Michael Fullerton Exhibition Explores Representation Through Portraits of Asylum Seekers and Public Figures

An exhibition by Glasgow-based painter Michael Fullerton is currently on view at the City Art Centre in Edinburgh, running through 12 April 2026. The show presents a two-part exploration of portraiture, focusing on how individuals are depicted and the power dynamics involved in representation. For over twenty years, Fullerton has applied a critical perspective to traditional portrait painting, often examining his subjects' connections to systems of authority. The first section features eleven oil paintings of male refugees whom Fullerton encountered while living as staff at the Hilltop Hotel in Carlisle, a facility housing asylum seekers. These works depict the men in a style reminiscent of eighteenth-century portraiture, set against ambiguous landscapes. Fullerton deliberately limits biographical details about the sitters, with one exception being Joma Ahmadi from Afghanistan, whose portrait includes a partially carved stone referencing his background as a stone-carver. The second part of the exhibition displays screenprints from Fullerton's career spanning more than two decades, printed on newsprint with black or gold ink. These works incorporate imagery from various cultural sources, including a recurring print of Alan Turing that comments on his historical treatment. Another screenprint portrays George Robertson, a former defence secretary who served as Fullerton's local representative during the artist's youth. Throughout the exhibition, Fullerton's approach questions the ethical considerations and limitations inherent in portraying others, particularly those in vulnerable positions.