REFLECT Campbeltown

Looking for light in the darkness

Campbeltown Museum, Linda McCartney Garden, led by Artist Kirsten Millar and Project Facilitator Muriel MacKaveney

For REFLECT, Remembering Together, lead artist Kirsten Millar and project facilitator Muriel MacKaveney worked with local artists and the community to co-create a new sculptural sundial for the Linda McCartney Memorial Garden at Campbeltown Museum in collaboration with the McCartney Memorial Trust. 

The sundial, now situated in the Memorial Garden, is inspired by memories and conversations around the challenges of the pandemic and what connects us to each other and Campbeltown, how we view time, and what connects our past and future. Two historic sundials currently exist in the garden; this project aimed to bring sunlight back into the garden, reflecting our hope going forward from a dark time.

Over the spring and summer, REFLECT encouraged intergenerational dialogue, knowledge exchange, and imagination within the community. Artists Lori Silvan and Gaia Silvan led multiple creative environmental workshops for three local primary schools and homeschooled children. From these workshops, lead artist Kirsten identified themes to be broken down into ideas for the sundial's design. These ideas were shared with Kintyre Care Centre and Woodlands Residential, who helped direct and co-design the installation, sharing materials and themes they would like to see reflected in the work, including farming and fishing heritage present in Kintyre. Through the workshop, quotes were gathered in response to the question “What keeps us going?” which summarised the intangible feelings and conversations that took place.

“I’ve been inspired by the variety of ways in which everyone involved has been able to transform and reflect on emotions and experiences from such a challenging time. It’s been an honour to share in our reflecting, learning and creating, and it has been an exciting way to hold space for each other.” - Gaia Silvan, Reflect workshop facilitator

Sundial expert Alastair Hunter also worked with the REFLECT team to deliver two talks, one online and one in person, further engaging the local community and gathering reflections and memories to be incorporated into the final work.

As part of Remembering Together, the project team celebrated the memories shared of lockdown and beyond, contributing to a new community sundial in a community day on 17 August 2024. Artworks created by 5 local primary schools and a photography exhibition with works from the local community and care homes were displayed throughout the museum. Throughout the day, live music by the Sarachs exploring local heritage through song and performance by Lori and Gaia Silvan based on themes from 'The Tin Forest' connecting to themes of nature discussed throughout REFLECT also took place.

Find out more about REFLECT, Remembering Together:

Keep up with Kirsten’s work here.

Find out more about Campbeltown Museum here. 

REFLECT, Remembering Together was funded by the Scottish Government and delivered by Greenspace Scotland in partnership with Argyll and Bute Council and the Culture, Heritage & Arts Assembly, Argyll & Isles (CHARTS).