gallery, National Galleries of Scotland, Talbot Rice Gallery, The University of Edinburgh and Collective Gallery. 

Edinburgh epitomizes the ideals of the 18th century Scottish Enlightenment with its neo-classical beauty and places of learning, law and finance.

Edinburgh also exists as a series of warrens and darker places. The city's enlightenment edifice is built upon a maze of intriguing geological fissures, labyrinthine architecture and iniquitous underworlds.

Against this backdrop of the city and its philosophical history the artworks that make up The Enlightenments offer contemporary observations on subjects including religion, philosophy, superstition, architecture, literature, natural history, the cosmos, scepticism, stoicism and social manners.

To hear an interview with Juliana Engberg, curator of The Enlightenments, click here.

To hear an audio montage of artists discussing their work as part of The Enlightenments, click here.

Sponsored by

Supported by           The Government of Victoria, Australia through Arts Victoria  

        

 

Gabrielle de Vietri - Hark!

In Hark!, singers relate the news of the day, recalling the way information was delivered to people prior to the Enlightenment and mass literacy. 

Gabrielle de Vietri - The I Don't Know Show: Philosophy for Kids

New Commission

Children have been asked to answer some of the fundamental philosophical questions concerning art and aesthetics in an engagingly honest video response.

Greg Creek - Edinburgh Drawing: Chatter Shapes

New Commission

Greg Creek's drawings of Edinburgh, city of Enlightenment, encourage a visual journey that maps both place and time, with references to historical, contemporary and fictional events, people and subjects.

Joseph Kosuth - 'An Interpretation of This Title': Nietzsche, Darwin and the Paradox of Content

New Commission

This new work is a series of debates between Darwin and Joseph’s long time collaborators, Nietzsche and Wittgenstein.

Joshua Mosley - dread

Digital film of animated clay figures presents a fictional encounter philosophical and theological thinkers, Jean-Jacques Rousseau and Blaise Pascal.

Juan Cruz: Mensch - Bluetooth-delivered stories

New Commission
In Juan Cruz's Mensch he evolves a number of interconnected narratives that circulate around the old city of Edinburgh.

Lee Mingwei - Letter Writing Project

Letter Writing Project invites viewers to think about communicating with absent friends, family and loved ones by writing the letters they always meant to, but have never had the opportunity or time to do so.

Nathan Coley - BELOVED

New Commission

Coley questions belief systems and investigates architectural structures inhabited by and invested with faith.

Susan Norrie - Enola

Susan Norrie's practice is concerned with the future of our planet. Norrie's acclaimed video project Enola pictures a world that has become mummified as a result of nuclear trauma.

Susan Norrie - SHOT

New Commission

Susan Norrie's new project SHOT explores aspects of outer space and our quest for enlightenment - a quest necessary not just for the sake of knowledge, but possibly for survival.

Tacita Dean - Presentation Sisters

Acclaimed British artist Tacita Dean emphasizes the aspects of quiet devotion, internal contemplation and external dedication that defines this small ecclesiastical community.

Edinburgh - The city of edinburgh council Scottish Arts Council

Edinburgh International Festival Society is a company limited by guarantee and incorporated in Scotland (SC024766)
with its registered office at The Hub, Castlehill, Edinburgh EH1 2NE. Registered Charity No SC004694