Collecting the Contemporary: Scottish Art at Kirkcaldy Galleries

When Kirkcaldy Galleries (then Kirkcaldy Museum and Art Gallery) first opened in 1925, it quickly gained a reputation as an artistic hub. Later dubbed the ‘Tate of the North’ the Galleries were known for showing cutting-edge contemporary art. With this display, we want to connect to that history by showing a selection of the incredible examples of modern and contemporary art in our collection.

This display features works by modern and contemporary painters who were inspired by Scotland. In addition to works by John Bellany, Ken Currie, Callum Innes and Jon Schueler, we are pleased to welcome our newest acquisition: a brand new painting by Dunfermline-born artist Caroline Walker. This work, was acquired to celebrate Kirkcaldy Galleries centenary, which we will be celebrating from June 2025.

Our thanks – The artworks in this gallery are all new additions to our collection, acquired between 2023 and 2025. They have been kindly given to us by people living in Fife, by the artists who painted them, or purchased thanks to donations from individuals. We would like to thank all of these supporters for their generous gifts, without whom this display would not have been possible.

Meet the Curator – Lily Barnes I’ve been part of the Collections Team at OnFife since 2022. I previously developed the exhibition Flooring the World, which explored the history of the Fife linoleum industry. I studied art history at the University of St Andrews, and it has been wonderful to be able to use those skills to develop Collecting the Contemporary, which is my first fine art display.