Catherine Opie: To Be Seen
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The exhibition "Catherine Opie: To Be Seen" runs from 8 August 2026 at the Royal Scottish Academy in Edinburgh. The show features nearly 80 portraits by the artist alongside selections from Scotland's national collection.
Curated in collaboration with the artist and touring to Edinburgh from the National Portrait Gallery in London, Catherine Opie: To Be Seen is the first major museum exhibition of her work to be shown in the UK and first ever solo exhibition in Scotland. Discover nearly 80 portraits by Opie alongside a selection of portraits from Scotland’s national collection, prompting questions around the who, why and how of portraits. Come face to face with Opie's mentors and collaborators, queer communities, children, surfers, high school footballers and political crowds that she makes visible through her work, as well as self-portraits of Opie herself. Journey through 30 years of the artist’s work as she questions representations of home, intimacy and family, and explores politics, identity and power structures. Catherine Opie: To Be Seen will span the artist’s first major work, Being and Having (1991), and her ennobling portraits of LGBTQ+ friends inspired by court painter Hans Holbein, through to her Baroque-like portraits of artists. Opie's portraits work together to create new narratives, challenging viewers to think about the figures most commonly portrayed in art and those who go unseen. Image: Catherine Opie, Divinity Fudge, 1997 © Catherine Opie. Courtesy the artist, Regen Projects, Los Angeles, Lehmann Maupin, New York, Hong Kong, London, and Seoul, and Thomas Dane Gallery
Description supplied by the event organiser.
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View all →Frequently asked questions
Catherine Opie: To Be Seen takes place on Saturday, 8 August 2026. The event runs until Sunday, 1 November 2026.
Catherine Opie: To Be Seen is held at Royal Scottish Academy in Edinburgh (The Mound, Edinburgh Old Town EH2 2EL).
Tickets for Catherine Opie: To Be Seen can be booked via nationalgalleries.org using the "Check Tickets & Live Prices" button on this page, which opens the official booking site in a new tab.
Editorial summaryAbout this event
The exhibition "Catherine Opie: To Be Seen" runs from 8 August 2026 at the Royal Scottish Academy in Edinburgh. The show features nearly 80 portraits by the artist alongside selections from Scotland's national collection.
This summary was automatically generated from event data sourced from official ticketing providers.
Curated in collaboration with the artist and touring to Edinburgh from the National Portrait Gallery in London, Catherine Opie: To Be Seen is the first major museum exhibition of her work to be shown in the UK and first ever solo exhibition in Scotland. Discover nearly 80 portraits by Opie alongside a selection of portraits from Scotland’s national collection, prompting questions around the who, why and how of portraits. Come face to face with Opie's mentors and collaborators, queer communities, children, surfers, high school footballers and political crowds that she makes visible through her work, as well as self-portraits of Opie herself. Journey through 30 years of the artist’s work as she questions representations of home, intimacy and family, and explores politics, identity and power structures. Catherine Opie: To Be Seen will span the artist’s first major work, Being and Having (1991), and her ennobling portraits of LGBTQ+ friends inspired by court painter Hans Holbein, through to her Baroque-like portraits of artists. Opie's portraits work together to create new narratives, challenging viewers to think about the figures most commonly portrayed in art and those who go unseen. Image: Catherine Opie, Divinity Fudge, 1997 © Catherine Opie. Courtesy the artist, Regen Projects, Los Angeles, Lehmann Maupin, New York, Hong Kong, London, and Seoul, and Thomas Dane Gallery
Description supplied by the event organiser.
WhereRoyal Scottish Academy
The Mound, Edinburgh Old Town EH2 2EL
Before you goFrequently asked questions
When is Catherine Opie: To Be Seen?
Catherine Opie: To Be Seen takes place on Saturday, 8 August 2026. The event runs until Sunday, 1 November 2026.
Where is Catherine Opie: To Be Seen taking place?
Catherine Opie: To Be Seen is held at Royal Scottish Academy in Edinburgh (The Mound, Edinburgh Old Town EH2 2EL).
How do I get tickets for Catherine Opie: To Be Seen?
Tickets for Catherine Opie: To Be Seen can be booked via nationalgalleries.org using the "Check Tickets & Live Prices" button on this page, which opens the official booking site in a new tab.
Price
Check website
Date
Until Sunday, 1 November 2026
Venue
The Mound, Edinburgh Old Town EH2 2EL
Secure checkout on nationalgalleries.org — opens in a new tab
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