Remembering Together - Scottish Government Covid Memorial Project

In phase one of the project artists Emma Ainsley and John Phillips spoke to many Orkney communities and what was universal was the desire to have quiet places and quiet reflective works that were sited within the communities that made them.  This is what the Phase two artists have honoured and the communities have engaged very directly in the making of this work eg – in Flotta we now have many stone carvers and a set of chisels if anyone feels creative!

The Projects:

• Flotta – the project was realised in September with a community event.  Stone carver, Ros Bryant, worked with the community to produce a gorgeous map of Flotta with relevant placemarkings and then went on to make a table top in stone with a local saying on it.  These are sited in the playpark.
• Sanday – the project was the publication of a book Locked Down (it made me cry!)– this contains the memoirs and portrait photography of a number of Sandy residents and was brough about by Jake Ghaleb jakeghaleb@icloud.com .  There is also an exhibition of the portraiture in the community hall.  The community held an event on 16 December to mark the publication and there has been a copy of the book sent out to every household in Sanday.  We will also have copies in the Library Archive.
• Shapinsay – the project was realised by artists Megumi Barrington-Uenoyama megumibarrington@gmail.com and Louise Barrington.  This was a collaboration with the Kirk and Men’s Group and resulted in a contemplation platform in the grounds of the Kirk.  This will have a community event in the Spring when there will be some additional planting on the site.
• Mainland – Megumi and Louise have a series of workshops that they will be running with Papdale and Glaitness Schools and the Connect Project – these will produce film and print based works
• Finally, but not least, North Ronaldsay Development Trust are working with a local stone mason to create a sheltered stone bench area from which you can contemplate life in the daytime and at night watch the dark skies.  It is sited by the Kirk and is protected from the lighthouse beam where it is situated.  It should be complete in the Spring with some tree planting and probably a community event.

For further information: https://www.rememberingtogether.scot/orkney-islands