research studio
Posted by Deirdre MacKenna
Lorne is recognised as an area where historical tradition and culture are held in high esteem, yet it has no fiscal or legal status. No-one can be certain where Lorne begins and ends, however, it is an important part of the identity of the people of North Argyll; it exists in the realm of the imagination.
This new programme has been titled ‘Locating Lorne‘ in order to invite people to look at images and think about how contemporary visual art might enable people to explore ideas about the locality, identity and intrinsic qualities of North Argyll, informally known as Lorne.
The Locating Lorne team works in dialogue with a wide range of people; those living in Lorne, visitors to the area, the Lorne diaspora and its communities throughout the world, and the individuals and organisations who take care of the archives and collections which hold objects and artefacts which tell the story of Lorne.
Research into public and private archives and collections is led by Deirdre MacKenna working closely with a team of cultural tourism specialists, the Rockfield Centre staff and contemporary artists.
The first programme of its kind in North Argyll, Locating Lorne will generate events, an online archive and new contemporary visual artworks produced to high technical, aesthetic and conceptual standards capable of thriving in local, national and international arenas. This new photography, artists’ film, drawings, prints, paintings, sculpture and critical and creative writing will create a new resource for reading the landscape and culture of Lorne.
The Research Studio presents images of Lorne which have become overlooked, or just need a good excuse to be brought out into the public view. The purpose is to create a meeting place and online space which create possibilities for new connections to be made between images, stories and ideas.
As more images are found, they will be printed and re-presented in the Research Studio, enabling it to function as a kind of ‘living sketch-book’. In 2018, this new collection of images and stories will be used as a research archive by artists commissioned to make new contemporary visual art works to raise awareness and understanding of the west coast of Scotland today.
Click here to download your free listed edition Locating Lorne Poster!
The Research Studio is funded by Cultural Documents and The Culture and Business Fund Scotland with sponsorship from Hazelbank Motorsand Glenburnie House: it is FREE and open to all but join us !!
The Research Studio is part of the Locating Lorne series devised by Cultural Documents and produced in partnership by The Rockfield Centreat The Oban Communities Trust.
The Rockfield Centre, Stevenson Street, Oban, PA34 5NA,