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Art reviews: Thomas Abercromby | Hayley Tompkins | Jesse Wine | Osama Al Rayyan

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  Published in Food and Wine on Monday, October 6th 2025 at 4:34 GMT by The Scotsman
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Review roundup: A Scottish take on contemporary art

The Scotsman’s art desk has just finished a four‑part series on a string of fresh exhibitions that ran across the city’s most talked‑about galleries this spring. Each review tackles a very different creative vision – from the austere materiality of Thomas Abercromby to the kaleidoscopic pop of Hayley Tompkins, the quiet narrative of Jesse Wine and the politically charged installations of Osama Al‑Rayyan. The writer, who has covered Scottish art for more than a decade, uses the series as a lens through which to examine the country’s current artistic climate: one that is at once rooted in tradition and fiercely experimental.

Thomas Abercromby – A Matter of Space

Abercromby’s show, titled “A Matter of Space” and staged at the contemporary space The Garage, is a meditation on absence and presence. The 52‑year‑old Scottish sculptor has a long‑standing reputation for working in reclaimed timber and rusted steel, and this show is no exception. The reviewer notes that the exhibition “begins with a wall of raw timber panels, their surfaces weathered to a deep brown that invites contemplation of the passage of time.” The artist’s signature minimalist aesthetic is amplified by the gallery’s stark white walls and natural lighting, which turn every piece into a subtle light‑shadow play.

Abercromby’s central piece, a towering slab of untreated oak that leans precariously against a wall, was described as “a quiet assertion that the world is in constant motion, even when it appears to be still.” The review also highlights a series of smaller works that incorporate salvaged ironwork, giving the pieces an almost ghost‑like presence. In closing, the writer praises Abercromby’s ability “to create a physical space that feels as if it is both an object and a suggestion of a space that might exist somewhere else.”

The article links to the artist’s page on his personal website (http://www.thomasabercromby.com) and to The Garage’s page about the exhibition, which offers a virtual tour.

Hayley Tompkins – Bursting Colours

Hayley Tompkins is a young painter and multimedia artist whose work defies easy categorisation. Her show, Bursting Colours, was exhibited at the Galleries of the City and featured a range of canvases, prints, and mixed‑media installations. The reviewer is quick to point out that Tompkins “subverts the traditional boundaries of contemporary painting by incorporating found objects, digital prints, and a surprising amount of colour saturation.” The show’s title is apt: a riot of primary hues, neon flashes and glossy finishes that “feel like a visual pop‑cock, bright and chaotic, yet strangely harmonious.”

One piece that stands out is a large canvas that interlaces translucent acrylic paint with embedded photographs of street graffiti. The reviewer describes how the images “seem to be captured in a moment of sudden clarity, the graffiti frozen in time.” Tompkins’ technique of layering transparent and opaque media has been compared to that of early 20th‑century surrealists. She is also praised for her sense of narrative: a series of self‑portrait canvases that trace her evolution as an artist. In a broader sense, Tompkins’ work reflects a “generational desire for authenticity in an age of digital saturation.”

The review links to Tompkins’ Instagram page (https://www.instagram.com/hayleytompkins/) and to the Galleries of the City’s event page.

Jesse Wine – The Quiet Narrative

Jesse Wine, a contemporary portraitist from Glasgow, brings a subtlety that stands out in the exhibition hall of The New Gallery. The reviewer notes that Wine’s style is “informed by the traditions of the old masters but updated with an intimate immediacy.” The show, titled “The Quiet Narrative”, featured an array of oil portraits that captured the everyday life of a group of ordinary people in a way that is “unusually empathetic and revealing.” The reviewer admires Wine’s masterful use of light, capturing the delicate shadows that fall across the subjects’ faces.

The most striking piece in the show was a portrait of a street‑vendor, rendered with a high level of detail that turned the subject into a larger‑than‑life character. The reviewer also highlighted Wine’s use of background textures – subtle hints of the street environment that “add an additional layer of context to each portrait.” He calls Wine’s work “a quiet celebration of humanity,” and stresses that the artist “manages to bring his subjects to life without resorting to drama or flamboyance.”

The article links to Wine’s official website (http://www.jessewine.com) and to a video interview with the artist about his approach to portraiture.

Osama Al‑Rayyan – Reclaiming Narrative

Osama Al‑Rayyan’s show, presented at The Contemporary Gallery, is a politically‑charged installation that addresses issues of identity, migration, and memory. The review acknowledges that the artist has a long record of creating powerful, socially‑engaged work. In this exhibition – titled “Reclaiming Narrative” – Al‑Rayyan uses a mixture of video, sculpture, and sound design to convey “the complexities of cultural identity in a globalised world.” The reviewer notes the use of a large video wall that displays footage of refugees and diaspora communities, alongside sculptural elements that echo the physical landscapes of the Middle East and Scotland.

One particular installation that was highlighted involves a wooden structure that resembles a tent, surrounded by layers of paper that bear handwritten Arabic text. The reviewer described it as “a physical representation of the fragility and resilience of identity.” The artist’s technique of blending the tangible and the intangible invites viewers to question their own preconceptions. The review also links to the artist’s recent publication on the topic of cultural hybridity, giving readers a deeper understanding of the conceptual underpinnings.

Links to Al‑Rayyan’s official site (http://www.osamaalrayyan.com) and to The Contemporary Gallery’s exhibition page are included.

The Bigger Picture

The four reviews paint a portrait of Scottish art that is simultaneously rooted in its own heritage and outward‑looking. Abercromby’s minimalist woodwork reminds us of the country’s strong relationship with the natural world, while Tompkins’ vibrant canvases echo the energy of a generation that is living in a world of instant media. Wine’s empathetic portraits are a quiet testament to the everyday, and Al‑Rayyan’s politically‑charged installations highlight the increasingly global nature of contemporary practice.

The Scotsman’s art team’s “Review roundup” is an invitation to think of the city’s galleries as a dynamic conversation, rather than a static showcase. By following the links embedded in the article, readers can explore each artist’s work in greater depth, discover the broader networks of contemporary art in the UK, and reflect on how art can both reflect and shape our shared narratives.