Gregory Rankine

Rankine's horses are not portraits of bloodstock, but evocations of the strength, elegance and movement embodied by the animal. They could be luscious exercises in visual rhythms, or competitors in the race of the Equirria. This Roman festival in honour of Mars, the god of war, involved a spectacular, riderless race between the best horses in the cavalry, competing for the privilege of religious sacrifice. The power and sensitivity of these beasts draws us into what could be a narrative, but is also a celebration and close examination of the sublime: the shine on a horse's flank, the might of stormy skies.

Pagan rites are again evoked by Rankine's portraits. The viewer becomes a reveller at a private bacchanalia, late to the festivities and not entirely welcome. Ancient bacchanalia could get out of control, with shepherds torn apart by female bacchantes if they were unable to perform. This is the point at which wine becomes gall, that hedonism becomes saturnalia. Their hostile, basilisk gaze denies all but the faintest possibility of communication or gratification.

Physical strength combines with the weight of a narrative outside of history. Power, in its most elemental manifestation, is everywhere.

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Gregory Rankine Curriculum Vitae

Reviews and Articles

Gregory Rankine Image Gallery - Available Works

Capri Girl I

Capri Girl II

Ghost

Mastering The Paces

Watching From The Wings II

Gregory Rankine Image Gallery - Archive

Border Reavers

Femme Fatale

Equirria II

Equirria

Rearing Grey

Curriculum Vitae

Biography

1971          Born in Glasgow
1992-1996     BA Hons at Glasgow School of Art, Glasgow
2003          Residency at Cyprus School of Art, Limassol, Cyprus

Prizes

2007 N.S. Macfarlane Trust Award (RSA)

Future Exhibitions

2007
Edinburgh Art Fair
Tracey McNee Fine Art, Mayfair, London

Past Exhibitions

2007
Cambridgeshire Art Fair
Royal Scottish Academy 181st Annual Exhibition, Edinburgh
LAPADA Art & Antiques Fair, Royal Academy, London
The London Art Fair, Islington, London
MacRoberts Open, Art Exposure, Glasgow
Affordable Art Fair, London

2006
Royal Glasgow Institute, 145th Exhibition
Royal Glasgow Institute Postcards Exhibition, Kelly Gallery
Arteries Gallery, Glasgow
Tracey Mc Nee Fine Art
Contemporary Art Fair, Edinburgh
Art London
Strathearn Gallery, Crieff
Scottish Art Market: 1st Exhibition
MacRoberts Open, Art Exposure, Glasgow
Aberdeen Artists Society, 72nd Exhibition, Aberdeen Art Gallery
Glasgow Art Fair
LAPADA Art & Antiques Fair, Royal Academy, London
Blackheath Gallery, London
Hunter Fine Art at Contemporary Art Fair Edinburgh
London Art Fair, Islington, London
Birmingham Art and Antiques Fair

2005
Arteries Gallery, Glasgow
Tracey Mc Nee Fine Art, Glasgow
Linda Blackstone Gallery, London
Air Gallery, London
Art Ireland, Dublin
Hunter Fine Art at Contemporary Art Fair Edinburgh
Blackheath Gallery
Art Company Scotland at The Third Step, Glasgow
London Art Fair, Islington, London

2004
Arteries, Glasgow (Two-man Show and Christmas Exhibition)
Art Ireland, Dublin
Blackheath Gallery, London (Portrait and Autumn Exhibitions)
Manchester Art Show, G-Mex Centre, Manchester
Tracey McNee Fine Art, Glasgow
Hunter Fine Art at Palourde, Edinburgh (Winter and Spring Exhibitions)
Glasgow Art Fair, Glasgow

2003
Hamilton Race Course (Solo Exhibition)
Blackheath Gallery, London (Autumn and Christmas Exhibitions)
Arteries, Glasgow
Art Ireland, Dublin
Glasgow Art Fair, Glasgow
Tracey McNee Fine Art, Glasgow
Morfi Gallery, Limassol, Cyprus

2002
Blackheath Gallery, London (Spring, Autumn and Christmas Exhibitions)
Pivotal Fine Art, Glasgow
Glasgow Art Fair, Glasgow
Paisley Art Institute, Paisley

2001
Blackheath Gallery, London (Autumn and Christmas Exhibitions)
Pivotal Fine Art, Glasgow (Solo Show and Christmas Exhibition)
The Compass Gallery, Glasgow
Glasgow Art Fair, Glasgow
Paisley Art Fair, Glasgow
W.A.S.P.S. at The Briggait, Glasgow

2000
The Leith Gallery, Edinburgh (Several Exhibitions)
Glasgow Art Fair, Glasgow
The Compass Gallery, Glasgow

1999
The Leith Gallery, Edinburgh (Three-Man Show and several other exhibitions)
The Compass Gallery, Glasgow (Cabinet Painting and Christmas Exhibitions)
Glasgow Art Fair, Glasgow

1998
Art from Scotland at the Forbes Collection Galleries, New York
House for an Art Lover, Glasgow
The Leith Gallery, Edinburgh (several exhibitions)
The Compass Gallery, Glasgow

1997
The Leith Gallery, Edinburgh (several exhibitions)
Strathearn Gallery, Crieff

1996
Student Competition, The Royal Scottish Academy, Edinburgh
Strathearn Gallery, Crieff
Art Exposure Gallery, Glasgow
Degree Show, Glasgow School of Art, Glasgow

1995
Patron and Painters, The Smith Art Gallery and Museum, Stirling

Collections

Collins Gallery, Glasgow
Chinaski’s, Glasgow
The Princes Trust
Woolwich Building Society
Work in private collections across the UK and US, Ireland, Canada, Germany, Cyprus, Finland and France.

Competitions

Shortlisted for the J. D. Fergusson Travel Award, 2005

Private Commissions

Rankine regularly completes portrait and equestrian commissions.

Reviews

1996 ‘Student Competition, RSA’, The Scotsman (March)
1994, 1998 The Herald
2002 Scottish Business Magazine (August)
2003 The Herald (Racing Section, 26 June)
2004 ‘Art News’ Scottish Homes and Interiors (Issue 34)

Other work

Presenter and writer of BAFTA-nominated Trout’n About (SMG Productions)
Associate of Hunter Fine Art, Contemporary Art Consultancy

With our contemporary art gallery in Glasgow City Centre, we at Tracey McNee Fine Art aim to supply quality mid-career artists' works to the discerning collector. The gallery exhibits varied works with an emphasis on high quality figurative oil paintings from Scottish artists.