Off The Wall

[rhythmaning]

Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art has an exhibition of installations on at the moment (until May 28) called Off the Wall - they all sit on the floor.

It is a mixed show. I liked four pieces, and really disliked three.

Here are some pictures of the four I liked!

Zobop. Jim Lambie.

I saw this first in Washington, but it works much better here - there is an enclosed space. It is quite hypnotic, and rather beautiful.

Spirit Collection: Hippocrates. Christine Borland.

I loved this: glass jars hanging from the ceiling, containing bleached leaves and a liquid. I don't know whether the liquid was a solvent to bleach the leaves - there was no colour in the liquid, so it is unlikely. It was very serene, and captivating.

David Mach.

I have no idea what this piece is called. I really like David Mach's work, and have done since I first came across it - when he filled rooms with piles of newspaper pouring through the windows and and fireplaces og the Gallery of Modern Art (and that was in 1982, I think!). he has done a lot of outdoor sculpture, too - there is a set of three heads on the M8 which are rather wonderful.

This piece comprised of whisky bottles - some filled to create the shape of a man; or the saltire, perhaps.

The Lamp of Sacrifice, 286 Places of Worship, Edinburgh 2004. Nathan Coley.

Coley has been nominated for the Turner prize, with a similar piece to this: I think he specialises in making models of churches. Apparently, this piece includes a model of every place of worship in Edinburgh in 2004 - he went through the Yellow Pages to identify them all. I could recognise some of them. I thought this was great fun - there is a wonderful simplicity about it.