Fr Fergus Kerr OP, David Williams 2023, printed by Pradip Malde, Scottish National Portrait Gallery.
Back in 2023, we needed a good photograph of Fr Fergus for his collection of essays, “From Aberdeen to Oxford”, so the photographer David Williams kindly agreed to photograph him. Once he had taken the required shot of Fr Fergus, sitting at a table with books, David continued taking photographs. At one point he asked Fr Fergus to look up and and this exquisite profile image is the result. Four prints of this image were made and one of these is currently on the display in the Scottish National Portrait Gallery. It is on the first floor in an exhibition entitled “the Modern Portrait”. David Williams writes. “It was such a pleasure to meet with Father Fergus and to make this portrait with which I am very pleased. Having seen the image posted on social media, my long-standing friend and colleague, Professor Pradip Malde at the University of the South, Sewanee, Tennessee USA was sufficiently taken with it to contact me suggesting he make a large platinum / palladium print. Pradip is one the world’s leading authorities in this area. The resulting print is a joy to behold, with beautiful, subdued, yet wide-ranging tonalities. Incredibly subtle. Among many other things, I’m fond of the way Fergus’ eye contains a glorious little ‘catchlight’ as he looks upward. Sometimes it’s ‘little’ things of that kind which can make a picture. And of course, I had no way of predicting that’s what would happen. But when I suddenly saw it through the viewfinder, I more than suspected we were in the process of producing something most memorable. With deepest thanks to Fr Fergus for his cooperation and to the Dominican community for organising what turned out to be a very special day.” When Fr Fergus saw the print, he commented, ”I look like my father”. He is very pleased to know that it is currently on display in the Portrait Gallery.
The Catholic Chaplaincy serves the students and staff of the University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh Napier University and Queen Margaret University.
The Catholic Chaplaincy is also a parish of the Archdiocese of St Andrews and Edinburgh (the Parish of St Albert the Great) and all Catholic students and staff are automatically members of this parish.
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