James Murray Robertson RGI (b.1951), Scottish

“This print by Scottish artist Murray Robertson immediately appealed to me because of its beautifully detailed map of Scotland. The composition feels like a modern take on old cartographic charts, with compass points, diagrams and small illustrated panels surrounding the country.

I like the mixture of geography, history and illustration that runs through the piece. It has the feel of an old atlas but interpreted in a contemporary way. Printed in a small edition of only 20, this example is number 5 and has been professionally framed, making it a striking wall piece.”

James Murray Robertson is a Scottish printmaker and artist based in Glasgow. He studied at the Glasgow School of Art and has built a career closely connected with the city’s printmaking tradition.

Robertson is associated with the Glasgow Print Studio, where he works as Master Printer and manager of the Digital Imaging Suite. In this role he has helped develop and produce fine art prints using both traditional printmaking techniques and contemporary digital processes.

His own work often explores themes of place, cartography and systems of knowledge, drawing on imagery from maps, natural history illustrations and scientific diagrams. These elements are frequently layered together to create compositions that reference the visual language of historical atlases and educational illustrations.

Robertson’s work has been exhibited internationally, including shows in the United States, Japan, Mexico and Finland. In recognition of his contribution to Scottish art, he was elected a member of the Royal Glasgow Institute of the Fine Arts (RGI) in 2017.

Through both his own artistic practice and his technical role within Glasgow Print Studio, Murray Robertson has played an important part in the continued development of contemporary printmaking in Scotland.