On this ground we stand and stare
Feel earthy roots beneath our feet
Down, down, layers of sparks,
Timbers, songs, memories, lives lived
Turn your eyes to the sky
The wind blows and the clouds swirl
The seas and oceans call us
Tides glitter as the lighthouse beams
Light dark light dark light dark
See the bare hills and islands
From the sky our land is a small, precious thing
And us in it, a thing to treasure
Gica
Makin A Brew Craigroyston Parents Poetry Group
Edinburgh is set to dazzle next month with the launch of Edinburgh Lumen, a stunning immersive visual and sound display that will brighten up the city centre’s dark winter nights.
Continue reading Edinburgh set to dazzle in February as Lumen lights up city centre
The number of people suffering from flu-like illnesses in Scotland more than doubled in the first week of 2018 compared to the previous week and is four times higher than the same week in 2017. Continue reading Winter health crisis: Scotland’s flu rates double in a week
Dear Editor
The continuing cuts in public services of all kinds are taking a dreadful toll on communities throughout the UK, undoing decades of struggle to put them in place.
The continuing fall in the value of wages, particularly now given higher prices every week, should convince the majority of the working population that private ownership of major industries are incapable of any other action.
There have been slumps in varying degrees of severity, the cost of which are passed on to the population: there can be no justification for such callousness in the pursuit of profit-making by privileged financial investors.
All of this show the urgent need for public ownership of at least the essential services: energy distribution, passenger transports of bus, rail and tram, water supply and sewerage – all of these industries should be working for the benefit of all, not a few investors.
We have to move on from the failed system of private ownership; there is no logical reason or sense in not doing so.
Tony Delahoy
Sillverknowes Gardens
Plans to introduce legislation to ban the manufacture and sale of plastic stemmed cotton buds have been announced by Environment Secretary Roseanna Cunningham. The proposals will be put to public consultation and would make Scotland the first country in the UK to legislate against these environmentally damaging items. Continue reading Saving Our Seas: Scottish Government to consult on plastic cotton bud ban
BURNS NIGHT COMMUNITY CEILIDH
Royston Wardieburn Community Centre
Saturday 3rd February, 5 – 9pm
The first indoor rugby game in Scottish Schools’ history will take place on Saturday (13 January) at the Oriam Stadium, Heriot-Watt University when Merchiston and Dollar Academy are scheduled to play an exciting line up of matches. Continue reading Beating the Big Freeze: First indoor rugby game in Scottish schools history
Latest figures from the Scottish Government have revealed that the transformative Baby Box policy has already benefitted 3834 newborns across NHS Lothian since they were introduced last summer – and over 22,000 have so far been delivered across Scotland. Continue reading 3834 Lothian newborns have received Baby Boxes
Arcadeum project artists Hans K Clausen and Lindsay Perth have officially presented two new public artworks created in collaboration with North Edinburgh residents and NHS staff commissioned as part of a public art residency with NHS Lothian.
Yesterday Hans and Lindsay unveiled two public art commissions for the newly built Pennywell All Care Centre. Supported by the National Lottery through Creative Scotland’s Open Project Fund, Edinburgh & Lothian Health Foundation and NHS Lothian the commissioned artworks have been created in collaboration with North Edinburgh residents and NHS Lothian staff through a series of projects since February 2016.
Artist Curator, Hans K Clausen’s The People’s Museum of Memory and Myth is a celebration of North West Edinburgh through the ordinary and extraordinary, the unique and the ubiquitous. Following in the tradition of the ‘Wunderkammer’ The People’s Museum of Memory and Myth is a curated collection of everyday objects elevated to precious artefacts with the intention of generating curiosity, reminiscence, association and wonder.
Housed in a bespoke cabinet in the foyer of the Pennywell All Care Centre, 9 vitrines are stacked upon a reconstructed railway baggage trolley each populated with artefacts collected from communities and individuals within North West Edinburgh. Each item represents fragments of social history from the community and individuals who live and have lived in and around Muirhouse and North West Edinburgh. These fragments of history, factual and mythical, aim to ignite memories, generate conversation and connect people through the power of objects.
The objects have not been selected because of profound historical provenance or monetary value but for social, nostalgic or sentimental significance and to celebrate the diversity of local histories, personal experiences and collective stories; from a grandmother’s handbag imbued with personal and sentimental memories, to a megaphone a symbol of collective activism and protest, to a world champion’s boxing gloves.
To deliver this project Hans has worked closely with local residents and organisations researching and collecting objects and narratives. The design and construction of the museum cabinet has been a collaboration with Old School Fabrications, while the signed and numbered People’s Museum of Memories certificates to be presented to all donors was a collaboration with artist and designer, Genevieve Ryan.
Hans said: “Building The People’s Museum of Memory and Myth has been a joy, I’ve been continually impressed by the enthusiasm and generosity of the people I’ve met and entertained by the stories, memories and passion that has been generated.
“I hope The People’s Museum of Memory and Myth is not just a collection of seemingly ordinary and unrelated items but a visually stimulating way to remember and celebrate the personal and communal stories and myths that helped define this community. If conversations are started, memories preserved, stories told and myths created as people wander past I will feel I have done my job.”
Artist Lindsay Perth has created a stunning interactive glass lighting installation. Hand blown glass shapes created by members of the community, NHS staff and Lindsay suspend from the ceiling. Each of the 52 pieces is unique in its colour and shape as chosen by its maker, personally blown and formed in workshops in the glass department of Edinburgh College Art. When all these highly individual pieces come together they form this ‘community’ of remarkable glass lights. Glass makers have engraved their signatures on their pieces, underlining the artworks sense of local identity.
The artwork is interactive, the lights responding to people’s movements below. Light animations are triggered and play out within the glass pieces, moving around the artwork. Waves of rich colours and reflections impact the new health centre’s entrance space.
Lindsay said: “I wanted to work with glass for this commission to create an artwork that explored a material that is both fragile and robust at the same time, qualities that could be seen as similar to our own humanness.
“Each piece is unique, all the makers choosing their own colours, shapes and blowing their own glass. These differences come together to create a beautiful collection of colour and light. Key to the artwork is that it responds to people’s presence, the lights give back some energy to the people and to the space.
“Workshops supported by glassmaker Ingrid Philips were incredibly inspiring experiences. We were given the opportunity to be really creative and learn about glass and literally breathe life into the installation that I hope will engage, delight and illuminate this new building. Particular thanks too to my collaborator on this project the awesome designer maker Mark Kobine.”
Speaking at the unveiling of the two artworks Kate Wimpress Director of North Edinburgh Arts said: “It is a privilege to host Hans and Lindsay and the artists and designers that have worked alongside them.
“The North Edinburgh community has been energised by the projects they have delivered and their thorough inclusive approach recognises the importance of art and culture in local placemaking. This project helps put Muirhouse on the map as a centre of creative talent of all abilities.”
David White, Strategic Lead for Primary Care for Edinburgh Health and Social Care Partnership said: “Public buildings should not be fortresses for professionals and our new Pennywell All Care Centre is no exception.
“Providing health and social care services in an environment that the local community has been involved in creating will produce a space that they will enjoy using and feel comfortable using. We are delighted to home these community pieces of art in a prominent place in the Muirhouse community.”
Anne Petrie, Visual Arts Officer at Creative Scotland said: “It is extremely exciting to see these community-led artworks unveiled to the public. As artists in residence, Hans and Lindsay have worked closely with North Edinburgh Arts and people of all ages in Muirhouse to enrich the final artworks with their memories and knowledge of the local area.
“The Art of Living project is an incredibly important example of a collaborative approach to community engagement with creativity and the arts, that will enrich lives and widen access to cultural activity.”
For more information about the Pennywell All Care Centre please visit www.nhslothian.scot.nhs.uk
