Roxburghe House
In July 2005, the new Roxburghe House in Ashgrove Road, Aberdeen, was officially opened by Dennis Law. Five new artworks had been commissioned to enhance the building by architect, Jack Sinclair:
Gordon Burnett’s sculptural garden was commissioned with support of the Rotary Club of Aberdeen and inspired by nautical and harbour references. Sun Garden was designed to provide a special outdoor place for contemplation, the sundial itself functioning as a focal point rather than as a teller of time.
Anne Finlay’s sculpture, Spiritual Connections,incorporates many shapes derived from nature as well as universal symbols of spirituality. The interaction between the suspended sculptural piece and the circular table, which was separately commissioned by the Friends of Roxburghe House, creates a visual harmony within this spiritual room.
Brian Glassar’s water sculpture, Arial Wall, is constructed from bronze and lead crystalglass. The chemical formula for water, H20, has been deconstructed and the forms cast into lead crystal glass using the traditional ‘lost wax’ technique.
Malcolm McCoig’s triangular sails are displayed at the top of the four entrance columns on the outside of the building. The materials used in A Life in a Day were three different weights of clear, polyester laminates as used by sail-makers, stitched and glued to fit into the triangular sail-like shaped spaces and positioned to allow for the all-important light to come through the work.
Maggie Riegler’s woven tapestry, Reflections, is assembled in spirals, to convey the idea of colour and light reflected in moving water. The tapestry, comprising forty-five separate woven sections, is hanging in the main foyer at Roxburghe House.
Since the opening of the building, Donald Murray, artist and calligrapher has also been commissioned to add sections of hand-painted text to the walls of the spiritual room.
Photographs, Mike Davidson
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