John Samson: ‘1975-1983’
Dates: 18 September 2016 – 17 April 2017
Space: Gallery 1

‘1975-1983’ presented the complete works of enigmatic Scottish filmmaker, John Samson (1946-2004).

This was the first museum exhibition of the five films Samson made during his lifetime: Tattoo (1975), Dressing for Pleasure (1977), Britannia (1978), Arrows (1979) and The Skin Horse (1983). It also featured a commissioned graphic project by Stockholm-based designers Martin Falck and Alexey Layfurov. Samson’s working class roots, his passionate interest in radical politics, art and bohemia, compelled him towards individuals and groups operating at the margins of society. Covering topics such as tattooing, amateur railway enthusiasm, clothing fetishism, professional darts and the sex lives of disabled people, Samson’s films are concerned with cultural outsiders. Despite courting controversy, he was always compassionate in his curiosity. Samson’s work is about allowing unusual people to speak for themselves; carefully observing – but not judging – their conspicuous lives.
Artist: John Samson
Links:
• Neil Cooper, ‘Pioneering Scottish filmmaker who captured those rarely given a voice,’
• Thomas Anderson, ‘1975 -1983’: Five Films by Scottish Filmmaker John Samson, Inclusive Networks, September, 13, 2016
• Jan Patience, ‘Films from the fringes of society,’ September, 2016
• Art Fund_, ‘John Samson: 1975 – 1983’