Edinburgh’s Whitespace is the venue for Group Portrait – a group show by artists inspired by A.I.R. Gallery – the first commercial art gallery dedicated to female artists.

The exhibition presents the works of twelve young emerging female artists, all with Edinburgh connections: Meg Alty, Hannah Benassi, Inês Hermione, Julia Mackenzie, Tara McCullough, Mhairi McPhail, Amelia Morgan, Nancy Nightingale, Holly Powers, Charlotte Taylor, Celestine Thomas and Jenna Waldren.

The title of the show stems from a painting from 1977 by artist Sylvia Sleigh (shown above) depicting the founding members of the A.I.R. Gallery*, and showcases a variety of artworks including paintings, drawings, sculptures, textiles and mixed media pieces, all ranging in style and scale.

*Founded in 1972, the Gallery continues to show exhibitions. Its name refers to the initials for Artists In Residence repeated in Fire Department notices on the premises, and ‘appropriated’ by the founders to reflect the idea of female artists now being in permanent residence in the contemporary art world.