Border Crossings: Ten Scottish masters of modern art at Dundee’s McManus Galleries is a display of masterful artists born in Scotland but who left to train or further their careers across the border, in England and further afield. Among them are Wilhemina Barns-Graham (born St Andrews, 1912-2004), Alan Davie (born Grangemouth, 1920-2014), William Gear (born Methil, Fife 1915-1997), William Johnstone (born Denholm, Roxburghshire 1897-1981), Eduardo Paolozzi (born Leith, 1924-2005), William Scott (born Greenock, 1913-1989), William Turnbull (born Dundee, 1922-2012), Robert Colquhoun (born Kilmarnock 1914-1962), Robert MacBryde (born Maybole, 1913-1966, who along with Colquhoun comprised The Two Roberts), and William Crozier (born Glasgow 1930 – 2011).

While they didn’t all know one another personally, many were life-long friends and all would have been aware of one another’s work. All were immersed in international developments in art – initially centred on Paris and subsequently New York – and all made a unique contribution to the development of British abstraction. Each of the artists had a significant reputation during their lifetime, being invited to exhibit in prestigious shows nationally and internationally, although today, arguably, only Paolozzi and Barns-Graham have any significant profile in their homeland.

Based in England, many of these artists became Royal Academicians, but it was only in 2004 that the Royal Scottish Academy changed its membership rules to allow artists who were Scottish by birth but living ‘furth of Scotland’ to be elected to the RSA.

Unusually for this display we have provided more biographical information than usual for our exhibitors. At a time when the issue of class and the arts is once again in the news, the biographies of these artists show some of the challenges they overcame to pursue their career.  In reading them, you’ll find that they shared lives that are as joyful, messy, tragic and fulfilling as ours are today.