Ian Hamilton Finlay – Images from the Arcadian Dream Garden

Biggar & Upper Clydesdale Museum is proud to present Images from the Arcadian Dream Garden, a new exhibition celebrating the life and legacy of Ian Hamilton Finlay (1925–2006)—one of Scotland’s most distinctive and internationally recognised artists. Opening on 5 July 2025, the show marks the centenary of Finlay’s birth and forms part of a series of exhibitions and events across the UK and Europe.

Finlay, known for his poetic, philosophical and often playful approach to art, lived and worked in the Pentland Hills near Biggar for over 40 years. He is best known for Little Sparta, the remarkable garden he created with his wife Sue Finlay, transforming a wild moorland site at Stonypath into a landscape filled with sculpture, classical references, and ideas drawn from history, politics, and nature.

“This exhibition offers a rare chance to see works that have never been shown publicly before—pieces that deepen our understanding of Finlay’s vision and his relationship with place,” said George Gilliland, Curator of the Exhibition and Head Gardener at Little Sparta. “While Little Sparta remains the heart of his legacy, Images from the Arcadian Dream Garden allows us to celebrate that work beyond the boundaries of the garden and bring new audiences into conversation with it.”

The exhibition focuses on Finlay’s printed and graphical works, produced through the pioneering Wild Hawthorn Press, which he co-founded in 1961. Visitors can explore themes such as the French Revolution, the Second World War, maritime life, and Finlay’s unique approach to garden-making. The title of the exhibition is taken from one of Finlay’s own publications, in which he described the garden as a site for reflection, transformation, and layered meanings.

All works in the exhibition are shown with the kind permission of the Estate of Ian Hamilton Finlay.

Biggar & Upper Clydesdale Museum is open Tuesday – Saturday 10-5, and Sunday 1-5

Entry to the exhibition is Free.

We appreciate your donations, which support our Free exhibition programme for all.