ONLINE EDITION SPRING 2021 Pomegranetes and Flowers By

TheMaclaONLINEur EDITIONi n SPRING 2021

Pomegranetes and Flowers by Jolomo (Detail) EDITOR’S NOTE Who would have thought twelve months Lots of interesting articles in the magazine. ago that we would only now be coming out We are joined for the first time by the of the third lockdown due to the Covid Pan- Gracefield Art Centre in Dumfries, who are demic. As we ease gingerly out of this last hosting a centenary exhibition of work by (and hopefully final) lockdown it is lovely to Joan Eardley. Good to have a new see galleries and museums open their contributor. doors again after such a long winter. Obviously with the long closures of the At the Maclaurin we opened our doors galleries all around Scotland things are just again on Monday 26th April and following getting back to the ‘new’ normal now with government guidlelines we ask prospective some exhibitions still happening on line. visitors to book a slot to come and see the The Harbour Arts Centre in Irvine is one exhibitions. Phone -01292 445447 to book such gallery. The Bowell Book Festival, a your place. The Tearoom is doing a roaring hugely popular event is also on line, as is trade during the spring weather., All over the exciting Spring Fling in Dumfries and the closed months Rozelle Park was always Galloway. However, the Maritime Museum, busy, it is such a lovely park and people in Irvine has a physical exhibition telling an have been taking full advantage of the exciting story about an Arctic expedition various walks. Now they can visit the from Scotland to Norway by kayak. Tearoom once again. Our thanks must go to Corton Plants for So right now we have Digital Art on the Run sorting out our planters in the courtyard. from local digital artist Ian McKinnell. They do a magnificent job for us and make His exhibition was only open for such a the courtyard look pleasant and inviting. short time before the last closure we felt it And I have just recently learned that the only right to have him continue. It’s a much- promised painting of the House and fascinating exhibition and the works are for the Gallery is scheduled to start shortly and sale. Also on view are curated pieces from will be completed by the end of the year. the Maclaurin Collection. Opening on the That is very good news indeed as such an fifteenth of May we are delighted to exhibit important House in such a lovely park will recent work from three well known Ayrshire be made to look its best again. artists John MacDonald, Bridget Hunter and Margaret MacDonald, all paintings are for A smaller magazine this time but there are sale. still lots of articles to read. This is the Huge excitement from the 3rd July we are fourth online version and it does seem to hosting a Jolomo Retrospective. This was reach a much wider audience. I hope you originally scheduled for last year but Covid enjoy it. got in the way so it is now happening this year. This exhibition will trace John Lowrie Morrison’s career from a young art student at Glasgow School of Art through to the present day. This is bound to be the major Editor event of the year.

www.themaclaurin.org.uk2 NOw ON vIEw

Digital Art on the Run from local digital artist Ian McKinnell.

Also on view are curated pieces from the Maclaurin Collection.

Work No 72 Phone 01292 445447 to book your place. CLOSE TO HOME An exhibition of recent paintings by three Ayrshire artists Saturday 15th May to Sunday 13th June 2021

“Tree Line, Carrick Hills, Ayrshire.” “Pink in a Landscape” “Snow Shadows, Stewarton, Ayrshire” John MacDonald Bridget Hunter Margaret MacDonald JOlOmO RETROSpEcTIvE Opens on the 3rd July

This exhibition will trace John Lowrie Morrison’s career from a young art student at Glasgow School of Art through to the present day.

Archie the Jura by Jolomo In 2017 the Maclaurin Gallery hosted one of the JOlOmO most popular exhibitions it had ever staged it A RETROSpEcTIvE was of course, new work by Jolomo, ‘The Magical Light of the West. When we made July 3rd to September 5th our first approach to Jolomo 2016 his response was warm, enthusiastic and positive. You could use those three words to describe his colourful and familiar paintings, they exude a zest for life and an optimistic outlook which is just what is needed at the moment.

www.themaclaurin.org.uk JOlOmO A RETROSpEcTIvE July 3rd to September 5th

Jolomo has strong roots in Ayrshire. In the 1960’s Glasgow School of Art kept a studio at Culzean and as a student he developed his unique expressionistic style, influenced by artists such as Kokoschka, Chagall and Soutine. He returned to Ayrshire landscapes in his 2017 exhibition.

We are delighted to welcome Jolomo back to the Maclaurin with a spectacular retrospective exhibition opening on 3rd July. A feast of drawing, painting and design with work from all periods of his career. For more than 20 years he worked as a teacher at Lochgilphead High and was seconded as an art advisor for Strathclyde. Auld Jeannie He only began to work as a full time artist in 1996. It is such a privilege for all of us to have this opportunity to examine the work of a great living artist.

A Meeting with Christ Sandy JOlOmO A RETROSpEcTIvE July 3rd to September 5th

There will also be new pieces and we suspect that Ayrshire will feature heavily. This summer come and find a unique vision of Scotland through the work of Jolomo at the Maclaurin Gallery.

The Spark the Duke and the Vic

Pomegranetes and Flowers SOuTh AyRShIRE cOuNcIl’S muSEumS AND GAllERIES

Throughout 2020 many of us were missing trips – come for the beaches, stay for the sunsets! to a favourite museum and gallery, along with the 2021 is also recognised as the centenary of the hours of entertainment, time for reflection, and birth of Joan Eardley, one of the most original slices of cake these visits bring. Whilst you might and admired British artists of her generation, and not be able to attend in person, South Ayrshire so we are delighted to be working with our still has a lot to offer! neighbours in Dumfries and Galloway, to host an exhibition of their Eardley collections with Visit our website photographs by Audrey Walker, towards the end www.south-ayrshire.gov.uk/galleries of 2021 and into 2022. to explore the South Ayrshire Museum collections online through videos, blogs and our In Girvan, the McKechnie Institute’s permanent collections database. Pick your favourite of the display of artefacts highlights the town’s heritage, Council’s Art Treasures, enjoy one of our geology and natural history with displays on the memorable seascapes, see all of Alexander Bronze Age Cinerary Urns dating 2100-1500 BC, Goudie’s 54 paintings telling the tale of Tam o’ Ailsa Craig and its granite, model ships, a Shanter and his trusty steed Meg, and find out Victorian lounge and bedroom, and a selection of more about the Ronald Rae statues at Rozelle. works of art from the Girvan Burgh collection.

Coming up in 2021 – we are planning a physical Follow us on twitter @samuseums for all our exhibition of our specially selected Year of Coast latest news, and check out our website for and Waters inspired exhibition. Co curated with current visitor advice. the brilliant Working Art Appreciation Group of www.south-ayrshire.gov.uk/galleries U3A Ayrshire, it will shine a spotlight on works of art featuring the magnificent South Ayrshire coast

Sunset from Girvan Harbour by William Muir (1828–1910) reference AYRRH:000729 CLOSE TO HOME

Saturday 15th May to Sunday 13th June 2021

Back Garden Evening by Bridget Hunter An exhibition of recent paintings by three Ayrshire artists Bridget Hunter, John MacDonald and Margaret MacDonald who have had to find their inspiration in near surroundings over the past year.

Shore Line by John MacDonald

Tree Line, Carrick Hills by John MacDonald Geraniums in the Garden by Margaret MacDonald CLOSE TO HOME

Saturday 15th May to Sunday 13th June 2021

Pink in a Landscape by Bridget Hunter

Shadows in the Snow by Margaret MacDonald The Dark Blue Jug by Bridget Hunter

An exhibition of recent paintings by Bridget Hunter, John MacDonald and Margaret MacDonald.

Approaching Shower, Loch Doon by Margaret MacDonald DuNuRE ART clASSES

The (actual) Dunure Art Classes take place every Wednesday, in the Kennedy Hall, right by the beach, in the beautiful South Ayrshire village of Dunure. The popular Dunure Art Classes, run by artist & There is a morning class and an afternoon teacher Tom Rennie, moved online last March, class. Come to either, or come for the day. as the first lockdown took effect across the The ancient Castle of Dunure and the 17th country. century harbour are right outside the door and Since then, the artist members, known as the with views over the sea towards Arran, the Mull Dunure Art Classes Online, have of Kintyre and Ireland, the class takes produced an impressive amount of work, which advantage of an amazing location. is enjoyed and evaluated weekly, Whether you are an experienced artist or are in an Online Gallery. just starting out, you’ll be very welcome and The Classes also moved their annual have the opportunity to practise and improve Summer Exhibition Online. your Drawing and Painting skills in a friendly This exhibition took place last July and had and inspiring environment. over 2000 visitors. If you would like to join the online classes, or It was one of the first online exhibitions to be would prefer to join when the classes designed as an interactive experience. return to Dunure, please call Tom on Below are some screenshots from the online 07833 516 049 or email – exhibition: [email protected]

www.themaclaurin.org.uk Scottish authors, exploring different aspects of life writing: diaries, letters, biographies and memoirs as well as new digital forms such as podcasts, YouTube and blogs.

The day dedicated to diary writing will range from Simon Heffer on editing the unexpur- gated diaries of 1930s politician and so- cialite, Chips Channon, to Kapka moves online 10-16 Kassabova, born in Bulgaria, now living in the Highlands, who keeps a diary in two lan- June 2021 guages on her journeys. She will be in conversation with adventurer, politician and

Save the Date! journal keeper, Rory Stewart, equally at Join us from your deckchair, home writing about his great walk across kitchen table, sofa or even a Central Asia as he is about exploring the café to take part in this life- borderlands between Scotland and England.

writing bonanza. Side events will include readings from Boswell’s own frank and confessional jour- Dear Friends, nals, wine tastings and vignettes shining the light on the art of portraiture as another form It’s time to get your diaries out again and of biography. A series of masterclasses make sure that you save the date for this will encourage people to start writing year’s festival: 10-16 June. Please also take their own life stories in whatever form. a few minutes to look at our updated website www.boswellbookfestival.co.uk wher Children’s Festival e you will find new gallery images of previ- ous festivals as well as details of how to get This year’s children’s festival will run over involved or make a donation. the course of the weekend for families at home and into the following week in When you join the festival online you will be schools. Curated by former Edinburgh Inter- hearing from some of the greatest biogra- national Book Festival Programme Direc- phers and memoirists writing today from tor, Janet Smyth, the performances, talks across the globe including the Pulitzer prize- and workshops will tell the stories of inspir- winning historian Fredrik Logevall, who will ing lives, past and present, and explore be talking about his acclaimed volume on Save the Date 2020.indd 1 21/11/2019 16:05:33ways for young audiences to find ways to JFK’s early life, described by one critic as a tell their own stories. “revelatory biography of the iconic, yet still elusive, thirty-fifth president.” Schools should REGISTER HERE to receive details of the schools’ programme. Amongst other speakers already confirmed for June is the indomitable Lady Anne Glenconner who, in conversation with Donations Welcome! Royal expert Hugo Vickers, will share her extraordinary life as revealed in her captivat- Rather than charging for talks this year, we ing memoir Lady In Waiting. While Charlie will be relying on your donations to help fi- Gilmour, adopted son of Pink Floyd’s David nance the Festival which is run by a charity. Gilmour, talks of father-son relationships, With no geographical boundaries for atten- prison life and how a fledgling magpie saved dance, please spread the word to friends far him. and wide for what promises to be a standout All human (and bird) life will be aired at the Boswellian occasion and you will receive a festival with each day’s events, chaired by programme in late April. JOAN EARDLEY: A PAINTER’S LIFE GRACEFIELD ARTS CENTRE, DUMFRIES

Joan Eardley, Brian and Pat Samson, Oil on canvas, Gracefield Arts Centre. ©The Eardley Estate. All rights reserved DACS, 2021. Photo credit: Mike Bolam This year is the centenary of the birth of the of Catterline and its surrounding landscape near renowned artist Joan Eardley (1921-63). Aberdeen which brought her both creative Gracefield is celebrating her life and remarkable frustration and artistic fulfilment. work in an exhibition of her paintings, pastels and sketch drawings from our permanent She was nominated to the Royal Scottish collection together with black and white Academy in 1955 and made a full member in photographs by the artist’s friend and 1963. Her works are enjoyed as much today as photographer, Audrey Walker. The exhibition when they were first seen in their ability to (if Scottish Government guidance permits) capture a moment in time - be that the cheeky runs until the 3 July. smile of one of her child subjects or a stormy winter seascape. Joan met Audrey Walker, a Born in England on 18 May, 1921, Joan Eardley talented violinist and photographer, in 1952 returned to her mother’s home in Scotland in through a mutual friend and their shared love of 1939 and was a student at the Glasgow School music created an immediate bond. Audrey of Art from 1940-43. Eardley’s portrayal of the often documented Joan at work at the Walker’s streets and children of Glasgow first brought holiday cottage in the Ettrick Valley in the her work to public attention in the 1950s, but it Scottish Borders, at Joan’s Glasgow studio, was her fascination with the tiny fishing village and in the wild landscape of the North East. JOAN EARDLEY: A PAINTER’S LIFE GRACEFIELD ARTS CENTRE, DUMFRIES

Joan Eardley’s Glasgow Studio ©Audrey Walker images Courtesy of the Walker Family.

Her striking black and white photographs not artist’s family website set up especially for this only add up to a remarkable archive of her artist year: www.joaneardley.com friend’s life, but also show Audrey’s consider- For further information on visiting the Gracefield able talent for seeing a good picture. Audrey exhibition please visit DGCulture.co.uk or email was with Joan when she died aged just 42 from [email protected]. Visitor numbers will still cancer in August 1963. be limited due to Covid restrictions so advance booking via Ticketsource on DGCulture is rec- (Lady) Audrey Walker and her husband retired ommended, but we can book you in on arrival if to his home town of Dumfries and she lived there is space in the gallery, and our Café and there until her death in 1996. She bequeathed Craft shop will also be open as usual. For our a number of Eardley pieces to the Gracefield younger visitors, there’s a gallery quiz (with free Collection, with Audrey’s photographic archive takeaway pencil!) and we’ll have free art activi- given by her son John in December 2004. ties planned for the summer holidays -more info Gracefield is very grateful to the Walkers for to follow. additional loans to the exhibition from the family’s collection. The exhibition also include 2 Also opening in early May is the tour of the short 7 minute films featuring the artist at work British Wildlife Photographers Awards Exhibi- in her Glasgow studio and interviews with her tion – over 150 fabulous images from across biographer and Catterline neighbours. the UK. This is the selection from the 2019 The Gracefield exhibition is just the first of a competition, but due to lockdown and schedul- number of exhibitions, TV features and press ing its display at Gracefield has been much de- articles planned to mark the centenary – the layed, but now it’s here, don’t miss it! An ideal Glasgow University Hunterian is co-ordinating exhibition that all the family can enjoy and a the programme and further details can be found particular favourite with our many keen local online on Twitter: @SWARNetwork and at the photographers for ideas and inspiration. Dr Simon Davidson Centre Director

Moat Brae, the garden that was cited by JM Barrie as the inspiration for Peter Pan, will re-open to the public on 17th June after 6 months of closure. Doubling as the home of Scotland’s National Centre for Children’s Literature & Storytelling, Moat Brae features a unique blend of heritage, culture and play with a ground floor restored to its 1870s heyday, a first floor featuring exhibitions and sculptures and a third floor highlighting interactive games and a play theatre. The garden is now bursting into bloom with wild plants and set within this riverside Neverland, We expect summer 2021 will be busy as families are the pirate ship, mermaid’s lagoon and seek out Scottish experiences in lieu of international Neverlander encampment. holidays but as regular visitors to Moat Brae know, the buzz here is amazing when the house is full of adventurers looking to charge their imaginations. Looking ahead, we will have our regular Halloween and Christmas experiences in the house and we’re developing an outside space for live performances in the autumn.

In the meantime, you can follow us across all social media platforms including our hugely popular 101 George Street podcast (Spotify), Story Shares, En- chanted Lands, and of course The Book Doctor. We are always on the look-out for volunteers to help in the house and certainly in the garden. We have a new learning suite in the garden where aspiring hor- ticulturalists can learn some of the many gardening tricks from our Head Gardener Matt Lidster. If you’d like to get involved in helping children find a path to When we opened in June 2019, we didn’t even reading, please do get in touch via our website manage a year of trading before we had to close www.peterpanmoatbrae.org. due to the pandemic restrictions. During this downtime, we decided to put right some of the things we weren’t happy with and plan ahead for some major projects in 2022. We have revamped the café and shop, and refreshed the visitor experience with some improvement works. When people return, the key change they will notice will be timed tickets that can be ordered in advance online. This will allow us to control the flow of visitors more safely whilst ensuring everyone gets the time to explore and discover the many secrets the house has to offer. We’re retaining the inspiring exhibition by renowned Edinburgh artist and sculptor Aliisa Hyslop for the summer season because barely anyone got to experience it before we had to close down. She has also hidden more Lost Boys sculptures in the garden trees...

The Little Art School; how an Ayrshire art business reached families right across the world during the Covid 19 Pandemic

On the 23rd March 2020 the Little Art School closed their Studio doors, with no idea when they would be able to re-open them. Like businesses across the world they could only sit back with horror as their income stream stopped overnight. What did they do? They reached out. They offered free daily art classes, every single weekday of lockdown. Embracing the unknown, they set up a YouTube channel and started filming. Drawing Class in Action Fast forward 12 months and the Little Art created in response to the many School #DailyDraw videos have been messages received from adults who had watched across Scotland, the rest of the picked up a pencil for the first time since UK and much further afield. During the school to join in with the #DailyDraw. 2020 and 2021 Lockdowns, Ayrshire’s The Online course, which includes all the children’s art school created 185 free art materials you need, is designed to ‘How to Draw’ videos which were take a complete beginner from drawing a watched in countries around the world. simple line to completing complex Viewers in the USA, Australia, Hong portraits in oil. The course is based on Kong, South Africa, the United Arab the methodology the Little Art School Emirates, India, Israel and in countries have used in their studios for seven right across Europe tuned in to join them years. Less than a year since launch they drawing and painting every day. now have students learning to draw and paint with them from across the UK and The #Daily Draw began as a way for the Europe. Little Art School to reach out and help young artists. But it soon opened doors When schools closed again in January to alternative ways forward for the this year the Little Art School went back business. They launched an online shop to the drawing board to create more free selling #DailyDraw Materials in April 2020 ‘How to Draw’ #DailyDraw art videos. and have grown their online shop to offer This time many primary schools gift packs and even online Art Parties. integrated the tutorials into their home- However, the biggest leap was the schooling day. The Little Art School’s launch, in August 2020, of the Little Art two charities, the Dementia Arts Trust School Online Drawing and Painting and Little Art Stars, also adapted their Course for Adults. This course was own face-to-face teaching and used their business have the Little Art School technology to keep reaching out to facing the post-pandemic world with vulnerable people in the community. optimism; ready to grow and keep The response to the #DailyDraw, the sharing their belief that learning to draw huge global reach of the Little Art School and paint builds self-esteem and and the opening of new online strands to spreads so much joy.

www.themaclaurin.org.uk Harbour Road, Irvine, EXHIBITION CELEBRATING KA12 8BT 40TH ANNIVERSARY OF www.scottishmaritimemuseum.org Telephone 01274 278283 SCOTLAND’S FIRST MAJOR Email [email protected] Entrance to the exhibition is included in the SEA KAYAKING EXPEDITION Museum admission.

Into the Maelstrom: The other two kayaks were named ‘Nyvaig’ (Gaelic The Scottish Kayak Expedition to for ‘little ship’), after one of Somerled’s vessels, and North West Norway 1980 ‘Skuta’, a Viking longboat.

The Scottish Kayak Expedition to North West An exhibition celebrating the 40th anniversary of Norway was the result of two years of planning and Scotland’s first major sea kayaking expedition, fundraising after Jim, Angus, Bill and Peter found which also included the first recorded sea kayak themselves storm-bound on an island off the West crossing of one of the world’s largest whirlpools, is coast of Scotland in 1978 and made a pact to em- on at the Scottish Maritime Museum on Irvine bark on Scotland’s first major sea kayaking expedi- Harbourside. tion together. ‘Into the Maelstrom: The Scottish Kayak Expedition to North West Norway 1980’ charts the story of Jim Setting off from Harstad in North West Norway at Breen, Angus Mathieson, Bill Turnbull and Peter 8.30am on Tuesday 1st July 1980, the four travelled Wilson who, together, paddled 394 miles (634 north, around the top of the island of Hinnøya, south kilometres) as they circumnavigated the two island down the West Coast of the Vesterålen and Lofoten groups of Lofoten and Vesterålen in North West island groups to the island of Værøy at the southern Norway, 200 miles within the Arctic Circle. tip.

During the 28 day expedition, the team also successfully achieved the first ever crossing of the ‘Maelstrom’ or, as it is sometimes known, the ‘Moskenstraumen’. Exhibition highlights include two of the four ‘Baidarka Explorer’ kayaks, equipment, clothing, footage (both 8mm film taken by the team and archive news) and photographs from the expedition.

Campsite

Here, between Lofoten Point and the island of Mosken, where the tidal currents are forced through the shallows creating a fast series of eddies and whirlpools, they crossed the infamous but decep- tively ‘smooth’ Maelstrom.

Battling tidal currents which travelled between 6.8 to Bill Turnbull with 8mm camera 12.4 miles per hour (11 to 20 kilometres) and forced their kayaks at right angles, they crossed the Mael- The kayaks were given Nordic names to foster links strom twice before returning back to Harstad via the with the expedition destination. eastern side of the island groups. The two on display were named after Scottish Norse As well as the challenges of the Maelstrom, the King ‘Somerled’ and the Viking King ‘Godred’ whom team had to overcome very severe magnetic he defeated off the coast of Scotland in 9th century. anomalies on certain stretches of the trip.

www.themaclaurin.org.uk EXHIBITION CELEBRATING 40TH ANNIVERSARY OF SCOTLAND’S FIRST MAJOR SEA KAYAKING EXPEDITION

Into the Maelstorm

They also suffered from bland, repetitive meals, only New designs included tents with storage space al- alleviated by occasional treats of Angel Delight and lowing the kayaks to be packed under cover, dry Cabana chocolate, as well as food poisoning and an bags customised with neoprene backed vinyl and unexpected heatwave. used inner tubes from car tyres to make them water- When it came to their first crossing of the tight. Altogether, the exhibition tells a captivating Maelstrom, after lighting their night-time kayaking story of real adventure which people of all ages and perfectly, the 24 hour midnight sun turned overcast interests will enjoy.” and dull. ‘Into the Maelstrom: Nicola Scott, Exhibitions and Events Officer at the The Scottish Kayak Expedition Scottish Maritime Museum, says: to North West Norway 1980’ “The story of the Scottish Kayak Expedition to North is included in Museum admission. West Norway in 1980 is an exciting highpoint in the history of sea kayaking. For more information, or to book a visit: Not only was it the first major sea kayaking expedi- www.scottishmaritimemuseum. tion and the first recorded sea kayak crossing of the Maelstrom, it offers a fascinating insight into the challenges and development of sea kayaking in the latter half of the 20th century. The kayak was invented some four thousand years ago in Arctic North America when Inuit people stretched animal skins over driftwood or whalebone frames as a means to hunt sea animals and move around by water. Although the sport of kayaking sparked interest in Europe in the 1800s, it wasn’t until the 1950s when the hardshell resin and fibreglass kayaks used on the 1980 expedition were developed. The 1980 expedition team also helped move sea kayak design on. The limitations of equipment at the time meant that they needed to design some of their own kit to overcome the cold and wet conditions. Provost David Hodge and the Team 1980 ! Cryptic presents… Signal-on-Sea by Strijbos & Van Rijswijk

Maclaurin Magazine

Image: Elisabeth Lamont

Cryptic connect land and sea with music in Signal-on-Sea, a captivating large-scale, environmental sound installation on Irvine Beach by Dutch duo, Strijbos & Van Rijswijk as part of the Year of Coasts & Waters 20/21.

“Both restrained and overwhelming; beautiful and with a subtle structure, it is an intimate personal experience that you share with many.” BN De Stem

Using 24 long-throw speakers, Signal-on-Sea interweaves voices with an enchanting soundscape amplified across a stretch of the beach overlooking the Isle of Arran. The vastness of the coastline makes every visitor feel part of the wonder of nature.

“At a certain moment it felt like I barely touched the ground, as if I was floating.” Audience member

Signal-on-Sea is a unique and moving opportunity to rediscover and explore this remarkable landscape with music and texts evoking imagery that enhance and transform the environment.

“I was so moved, I actually had tears in my eyes.” Audience member

Once experienced, never forgotten…

“Absolutely stunning.” Audience member

Fri 16 – Sun 25 July // 12.00 – 10.30pm // Free // cryptic.org.uk/signal

cryptic.org.uk !

Cryptic presents… Nearer Future by Heather Lander & Robert Bentall

Maclaurin Magazine

Image: Heather Lander

Cryptic presents visual artist Heather Lander’s Nearer Future, with music by Robert Bentall, in partnership with the Harbour Arts Centre.

Running alongside their large-scale, environmental sound installation, Signal-on-Sea, on Irvine Beach, Nearer Future is an immersive sonic light sculpture aiming to show where technology has taken us – and asks us to question where we might go next.

Symmetrical webs and weaves of light build into a crystalline cathedral of light as Bentall’s ambient composition Telian (played on the traditional Swedish nyckelharpa) provides a captivating soundtrack.

“Surrounding the viewer with hocketing, pulsing fragments of melody, the effect is bewitching.” The Scotsman

Fri 16 – Sun 25 July // Times vary // Free but ticketed, advance booking required // http://cryptic.org.uk/nearer-future

Box office: Harbour Arts Centre // 01294 274059 (times vary see website for details) // thehac.co.uk

cryptic.org.uk