Quavering Tongues / Teangannan air Crith
In our new exhibition, Quavering Tongues / Teangannan air Crith, we delve into the concept that a natural environment is a culture-generating mesh of entanglements. Through multiple disciplines and sensory techniques, we carefully attune ourselves to the delicate intricacies of land, sea, and their inhabitants—both past and present. In doing so, we uncover hidden motives that inspire speculative scenarios for a future where we acknowledge the complex and symbiotic relationships that exist between the natural world and us.
In our installation, we zoom in on the northern flank of Torr Fada, a densely wooded slope with remnants of the now rare Celtic rainforest and ruins of the many villages on Mull. Poor soil provided the Gaelic-speaking population with a breeding ground from which a rich culture could develop. This culture, which dates back far before the Bronze Age, as well as the flora and fauna has been deliberately destroyed since ±1750 and has largely disappeared (Highland Clearances). This traumatic void raises questions about how newcomers to the island might relate to this area and its complex issues. In this installation, which is part of a multi-year, multi-voiced research project, we attempt to draw attention to this landscape in all its contradictions.
Behind Quavering Tongues / Teangannan air Crith lies the idea that humus, peat, sand, clay and rock are culture-generating substances and that the local soil composition can help fill the resulting void.
For this exhibition, we commissioned composer Rufus Isabel Elliot for two pieces; one in response to a photograph, the other a spacial work and thanks to the VACMA award we could invite playwright Graham Eatough to help with the storyline of the film Birch which is part of the exhibition.
The exhibition is a work in progress and there are several 'Alongside Artist Days’ scheduled when we will be working on the exhibition. As part of the exhibition there will be a cyanotype workshop by Juanita Schleapfer-Miller who is our next artist-in-residence.
