Collections

Frames, Figure, Objects, Indent

Sculptor: Scott, George William (Bill), PPRSA RSA · 1935-2012

Frames, Figure, Objects, Indent

The work was originally accessioned on the following basis; "An identically titled sculpture was exhibited at the RSA in 1973, a drawing of the same…

The work was originally accessioned on the following basis;

"An identically titled sculpture was exhibited at the RSA in 1973, a drawing of the same name at the RSA in 1981 and a sculpture of the same name in 1983. At the exhibition "Bill Scott ARSA, Exhibition of Sculpture" at the Lamp of Lothian Collegiate Centre, Haddington in 1980, Bill Scott exhibited two thematically similar pieces to the Diploma Work, "20th Century Pad I" and "20th Century Pad III". An earlier drawing in the RSA Collection from the Scottish Arts Council Bequest (1997.175) 'Pad, Objects, Figures' (charcoal, 1972) could be seen to be part of the same theme and exploration of ideas as the Diploma Work.

In a letter to the Collections Assistant of 25/11/2007 Bill Scott stated the following "I made a number of similar sculptures about the same time and I am not sure whether I made a/ distinction between them in their titles...I think that the 1973 reference would be a piece which is now in/ Kirkcaldy Art Gallery, but I am still not sure that the 1983 entry would refer to my diploma/ piece...The word "pad" obviously now suggests things such as a base or setting for something or a / launch pad as in the space programme. In the 60s - 70s it was used colloquially, particularly/ by young people to refer to their flat or accommodation. Often I think it suggested an arae to/ live in, not an ownership thing, in fact it could be a kind of squat and therefore have other/ surrounding connotations./ I wrote about this kind of work in the catalogue for my exhibition 3=10 at the Li Yuan Chia/ gallery in 1980...I was very interested in living and working situations, and so some were like "House and/ Contents" while others were based on subjects such as boatyards and oilrigs where men/ worked in confined spaces within complex structures./ The bound figure stands beside a stairway and is also near to a depression which has a / conical object protruding from it - perhaps a minuteman missile? In my memory the/ intention was somehow to state something about our inability to influence events." (letter in Bill Scott's file)"

As a result of research undertaken by Scott's biographer however the following correct title and dating was provided by her in an email to RSA Director, Colin R Greensale on 2020-10-02 as follows;

"A note re the last work – it’s in the RSA collection titled Twentieth Century Pad with a date of c. 1983. In the archaeological research I’ve done I’ve found that this work should actually be called Frames, Figure, Objects, Indent – and the date should be recorded as 1975 – 1983. It was begun in 1974, with additions made prior to it being gifted to the RSA in 1983. (I know he unhelpfully provided a letter to the RSA with the work which didn’t actually confirm a title.) Took a looooong time to work out – I thought we’d lost a piece of work, until I realised he’d re-worked it."

The original exhibition histories cited in the original record above no longer stand (RSA 1973 is the work "Twentieth Century Pad" now with Fife Collections, referred to by Scott in his 2007 letter as then being in Kirkcaldy Art Gallery), whilst Scott himself expressed doubt as to whether the 1983 RSA AX reference was indeed for the present work.

© The Artist's Estate