Celebrate the 90th birthday year of one of Scotland’s most significant living artists in this major retrospective exhibition at Perth Art Gallery.
Born in 1936 Lys Hansen has spent more than six decades creating powerful paintings and sculptures that explore memory, identity, conflict and human relationships. Widely recognised as one of Scotland’s leading figurative expressionist artists, Hansen’s work combines deeply personal experiences with reflections on major historical events.
Bringing together over 35 artworks, including large-scale paintings and several sculptures, alongside a new artwork created during the development of this exhibition, The Brave and the Fallen (2026). The show will also include a large-scale work held in the collections cared for by Culture Perth & Kinross, How Wisdom and Folly Meet, Mix and Unite, How Virtue and Vice Blend Their Black and Their White (1987).
Hansen’s career has taken her across Europe, including France, Ireland, the Netherlands, Denmark and Germany. Throughout her practice, Hansen has used paint to confront difficult histories while offering space for reflection, empathy and hope.
Supported by Falkirk Leisure and Culture, and developed with curatorial advice from Dr Marianne Greated, Head of Art at the University of Edinburgh, Lys Hansen: A Retrospective offers a unique opportunity to experience the breadth and depth of an extraordinary artistic career. Spanning decades of creative practice, the exhibition invites visitors to engage with works that are both intensely personal and universally resonant.
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