Calton Hill and the City Observatory have a rich history of astronomy and can lay claim to being the birthplace of timekeeping in Edinburgh through accurate observation of the stars. In this performative lecture, curator Alexandra Laudo will consider astronomical phenomena, the concept of darkness, the sky, the night, and the history of astronomy on this site. Alexandra will establish relationships between these topics and a selection of contemporary artworks.

Alexandra will draw upon research undertaken during her time as Collective’s Researcher in Residence, bringing together visual art, academic research and narrative storytelling to blur the boundaries between artistic performance and formal lecture.

Alexandra Laudo
Alexandra Laudo is an independent curator and founder of the platform Heroinas de la Cultura. Alexandra participated in the research CuratorLab, Stockholm, 2016. Her latest projects include La possibilitat d'una illa, Espai 13, Fundació Joan Miró, Barcelona, 2017; A certain darkness, with artworks from the collections of MACBA and La Caixa Fundació Bancària, CaixaForum, Barcelona, 2017; An intellectual history of the clock, CuratorLab, Stockholm, 2016; One compass, two metronomes, John Cage, many clocks and the midnight sun, Joan Miró Foundation, Barcelona, 2016; La bonne distance /La distancia adequada, Videógraphe, Montréal, 2014; Constel·lacions familiars, EspaiDos, Terrassa, 2012; Viaggio al centro della Terra, Museo di Città a Sassari, Sardegna, 2012; and The narrative condition, La Capella, Barcelona, 2012.

Part of Affinity and Allusion
Featuring new work spanning sculpture, installation, performance, audio work and text by six artists chosen specially for the opening of Collective, Affinity and Allusion is presented across all of Collective’s exhibition spaces, grounds and buildings. The artists and curators brought together all create art which fundamentally asks us to question how we view the world around us, an approach which is central to Collective’s vision for a new kind of city observatory on Calton Hill.

Affinity and Allusion is sponsored by Baillie Gifford investment managers.