Catherine Opie To Be Seen – Resident Preview

Catherine Opie: To Be Seen, presented by the National Galleries of Scotland, is the first solo exhibition in Scotland by the acclaimed and influential American photographer Catherine Opie.

Running until 01 November 2026, it brings together nearly 80 striking portraits that explore identity, family, love and the politics shaping modern life. From intimate self-portraits to powerful photographs of communities, Opie captures the many faces of contemporary culture.

Travel through 30 years of Opie’s groundbreaking career, from the Being and Having series to Baroque-inspired portraits of artists. Encounter mentors, collaborators, LGBTQ+ communities, children, surfers and political crowds. Thought-provoking and visually powerful, Opie’s work challenges who is represented in art and who remains unseen. Her portraits are shown alongside selected works from Scotland’s national art collection, creating new conversations between contemporary photography and historic art.

Experience the people, the stories and the art of Catherine Opie by entering our competition to win a pair of tickets to see Catherine Opie: To Be Seen at the Royal Scottish Academy.

Terms and conditions

• This competition is open to residents with an EH postcode.
• A maximum of one entry per individual is permitted.
• All entrants must be aged 18+ years. (A child may accompany an adult as the winner’s guest).
• Entries closes at midnight on Tuesday 13 October 2026.
• Ten (10) winners will be drawn at random. Each winner will receive one (1) pair of tickets.
• All winners agree to RSVP within 48 hours of being notified, otherwise, their place will be allocated to the next randomly drawn winner.
• Tickets are for Catherine Opie: To Be Seen at the Royal Scottish Academy. Winners will be able to select a date and time of their choice (subject to availability) up to and including Sunday 01 November 2026.
• All winners agree to their contact details (name, telephone number and email address) being passed to National Galleries of Scotland for the delivery of this preview.
• Any additional spend (travel, accommodation, food and drink etc) will be at the discretion and expense of the prize winners.
• The prize cannot be used in conjunction with any other offer.
• The prize is not transferrable or refundable and cannot be sold. No cash alternative will be offered.
• The decision regarding any aspect of the prize draw is final, binding and no correspondence will be entered into.

This project is funded by the UK Shared Prosperity Fund