Moberg & Tait reverberate

Following the short artist research residency in Orkney last October, artists Brittonie Fletcher and Frances Scott will be exhibiting new work about Orkney at Stills Centre for Photography from today.

The group show, entitled ‘AMBIT’, will celebrate new and diverse approaches to
photographic image-making in Scotland.

Frances and Brittonie were selected last year to participate on Stills’ Orkney–Edinburgh Creative Residency, sponsored by Highland Park Single Malt Whisky. The residency was inspired by the work of Orcadian artists Gunnie Moberg and Margaret Tait, whose photographs and films were exhibited in Stills last summer. The artists had access to Moberg and Tait’s archives held at Orkney Library & Archive.

From Boston and based in Edinburgh, Brittonie Fletcher’s work is entitled ‘Observations on Patience’, a reference to a piece of graffiti on Hoy’s Dwarfie Stane. Her work explores a visual dialogue between Orkney’s natural elements and human interaction, perception and mark making.

Above: Britonnie Fletcher: North, then West (top) Rock in Sandstone (bottom)

Frances Scott, from Orkney and based in Glasgow, is exhibiting work from her ongoing project to walk the coastlines of Orkney, featuring map-routes from her walks around the mainland and film photographs made while walking the coastlines of North Ronaldsay and Papay last autumn.

Above: Frances Scott: Wire, North Ronaldsay (top) Sea wall, Papay (bottom)

It was a time full of conversation and spark when Frances and Brittonie were here in Orkney. It was fascinating to hear of their findings following research trips and to hear of the Moberg and Tait reverberations in their approaches. It is always of value to create a space where an artist from another time can create a stepping off point for another artist here and now. We are very grateful to Stills for the opportunity to see what the
Gunnie Moberg and Margaret Tait archives held at Orkney Library & Archive can bring to contemporary work. – Rebecca Marr (Gunnie Moberg Archive/Orkney Library & Archive)

AMBIT is a partnership between Stills, Edinburgh, and Street Level Photoworks, Glasgow,
Scotland’s public venues dedicated to photography. The exhibition will be presented across both venues and is a joint venture aimed at showcasing some of the current tendencies and innovative talent from the photography sector in Scotland. The exhibition at Stills, EDinburgh runs from 12th April until 2nd June 2019.

Header image: Frances Scott, Loch, Papay