The seriousness of our environmental predicament is becoming all too clear. Our pushing at terrestrial limits is becoming visible in Scotland this Summer through wildfires and drought conditions. The North Atlantic is experiencing alarmingly high sea surface temperature levels. It is with this, ever present in my awareness, that I turn to look at Scotland and the value of the ecological systems that are around us and most immediately support us.
It was a great privilege to be selected to undertake a three week residency on the Isle of Coll in November of last year. The island of Coll is part of the Inner Hebrides and situated to the west of Mull. It is 21 kilometres long by 5 kilometres wide and supports a population of 150 people. Coll is a site of numerous protected and important conservation areas, both on land and in the surrounding seas. It is famed for its rich biodiversity and its natural beauty.
I wanted the island to be the source of my research into how artistic works can generate a discussion about how we honour the natural world. I looked at the local ecology through digital microscopes, UV photography, underwater camera, sound, music, 3D animation, creative coding, projection and film. I explored how sensory and abstract interpretations of natural systems could be paired with a scientific understanding, to give a full picture of the island’s environment. A final audio-visual exhibition was presented to islanders in An Cridhe, the local community hall, at the end of the residency. My intention for this work is to build it into a fully immersive travelling installation that can tell the story of Scotland’s varied and unique ecology.
Thank you to Chris Holmes and all at An Cridhe and the Coll Development Trust for your support in developing this work. I am grateful to all on the island for welcoming me in.
