Paisley Museum is hosting a free art exhibition to celebrate the double centenary of the Paisley Art Institute collection and the gifting of the galleries by the Institute.

Renfrewshire’s Provost Anne Hall welcomed invited guests to the exhibition which includes hundreds of artwork, including 100 Glasgow Boys and their mentors, which are being displayed in support of Paisley’s UK City of Culture bid.

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The collection of art is on display for the first time in forty two years and showcases a variety of new discoveries including one of only two examples left in Scotland of a ‘Reform Dress’.

This dress was made at Glasgow School of Art by the daughter of the Paisley Art institute founder and was a Scottish response to the tyranny of corsetry and bustles. The design concept accompanied Charles Rennie Mackintosh and Margaret Macdonald to Germany and Austria where ‘Reform Dress’ design was taken up by Gustav Klimt and Wassily Kandinsky.

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First gifted in 1922 by James Anderson Dunlop MacKean, the Paisley Burgh Mace is also on display and is a beautiful example of craftsmanship and design.

Renfrewshire’s Provost Anne Hall said: “It is clear that Paisley has many stunning examples of historic art and I am delighted to help celebrate these in this tremendous exhibition.

“As we move towards our bid for Paisley as City of Culture 2021 this ‘A Paisley Legacy – The Paisley Art Institute Collection’ is an opportunity to look back at the significant achievements and intertwined history of the Paisley Art Institute and Paisley Museum and Art Galleries, and also to look forward to many years of future artistic collaboration.”

Michael Durning, artist and President of Paisley Art Institute, added: “The Paisley Art Institute Collection was established to be the pride of the town with Paisley’s artistic heritage being one of the great unexplored areas of Scottish art. I hope that the people of Paisley take the opportunity to experience the exhibition and see the pieces displayed for the first time in forty two years.”

The exhibition runs from October 3 2015 until 24 Jan 2016.

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Founder of Paisley.org.uk in 1998 and constantly strives to change peoples attitudes to the town, Brian is a self described Paisley Digital Champion who promotes Paisley via any means necessary. You can also follow me on X