Towards an Exhibition of Highland Art

The Highlands of Scotland have an art history which has not been properly identified as such. This paper contributes to that task of identification. Highland art begins with prehistoric rock art of world importance. It extends into the present with internationally recognised contemporary art, such as that generated by An Leabhar Mor-The Great Book of Gaelic in 2002. In exploring this history I investigate continuities, gaps and international links. In doing so I draw on work made possible by a project funded by the Arts and Humanities Research Council, Window to the West: Towards a redefinition of the visual within Gaelic Scotland, a joint initiative of the Visual Research Centre at the University of Dundee and Sabhal Mor Ostaig, the Gaelic college in the Isle of Skye.