THE FRUITMARKET
Fruitmarket is a free public space for culture, right in the heart of Edinburgh’s vibrant cultural scene. Fruitmarket’s friendly, inclusive atmosphere attracts creatives to the team, finding an environment to inspire their private projects and a unique opportunity to work with each other.
“Creativity makes space for meaning”.
The Fruitmarket champions the rights of people from marginalised communities, cultivating creativity and encouraging freedom of thought and expressionism. Essentially, they provide a welcoming space for artists to grow which feels quite a rare and wonderful thing! For a visitor this very welcoming atmosphere is felt immediately upon entry and within their programme that offers world-class exhibitions, commissions, publications, performances, events and activities to engage with. Ahead of the opening of Aubin’s second stand-alone store in Edinburgh, we went to visit the team at Fruitmarket, to begin to establish links with the local creative community so integral to our brand.
The Fruitmarket is positioned in Edinburgh’s Old Town, a twenty-minute amble through the gardens and past the castle from Aubin’s new store on George Street. The site brings together two former fruit and vegetable market buildings, one built in 1938 and converted into a space for art in the 1974 – so the Fruitmarket will be celebrating its 50th birthday next year! It’s always had a reputation as being very forward thinking, experimental place known for contemporary art exhibitions. In 2021 the gallery re-opened after a period of expansion and redevelopment which saw them extending into the 1889 warehouse next door. This building had been a nightclub since the 1970s, and retains more if its industrial heritage than the ‘white cube’ next door. They now have two characteristically differing spaces - the exhibition galleries offering a lot of light, and the warehouse, which lends itself to performance.
Edinburgh is a small but culturally very rich city, full of amazing architecture, parks and green spaces – they even have a mountain right in the city. The annual Festival brings an influx of new talent and inspiration so it’s no surprise really that over the years the Fruitmarket has attracted some of the most celebrated British and International artists; Jean Michel Basquait, Richard Hamilton, Louise Bourgeois, Janet Cardiff and George Bures Miller, Martin Creed, Tacita Dean, Frank Auerbach, , and David Hockney have all had exhibitions at Fruitmarket. They have also created opportunities for artists who have developed their practice in Scotland – Karla Black, Jim Lambie, Nathan Coley, Jaqueline Donachie. And they regularly ask artists to curate group exhibitions, with Emma Hart and Dean Kenning’s Poor Things a big hit earlier in the year.
Their success has a lot to do with the gallery’s happy and inclusive ethos which director Fiona Bradley has done a great job of instilling
“We create a welcoming space for people to think with contemporary art and culture in ways that are helpful to them- for free”. Fiona Bradley- Director
FIONA BRADLEY
“For me what makes Edinburgh special is the culture, we have artists living here who are making world class art, we have great galleries, fantastic theatres, concerts, the festival every year- Edinburgh is a great place to live”.
Fruitmarket’s current director, Fiona Bradley, took over in 2003. Fiona has an MA in art history from Cambridge University and an MA and PhD from the Courtauld Institute London. She started her career as a curator at Tate Liverpool and the Hayward Gallery, London. With her extensive experience behind her, Fiona’s focus at Fruitmarket has been to build on the gallery’s past success in exhibiting Scottish and International contemporary art and providing inspiration and opportunity for artists and audiences. Programming, developing and presenting world-class exhibitions, commissions, publications, performances, events and engagement activities, opening up the artistic process. She allows space for both surrealism and minimalism and has been very proactive in having high profile exhibitions for female artists as well as artists from marginalised groups and those with disabilities. She’s committed to opening art up for the widest possible audience
“It’s important to us that we are a public space, so we are here for everyone. Whether you want to come and think things through at an exhibition, whether you want to come for a nice cup of coffee or buy a card we are here for everyone to do what they want with this space”.
CALUM - INFORMATION ASSISTANT
“As well as being very interesting, everyone is really friendly and lovely here, there’s a kindness that runs through the culture at Fruitmarket”.
Calum studied architecture but since graduating has a wider design practice now. He works at Fruitmarket part time guiding visitors around the exhibitions. He balances his time here alongside his freelance projects.
“Fruitmarket is a really amazing place to come, all of the Information Assistants have other creative practices so it’s a great place to come and network and have a close engagement with the exhibition programme and work that’s happening here”.
JULIA CARRUTHERS- VISITOR EXPERIENCE MANAGER
“Our vibrant culture in Edinburgh has a thriving community-based arts scene that supports local artists and creatives”.
Julia oversees the front of house operations, working hard to extend the gallery’s ambition to make art accessible to everyone. She manages a team of Duty Managers and Information Assistants and works closely with the café to build an overall welcoming visitor experience. Julia has been working at Fruitmarket for two years now, joining after the re-development, an exciting time to have come to the gallery. Like everyone who works here Julia has her own creative practice rooted in textiles which is supported and nurtured here -
“Fruitmarket has become a valuable resource to me. It’s a place to meet other creatives and future collaborative partners”.
JAIME MOLINA - CAFÉ MANAGER
Jaime runs the gallery’s café and has been working at Fruitmarket since June 2019. Jaime is a photographer. He runs a gallery and a bookshop in Edinburgh’s west end called Agitate, he also started a publishing house as well as doing his own photography projects on the side.
“Fruitmarket creates a space for creative people to be in and interact with each other, that’s something I don’t think many places have”.
ANDREW GANNON - INFORMATION ASSISTANT
Andrew is one of the friendly faces at Fruitmarket working front of house, welcoming visitors and looking after the art. He’s been at the gallery for fourteen years so he’s one of the old hats. He recently had an exhibition of his own at Fruitmarket, in the newer warehouse space. His exhibition was titled ‘Impressions’ and was a mixture of sculpture and performance. Andrew has a congenital limb difference and centres his disability within his art. For the Fruitmarket he made a group of sculptures made using plaster bandage casts of his left arm and a series of performances - his Drawing Limb performances - took place during the exhibition in December 2022.
We look forward to working more with Fruitmarket and its inspiring team now that we are Edinburgh neighbours. No doubt our paths will cross many times, this is after all a very small city, and a very friendly one too! Just the way we like it!
To follow Fruitmarket and read about all their exciting upcoming events and exhibitions head to their website- www.fruitmarket.co.uk
