Exhibition news

Spirit of Beyond : The Shiant Isles - softcover book

Alison Dunlop has created a “poem to the Shiant Isles” with a masterwork of drawings, watercolours and photographs.  

Two years in the making, her moving paean to these enchanted isles of the Outer Hebrides is collected together in the exhibition  The Spirit of Beyond : The Shiant Isles, in Scotland’s own UK Museum of the Year 2020, Gairloch Museum.

The book, with a foreword by Adam Nicolson, has been produced to accompany the exhibition and comprises the entire collection of work inspired by the Isles - the drawings, watercolours and photographs, only a selection of which can feature in the exhibition. 

Alison has also worked with writers, poets, naturalists and Gaelic speakers to bring their perspectives to bear in this celebration of this special place. The book features Gaelic folklore and song inspired by the islands, as well as poems by Brian Hill and an essay by author and geoscientist Annie O’Garra Worsley. 

A special, hand-numbered and signed collectors’ edition is being produced in a linen-bound hardcover, which will also be available to order from 3rd July 2021. Linen bound in Ratchford’s ‘Plate’ grey, each of these special edition books is finished with Ebony Black end-papers, thread sewn 150gsm Silk text papers, foil-blocked silver lettering on the spine and cover, and each has a debossed area into which is set a detail print of the drawing “Rock Face, Bidean a’ Roimh” on the cover. The first 20 sold will be supplied in a specially designed linen presentation sleeve hand-crafted by Rowena Dugdale, of Red Ruby Rose.

Formats: Soft Cover + Special Limited Edition Linen Hardcover

ISBN: 978-1-5272-9403-5

Pages: 136pp

Dimensions: 276mm x 220mm

RRP: £25.00

Publication Date: 03/07/2021

Available to pre-order at alisondunlop.com from mid-June and will be available to buy in the shop at Gairloch Museum from 3rd July 2021.

“spirit of beyond : The Shiant Isles”

Alison Dunlop RSW

GAIRLOCH MUSEUM

JULY/AUGUST 2021

SLAINTE!

THIS SITE IS A KIND OF NOTEBOOK - A ‘WORK IN PROGRESS’ which is EVOLVing AS NEW images AND wordS ARE ADDED, in preparation for the exhibition to be held during the summer of 2021 at the wonderful new Gairloch museum;

You’re most welcome to explore the site and we hope you will feel inspired to visit gairloch and the museum to enjoy the exhibition during July and August this year.

～ thank you ～

A return trip to the Shiant Isles during September 2020, to gather more material for an exhibition at Gairloch Museum in the summer of 2021 by artist Alison Dunlop RSW.

The Shiant Isles represent many things, to many people in the North West Highlands, the Outer Hebrides and beyond.

Deriving their name from the Irish Gaelic ‘séanta’ (meaning ‘consecrated’, ‘hallowed’ or ‘charmed’) and the Scottish Gaelic ‘Na h-Eileanan Sianta’ (meaning ‘holy’ or ‘enchanted isles’), these Islands are small, but of great significance geologically, culturally and in the natural world.

The exhibition “Spirit of Beyond : The Shiant Isles” will explore the artist’s perspective on their enigmatic and compelling presence in the Minch through her drawings, watercolours, oils and photography.

Gaelic will play its part and there will be contributions of poetry from Scottish poet Brian Hill and written work by Annie O’Garra Worsley and a special talk will be given by the author Adam Nicolson, who will give a reading from his book “Sea Room”, inspired by his life-long love affair with the Shiant Isles. Lectures on the isles’ bird-life, geology and history, as well as a story-telling workshop are also being planned as accompaniments to the exhibition.

The principal contributor is Alison Dunlop RSW, who lives and works in Wester Ross and whose studio looks across the Minch to these enigmatic islands.

All images copyright of Alison Dunlop RSW