Scotland’s Travelling Gallery, pictured above, returns to Orkney next week (9 September).
The Travelling Gallery is a mobile art exhibition that travels to schools and communities throughout Scotland on a custom-built, fully accessible bus. It is a 'not for profit' initiative regularly funded by Creative Scotland and supported by the City of Edinburgh Council.
This year the exhibition explores the rich fabric of women’s histories, through new works by artist Lauren Printy Currie inspired by her recent residency at the Glasgow Women’s Library, where the artist drew material and inspiration from the library's museum collection, archive and lending library.
The exhibition, titled ‘Her Body remembered a night-blooming cereus, sweated industry and salt (what came near)’ features a three channel audio installation of voices reading the book titles from seven catalogued sections of the Glasgow Women’s Library.
For the first time the gallery’s visit will include a special opportunity to hear directly from the artist about the work – Lauren will present a talk about the residency and exhibition at the Pier Arts Centre on Thursday 14 September at 7.00pm. No bookings are required.
The Travelling Gallery will be visiting a number of both primary and secondary schools throughout Orkney, as well as having sessions open to the public. The public drop-in times are:
- Saturday 9 September – Orkney Library and Archive, Kirkwall, 11:00am to 17:00pm.
- Monday 10 September - Pickaquoy Centre, Kirkwall, from 11:00am to 17:00pm.
- Thursday 14 September - Stromness Travel Centre from11:00am to 17:00pm, and from 19:00pm to 20:00pm with Lauren’s talk starting at 19:45pm at the Pier Arts Centre.
Antony Mottershead, Arts Officer for Orkney Islands Council, said: “This visit is a great opportunity to see fantastic new works by one of Scotland’s most exciting young artists, and at the same time learn about the hopes, challenges and achievements of Scottish women over the centuries.
“We are very lucky that Lauren is able to travel to Orkney to present about her work.”
Speaking about her work on board the Travelling Gallery, Lauren Printy Currie said: "Spending time in Glasgow Women's Library is a bit like sifting through treasure - but the pleasure of treasure is quick, while the power of this place and its collection is much more powerful and protracted.
“Political feminist discourse feels just as important today as it ever has. It was both difficult and satisfying to make work that thinks through some of the complexities of the past and the weight of objects and memories with public and private significances.”
Staff on board the Travelling Gallery will be on hand to answer questions about the artist and works on display.
The Travelling Gallery will be in Orkney between 9 and 14 September. For more information go to the Travelling Gallery website.
