Piergroup – A Good Prospect

A Good Prospect an exhibition curated by Piergroup 6 September – 9 November 2013 This exhibition considers the particular setting of Orkney’s unique natural environment through the eyes of a new generation of creative young people as well as those of established artists.

Bringing together a selection of works from invited artists and the Pier Arts Centre’s permanent collection, as well as their own responses, Piergroup are launching a longer term project that brings into focus the broad context and history of Orkney’s iconic land and seascapes offering a better understanding of how change and development in the local community can be recorded and appreciated.

As emerging artists and writers, Piergroup participants wish to understand their cultural heritage and the relationship that an artist has with the natural environment. As young citizens, they have an acute and particular awareness of the issues and developments that affect not only their own local community and environment, but the wider global issues surrounding climate change and endangered habitat.

A Good Prospect – installation view

The motivation underlying A Good Prospect arises from the strength of feeling and emotion expressed in local debates concerning the visual impact of renewable devices and the disruption and disturbance to local habitat in their installation.

The exhibition is part of an on-going Piergroup led initiative that has a pertinent and relevant role to play as the pace of development increases and conflicts of interest emerge in the economic and cultural debate.

A Good Prospect – installation view

A Good Prospect – installation view

Amy Todman, artist and landscape historian, invites viewers to consider the following: ‘Shifting a perspective inwards, as the view in from the new pier encourages, is a complement to looking out.

Moving to a new viewing point or platform changes the view, allowing new possibilities to emerge, be recorded and reflected upon. It’s a reminder that, like the heritage of landscape itself, our views are collages of many moments: observed, remembered and imagined.

Developments at Copeland’s Dock could provide the Stromness community with just such a moment of inward reflection; a subtle shift from the town’s view out.’

A Good Prospect – installation view

Wilhelmina Barns-Graham, From the Pier Arts Centre, Stromness (Blue), 1984-5, pencil and wash on paper COLLECTION

Barns-Graham’s viewpoint for this drawing is most likely from the second floor of the Pier Arts Centre, a view now obscured by the gallery’s new building. The changing view from the first floor gable window of the new building is the starting point and focus for the exhibition.

‘Looking out from the Pier Arts Centre, from as close to the Barns-Graham view as I can manage, my view is coloured by the early days of ‘landskip’ in Britain.

Over the first half of the seventeenth century, before landscape painting became a more fixed artistic genre, images of place, often called views or prospects, comfortably combined aspects of the aesthetic and operational values of the land. A prospect, for example, could encompass possible, hoped-for futures, as well as traces of the past.

Seen from this perspective a view through a window can be both a memorial to what was and the possibility of what could still be. What it is not is a snapshot of the present.’

Amy Todman, artist and landscape historian

Tom Kent Fishing Boats in Stromness Harbour c1900, digital print from archive photograph Orkney Library and Archive

Kristyn Grieve, Through the Frame at Dusk (top left), Blue Rae (right), Rae of Light (bottom left), 2013, digital photographs

Kristyn Grieve, Through the Frame at Dusk, Blue Rae, Rae of Light, 2013, digital photographs ‘These photographs show my sculptural piece which is heavily concerned with the view. With the intent to frame the Hall of Clestrain (the home of artic explorer John Rae) and the direct sightline to Arctic Canada, the view becomes emphasized by the structure as much as the structure becomes part of the overall view of the landscape.

The structure captured the interest of many locals and tourists over the summer. Images caught by intrigued photographers have appeared online. One resident, Iris Heddle also felt the urge to capture this new view of the landscape in a painting, illustrating the effect that changes in the landscape have on the way we view it, and stimulating and encouraging further artistic expression.

The landscape often evolves out with our control; how we choose to view it is our own.’ Kristyn Grieve PIERGROUP

Amy Firth, Yesnaby I & II, 2013, graphite on paper

Amy Firth, Yesnaby I & II, 2013, graphite on paper ‘These works were made as part of an ongoing investigation into the changing landscape of Orkney.

For these particular drawings, I was interested in the different lines of history that mark our landscape. I was looking specifically at the geometric shapes of the gun emplacements situated upon the cliffs at Yesnaby, superimposing them upon drawings of the naturally eroding stone from the cliffs.

Yesnaby remains a place of beauty and I am interested in how defunct structures, like those at the cliffs, become an accepted part of the landscape; a notion that I am forced to question as our surroundings see the introduction of more and more imposing constructions.’ Amy Firth PIERGROUP

Alexander Firth, Below Tide, 2013, four digital photographic prints

Below Tide, 2013, four digital photographic prints

‘Whilst taking many meanders along the Stromness shoreline this summer – and perhaps prompted by all the construction taking place around the town – I realised that there is a constant flow of subtle changes happening beneath the water level. Traces left, as obvious and as visible as any change taking place above the tideline.’

Alexander Firth PIERGROUP

Sylvia Wishart Evening, Stromness Harbour c 1950s, oil on board Gifted by their children in memory of Jo and Laura Grimond COLLECTION

Plot & Ocean

1100 Years

photograph (upper) by Gunnie Moberg, from her gardening notes at The Don, 1991-2007 (used with permission) photograph (lower) by Alistair Peebles.

Text freely adapted from Karel Capek, The Gardener’s Year, 1929

Lists taken from the gardening notebooks of Gunnie Moberg, The Don, and from plant in use at the European Marine Energy Test Site, Billia Croo, Outertown, Stromness, Orkney. The title is in reference to the comment in The Gardeners Year, that 1100 years is the length of time suitable for a gardener to try out all possible varieties and combinations of plants, to get to know then and to learn how to grow them.

Alistair Peebles, Plot & Ocean I & II, 2012, archival digital prints

Plot & Ocean I & II, 2012, archival digital prints ‘I have long been interested in this stretch of shoreline, among other reasons because a shifting sense of possibility seems to be part of its very nature as a place. I originally got to know it as an almost secret spot, rocky and remote, littered with surprises.

These prints are from an ongoing series in response to that small corner of the world, somewhere both enclosed and wide open.’ Alistair Peebles INVITED

Diana Leslie & Alistair Peebles INVITED The revolutions will not be televised 2007, archival digital print

The drawing for this print was made at the invitation of Alistair to Diana to create a visual response to the text. The text is a variation of the title of the song ‘The revolution will not be televised’ written by Gil Scott-Heron and recorded on his 1970 album ‘Small Talk’.

William Hourston Harvesting with a tractor and binder at Garson with Stromness in the background c1950s, digital print from archive photograph Orkney Library and Archive

Ian MacInnes Island Moon 1955, oil on board On loan from a private collection

William Hourston Fishing Boats in Stromness Harbour c1930s, digital print from archive photograph Orkney Library and Archive

Diana Leslie , Build a Pier, 2013, oil on board, On loan from a private collection, INVITED

Standing on the new pier and looking in towards land as well as out to sea is a moment for physical retrospection, opening up new perspectives on the place. It’s a changing view-point from which we might witness the past as well as future changes; a perspective that might be extended beyond the more transient visiting community, and towards the local population.’ Amy Todman, artist and landscape historian

Tom Kent Fish processing at Stromness

c1900, digital print from archive photograph Orkney Library and Archive

Gunnie Moberg Loganair over Stromness, 1977 digital print from 35mm slide with permission of the Gunnie Moberg Archive/Orkney Library and Archive

Nick Gordon, Icarus, 2013, feathers, coat hanger and masking tape

‘This work, made from natural and manmade objects, is a study based on my observations of seagulls’ flight around the pier. It is my response to the complexities of the changing environment in Orkney.’

Nick Gordon PIERGROUP

Diana Leslie, Stromness from Brinkie’s Brae, 2008, pencil on paper on loan from blue earth works, Edinburgh INVITED

‘I’ve always liked Brinkie’s – one of a few easily-accessible elevated platforms in the West mainland -it gives you that overview of the town – a good prospect. It reminds me of the follies of large estates – situated on high vantage points and looking down onto the big house, as well as the gardens and wider estates and property. Yet for Stromness it’s not a landowner’s vantage from the top of the brae, but more of a community-viewing platform, with ancient rights to the view.’

Amy Todman, artist and landscape historian

Established in 2006, prior to the reopening of the Pier Arts Centre in July 2007, Piergroup is a shifting and flexible collective of people, who participate in a programme that reflects their wide range of interests.

Activities include; practical workshops; working with artists; studio visits and involvement with practical aspects of the gallery’s wider exhibition and education programme.

The Pier Arts Centre, 28-30 Victoria Street, Stromness, KW16 3AA Open Tues-Saturday 10.30am-5.00pm FREE ADMISSION The Pier Arts Centre is a Registered Scottish Charity No SCO014815