#UnwrapArt at the Fruitmarket Book Shop, Edinburgh
As Christmas approaches, writer Chris Sharratt speaks to Allison Everett about the amazing range of books, editions and homeware, uniquely available at the Fruitmarket book shop.
The Fruitmarket book shop is a not a safe place to be at Christmas – just ask Buying & Retail Manager Allison Everett. “We’ve had a lot of people describe the shop as dangerous, because every time they go in they spend money!”
It’s hardly surprising. The shop is packed with books, cards, and artist-made homeware including work by Glaswegian concrete artist Zoe Scott and resin artist Resin & Be Thankful.
“I very much like to buy from actual people – so from the actual makers – and try to make sure things are ethically and sustainably sourced,” explains Everett.
“It’s really nice to offer a considered, thoughtful selection of things – it’s very much about going to the shop for the experience of finding things you hadn’t really thought of yet.”
Among these desirable purchases you didn’t know you wanted are an impressive selection of editions by artists who have exhibited at the gallery.
Everett is particularly taken by Jyll Bradley’s Opening the Air, an edition of 50 created to coincide with the artist’s current show ‘Pardes’ in Fruitmarket’s new Warehouse space.
Constructed from Plexiglas and paint-washed wood, the edition has a warm yellow glow due to the light-emitting properties of the live-edged Plexiglas.
“The edition is very experiential,” explains Everett. “It’s based on an ancient glasshouse design, and the Plexiglas collects any light that’s around, absorbs it and then pushes it out of the sides of the material. It’s so lovely.”
Opening the Air retails for £200. For those with a little more money to spend, Glasgow-based artist Andrew Miller’s impressively colourful ‘sculpture/form/light’, Stack II – produced as an edition of 11 – is priced at £1200.
Of course most of the artists’ editions – which can also be bought through the gallery’s online shop – are rather more affordable. A 2013 screenprint by David Batchelor, Atomic Orange – an edition of 100 that was created for the artist’s ‘Flatlands’ exhibition – is just £120 unframed.
However much you decide to spend, you can be sure that the money is helping Fruitmarket to continue commissioning work by contemporary artists. “Every purchase in the shop is a purchase that’s supporting the gallery,” says Everett. “Every book that you buy, every card, the money is going back into Fruitmarket Gallery.”
Visit the Fruitmarket Shop here.
Our #UnwrapArt campaign highlights the many opportunities for the public to buy directly from artists this festive season. Find out more here.