At the beginning of July I was pleased to welcome Sarah Bromage, Head of Collections and Emma McCombie, Deputy Head of Collections to my studio in Edinburgh. This gave me the opportunity to talk in more detail to them about my research into the Airthrey Estate and landscape so far, some of which I have shared in the previous two posts.
I have taken around 225 black and white analogue photographs and had selection test printed, See image below. These photographs are the basis of and the beginning of the artwork development. They are also the beginning of an archive.
As part of my experimentation with these images I began to pair images, sometimes taking two unrelated images and placing those together to make one. This was a fascinating process and to see how the image altered or even became something else, perhaps slightly mysterious in some cases. These paired images form the basis of my on-going research and experimentation
My weekly walks around the Hermitage Woods and adjoining paths continue and allow me to become familiar with the landscape. On these walks I am looking and reflecting on what I see that might be of interest. Possibilities present themselves, some stay around and some vanish only to return at a later date.
As part of my on-going contact with the Gardens and Grounds at the University I am delighted to report that they have given me temporary use of a polytunnel. My gratitude and thanks to Jacqueline McKenna for supporting this request. This will allow me to begin a collection of found objects from the estate – the beginning of an archive.
Also in July we had a very positive meeting with Murray Cook, Stirling Council Archaeologist and are now hatching a plan to do a project around the Hermitage ruin in Hermitage Woods, Permission pending, I will hopefully be able write more about this in the coming months.
Finally this month I am in the process of preparing a public walk and talk called Airthrey, a Poetic Journey on Saturday 26th August for the Stirling Photography Festival, I will report back in my next post.
