Photographer Soo Burnell returns to Edinburgh with new exhibition

Scottish photographer Soo Burnell is returning to Edinburgh with a stunning new exhibition which pays homage to the city she grew up in.

Burnell has been capturing the beauty of Edinburgh for more than 20 years and will be back this June with her exhibition I am home at the Saorsa Gallery in Stockbridge.

The work follows her poolside series which captured the detail and architecture of historic swimming baths, with a photographic tour of Edinburgh.

Burnell said her latest work is a love letter to the city and hopes to show a more quirky side to the capital which is known for its dark photography.

The places in the exhibition are from her childhood, and Burnell said she hoped to bring some forgotten moments to life.

Photographer Soo Burnell is returning to Edinburgh with a stunning new exhibition

From The Grange Club in the heart of Stockbridge to the Art Deco façade of Murrayfield Ice Rink with its colour-pop detailing, Burnell offers a new perspective on buildings we already know. 

‘Edinburgh is known for its dark, grey, rainy-reflection photography,’ Burnell said.

‘I wanted to  take a new angle, showing a more colourful, quirky and whimsical side of the city. 

‘In mood and stylistic approach, this collection is a continuation of my recent poolside series, but I  am home has its own identity.

‘These are places from my childhood. In my mind, I  wanted to construct this quite old-fashioned formality in these scenes. 

‘The people are characters in  a story. I wanted to bring these forgotten moments to life.’ 

Burnell said the city is known for its dark photography, but she wanted to show a more quirky side to the capital.

Featured in the pictures is the the light-filled Great Hall in the National Museum of Scotland and the Scottish National Portrait Gallery.

I am home draws inspiration from art and cultural references, including the works of surreal artist René Magritte, 1975 film The Stepford Wives, and contemporary dramas Mad Men and The Queen’s Gambit.

The contemporary exhibition speaks to the past with images that will connect with young and old. 

The photographer hope to capture a sense of coming home and the relief that can bring.

Burnell said: ‘Some places are so much more than a point on a map, they hold memories.’ 

I am home runs from 3-11 June at Saorsa Art Gallery. 

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