The Magic Box

‘The Magic Box’ was a solo exhibition/installation/public art project at Edinburgh Printmakers, commissioned by Edinburgh International Festival (1 August - 6 September 2014).

This composite archaeology of Colvin’s research engaged with aspects of history, creativity, performance, audience participation and public discourse through a multi-faceted presentation of works, including mirror stereoscopes, anaglyphs, lightboxes, photography and printmaking, within and beyond a gallery context.

The exhibition featured Colvin’s development of a unique form of presentation, specially constructed light boxes displaying 10 x 8 inch original transparencies dating back to the early 1980s, outlining his major thematic interests. These changed at regular intervals to allow a large volume of archival work to be experienced in a manner that demonstrated the working process, witnessing the emergent form of practice.

Colvin created a new work ‘live’ during the exhibition period, within the exhibition space, which used techniques of painting, constructing, photographing. This further facilitated a public viewing of his methodology, layering of visual ideas, the gradual evolution of a work over the period, which framed a forum for public engagement activities.

Further extending the conceptual and physical boundaries of Colvin’s exhibition was an outdoor installation of 120 large-scale posters of 60 different works sited in each window of the Castle Mills Works. The project launched a three-year programme of temporary on-site installations.

A limited-edition artist’s book (100 copies) was published by Edinburgh Printmakers, with essays by academics, writers and poets, including Fiona Stafford, Frederic Ogee and Kirsty Gunn. There were three public events at EP and Castle Mills, ending with a gallery discussion chaired by book editor Tom Normand (5 September 2014), marking the completion of the live artwork – a portrait of renowned author Janice Galloway, who also contributed to the publication and spoke alongside poets, and fellow contributors Alan Spence and Rab Wilson as well as Colvin.