John McKissock - Visitor Services Assistant, East Ayrshire Leisure
Real life: fearsome, hopeful, imaginative, destructive,
simplistic, inventive and powerful. My selection aims to represent
the various shades of life. Art and history lend themselves to both
personal interpretation and collective symbolism. As a native of
Ayrshire and in my capacity within the Arts & Museums
department based at the Dick Institute, I have assisted with many
exhibitions during my time here. However, certain items have
remained clearly in my mind, whether exhibited 15 years or 5 months
ago.
Items such as, the First Edition of Poems by Burns, which lends itself not only to local patriotism but also as a national treasure. Peter Howson's 'Smile & Wave' depicts the gruesome destruction that man unleashes upon himself; the power that was the subject of 'Audience with Agrippa' is securely backed by the visual power that artist Sir Lawrence Alma Tademas' hand has brought to this wonderful work of art; the section of rail from the Duke of Portlands ' Kilmarnock to Troon' railway whilst being a lump of metal actually represents a very significant development in both Ayrshire and Scotland's development. All the items I have selected represent life in a very real way for me.
