Stornoway resounding to multi-media installation
A MULTI-FUCTIONAL arts centre in the Outer Hebrides has announced the launch of its latest commission.
Re- Soundings will be on display until June 26 at An Lanntairm, Stornoway. Artists Mhari Killin and Hugh Watt will present their piece, which combines sound, film and a sculpture that explores the role and symbolism of the bell within the landscapes of Lewis and Iona.
The gallery will include sculptural bells cast from decommissioned First World War weapons and a specially- commissioned sound work by composer Dr John Purser of Gaelic college Sabhal Mòr Ostaig.
An Lanntair’s head of visual arts and literature, Roddy Murray, said: ‘The exhibition is a symbolic reversal and annulment of an act of destruction via an act of creation. Among other things it references the Reformation and the Great War while reminding us that intolerance, radicalisation and attempts to obliterate the past, are not a thing of the past.
‘We saw it recently in Palmyra, Syria, and earlier in the Buddhas of Bamiyam, Afghanistan.
‘It’s a compelling, multi-layered exhibition across a range of media that extends beyond the gallery to sacred sites and the secular landscape.’
Artists Mhari Killin and Hugh Watt said: ‘At the heart of Re- Soundings is the experience of a collaborative journey through the physical, cultural and spiritual terrains of Lewis and Iona.
‘ Working closely with the people most connected to these landscapes we have created a series of installations that speak not only to a local audience but also to a much wider audience, as the work references contemporary issues of iconoclasm, and the power of religious belief to alter a landscape.’
Mhairi Killin is a visual artist based on Iona, who graduated from Glasgow School of Art. Her practice combines drawing, installation and sculpture in an exploration of the island landscapes that surround and are her home.
Hugh Watt is a Northern Irish artist based in Glasgow, known for his work in film and video. He completed the MFA at Glasgow School of Art in 1999, where he has taught in the media studios since 2001.
A public opening with the artists will take place at An Lanntair on May 12 at 5pm.