An exhibition showcasing miners' lives is now open to the public.
Before and After Coal celebrates the legacy of the Fife mining communities in places like Cowdenbeath and Lochgelly, featuring images and stories of the individuals who sustained mining communities.
The exhibition highlights the work of American photographer Milton Rogovin and artist Nicky Bird, who retraced Mr Rogovin's steps to capture the present-day lives of people linked to his earlier photographs.
Mr Rogovin's 1982 project, The Family of Miners, documented the lives of miners across the globe, from the US and South Africa to China, Mexico, and Cuba.
This new exhibition, which marks 40 years since the 1984-85 miners' strike, updates this narrative with Ms Bird’s recent work.
Ms Bird engaged with families from former mining towns in Fife, East Ayrshire, and the Lothians through a series of 'Then and Now: Show and Tell' events, where participants recognised friends, relatives, and themselves in Rogovin's images, often sparking poignant memories of a 'now-vanished world.'
Interspersed among the photographs, audio interviews, and a film featuring former miners and their families, the exhibition details memories of the past and its echoes in the present.
The exhibition also incorporates contributions from local school pupils, who shared their understanding of Scotland’s mining past and its continuing relevance.
This collaborative venture between the artist, mining communities, and the National Galleries of Scotland, supported by Creative Scotland, The People's Postcode Lottery, and the Scottish Government, presents a collaborative view of mining heritage.
'Before and After Coal: Images and Voices from Scotland’s Mining Communities' is on display now until to April 20, 2025 in Kirkcaldy Galleries, with admission being free.
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