New exhibition charting lives of Scottish children

An exhibition following the lives of Scottish children through their first 18 years is now open.

Child of the New Century is based at Duff House in Aberdeenshire, and Karen Curran’s exhibition, created for the Year of Young People, follows the lives of a group of children from the start of the Millennium through their first 18 years, documenting how their lives have been filled not just by happiness, but also by the changes and challenges from the past 18 years, demonstrating the highs and lows in the transition from child to young adult.

Role play, headgear and cosplay are themes explored within their journey, with the focus being on one child in particular, and how the consequences of the unexpected can alter the carefree path of childhood.

Karen said: ‘Portraiture has been a constant theme within my work, through the exploration of iconography, photography and painting.

‘My interest lies in facial expression and how, in the case of younger children, it is an important part of their nonverbal communication, used to convey their emotional state.

‘Any sales revenue I gain from this exhibition will be donated to the children at The Royal Hospital for Sick Children, Edinburgh.’

Karen is a professional artist who lives and works in the Morayshire village of Fochabers. She developed an interest in icon painting in 1995 when she was commissioned to paint an icon of the Virgin Mary for a friend from the Basque Country.

This led to an interest in the history and techniques of icon painting, and in turn, to an exhibition that celebrated the saints associated with Elgin Cathedral.

Since 2016, Karen has been working as a portraitist, using the same traditional techniques, but sharing a stronger influence from Renaissance Art, featuring a more naturalistic observation of the face.

Child of the New Century will be on display at Duff House until 31 December. Entry to the exhibition is included in the admission price.