Edinburgh College of Art: Illustrating the last great voyage of discovery. Illustration students recently took a creative journey across Antarctica in an exciting collaboration with the National Library of Scotland; they were tasked with responding to the story of Shackleton’s Endurance Expedition, and each created an illustrated map of the journey. They were also asked to create an artefact that illustrated an element of the narrative. This exhibition displays the results of this project, results which vary from personal and poignant accounts of the harsh experience to a ‘scratch and sniff’ scented map and a board game design. 10am-8pm Monday to Friday, 10am-5pm Saturday, 2-5pm Sunday, until 19th February 2015, National Library of Scotland, George IV Bridge.
Joseph Pearce’s Book Group: first meeting of this new group tonight. The book to be discussed is Nathan Filer’s Shock of the Fall – but even if you haven’t read it, you are very welcome to come along to this informal meeting. ‘Think coffee, cakes, books and beer’. 6.30pm, Joseph Pearce’s, 23 Elm Row. For more information email jp@bodabar.com or see Joseph Pearce’s Facebook page.
Darkness Visible: a series of feature films selected to accompany Christopher Orr’s exhibition The Beguiled Eye at the University of Edinburgh’s Talbot Rice Gallery. Each film reflects different elements in Orr’s work, from the enchantment and terror of the Ozark mountains in Winter’s Bone to the barren, ominous desolation of Tarkovsky’s ‘Zone’ in Stalker, and the unearthly mystery and sense of adventure in Super 8. Each film will be introduced by an assistant curator from Talbot Rice. Today: Winter’s Bone (15). 6pm, Filmhouse, Lothian Road. Tickets can be booked online or by calling the Box Office on 0131 228 2688: prices vary. Read The Edinburgh Reporter’s review of The Beguiled Eye here.
LGBT History Month: Human Library. Learn about living history through the lives of LGBT people contributing to the richness of cultural diversity in Scotland – please come and interview a LGBT ‘human book’. All welcome! 5-7pm, McDonald Road Library, 2 McDonald Road. For more information contact nigel.chipps@lgbtyouth.org.uk or call 0131 555 3940. For more about LGBT History Month, read The Edinburgh Reporter’s article here.
Blind Poetics: open mic session of performance poetry. February’s feature is poet Amanda Baker. If you would like to sign up for a 5 minute slot (there will be 8 for women and 8 for men), email blindpoetics@gmail.com. Hosted by Alec Beattie and Roddy Shippin. 8-11pm, The Blind Poet, West Nicolson Street. Free, but Amanda Baker is kindly donating her fee to Crisis, so bring money!
Edible Gardening: Seasonal Advice. Drop in to find out how to grow your own food, and take a look around the productive garden with the Edible Gardening Project team. 1-3pm, Demonstration Garden, Royal Botanic Garden of Edinburgh, Inverleith Row. Also at same time on Tuesday 10th February.
Cafe Histoire: Camille Desmoulins. Camille Desmoulins (1760-1794) perfectly illustrated the often confrontational relationship between French journalists and politicians. His writing made him one of the most influential characters of the French Revolution. Historian and librarian at the French Institute in Glasgow Patrick Landri will talk about the fabulous destiny of a man who fought for freedom and human rights. 5.30pm, Institut francais d’Ecosse, 13 Randolph Crescent. Please note that this talk will be in French only. All welcome: £5 (members), £8 (non-members).
Emily Young: Stone From The Mountain. A new exhibition of work by internationally renowned sculptor Emily Young; head sculptures, torsos and discs. 10am-6pm Monday to Friday, 11am-2pm Saturdays, Fine Art Society of Edinburgh (formerly Bourne Gallery), 6 Dundas Street. Closes 14th March 2015.
Edwin G Lucas(1911-1990): an exhibition of the work of the Scottish Surrealist painter. ‘Thank God we have at long last discovered him – he is a great, great enormous talent’ (John Byrne), ‘They are impressive because they are inexplicable’ (Patrick Elliott, NGS). 10am-6pm Monday to Friday, 11am-2pm Saturdays, Fine Art Society of Edinburgh (formerly Bourne Gallery), 6 Dundas Street. Closes 26th February 2015.
Broughton History Society: Peter Stubbs will talk on Old Photographs and Recollections of Broughton. 7pm Drummond Community High School, Bellevue Place. Members and non-members all welcome!
Edinburgh Iranian Festival: Blood Oranges Dipped in Salt. Family history and an extensive photographic archive are used as principal resources in this new work by Dr Karen Babayan, a collection of fictionalised ‘hand-me-down’ family stories and the end of a long and very personal project for the author. Dr Babayan grew up in the Armenian community in Tehran until she moved to the UK with her family at the age of 16. She is now a visual artist living in Cumbria and explains that the stories are woven around family photos and recollections that have assumed a mythical quality for her over the years. The stories occupy a time period of over 400 years to the present day, and the events cover a geography of three continents, moving from Armenia to Iran, then to the UK and Canada.The stories bear witness to a minority culture with a monumental history that has experienced generations of loss, displacement, migration, immigration and assimilation. Dr Babayan hopes that her book will capture these stories before they are lost, and will be passed on through generations of families as the stories themselves have been passed down through her own family. The talk will be followed by a Q & A session and signing by the author prior to the official publication of the book on 29th February; there will also be a drinks reception courtesy of the School of Islamic & Middle Eastern Studies, University of Edinburgh. 5.30-6.30pm, Lecture Theatre F.21, University of Edinburgh, 7 George Square. Free admission.
New Town & Broughton Community Council. 7.30pm, Broughton St Mary’s Parish Church, Bellevue Crescent. All welcome.
LGBT Support Services Open Evening: do you know where to go for support if you experience domestic abuse, sexual abuse or want to access couples or individual counselling about a relationship? LGBT-inclusive organisations from across Edinburgh will visit LGBT Health & Wellbeing for this drop-in event during LGBT History Month. 6.30-7.30pm (within Drop In, which runs 5.30-8pm), LGBT Health & Wellbeing, 9 Howe Street. No appointment needed; contact George Burrows on 0131 652 3281 or george@lgbthealth.org.uk for more information.
God, Science and Faith: Richard Dawkins v CS Lewis on the meaning of life. The Heriot Watt University Chaplaincy Annual Public Lecture will be delivered by biophysicist and theologian Professor Alister McGrath (University of Oxford). Refreshments will be served after the lecture at 7.45pm. 6.30pm, James Watt Centre, Heriot Watt University Edinburgh Campus, EH14 4AS. Please register your intention to attend on 0131 451 4508 or m.boulogne@hw.ac.uk.
2015 Iranian Film Festival: a season of classic and contemporary films from Iran, including a number of Scottish premieres, shown as part of the Edinburgh Iranian Festival. Today: Taboor (15) 8.45pm, Filmhouse, Lothian Road. Tickets can be booked online here or by calling the box office on 0131 228 2688. Prices vary: there are deals for purchasing multiple tickets for this season. The 2015 Iranian Film Festival is curated by Dr Nacim Pak-Shiraz and sponsored by The Sutton Gallery, Arts & Business Scotland, the School of Islamic and Middle Eastern Studies of the University of Edinburgh, and the Filmhouse.
