Printmaker Bob Bain’s Surreal Visions Find New Light at The Worm Gallery
A posthumous showcase of rare linocuts by the late artist reveals his whimsical yet introspective take on nature and local lore.
This Friday, a hidden gem of Aberdeen’s art scene gets its moment in the spotlight. Northern Enlightenment: Printed Works 1975–1988 at The Worm gallery (14 Feb–29 Mar) brings together Bob Bain’s surreal, nature-inspired linocuts—a local artist and teacher whose work feels timeless and quietly revolutionary.
Bain, who studied and later taught at Gray’s School of Art, filled his prints with playful contradictions. Fish swim through forests, snowscapes hide art-world jokes, and self-portraits morph into battles with unseen critics. “I remember lying on my back…sensing the vastness of the universe outside me and feeling the depth of the void within,” he wrote—a line that captures the wonder threaded through his art.
Examples of Bob Bain's Work
Many works in this show are rare survivors. After Bain’s sudden death at 40, most prints were left unfinished, with editions of 100 reduced to just a handful. Peacock Printmakers, who safeguard his archive, note that each piece feels like a glimpse into what might have been.
But beyond the surreal imagery lies a local story. Bain was part of a generation that shaped Aberdeen’s art scene in the 1970s. As Gray’s School of Art moved to Garthdee, he joined Peacock Printmakers—a workshop championed by pioneers like Ian Fleming—and later taught at Aberdeen College of Commerce. Colleagues remember him as a “vibrant artist” with a sharp wit, whose sudden passing left a void.
The exhibition also reveals Bain’s quieter side. His thesis rescued 800 forgotten printing stones from a defunct Aberdeen firm, preserving a slice of the city’s industrial past. For locals, nods to familiar places—the Brig o’ Balgownie, the River Don—add intimacy to his dreamlike worlds.
At The Worm, a gallery known for its grassroots ethos, Bain’s prints feel right at home. Free to visit and rich in storytelling, the show is an invitation to see Aberdeen through the eyes of someone who found magic in its landscapes and humour in its quirks. Discover the dreamlike world of Bob Bain at The Worm gallery exhibition from 14 February to 29 March, 11 Castle Street, Aberdeen. Entry is free. Check the Peacock and Worm website for opening times.
