An ATLAS Arts commission by Cooking Sections, The landscape and aqua-cultures of the Isle of Skye have CLIMAVORE is a long-term project initiated by Cooking Isle of Skye. evolved over centuries as a result of human adaptation Sections in 2015. It sets out to envision seasons of food to climatic alterations and changing power structures. production and consumption that react to climatic events Coastal dwellers used the ‘agriculturally unusable’ or and human-induced alterations of the landscape. Different Set on the intertidal zone at Bayfield, CLIMAVORE: ‘unproductive’ littoral zone to reinvent subsistence at the from the now obsolete Eurocentric cycle of spring, summer, On Tidal Zones explores the environmental effects margins. The method to obtain protein from such a harsh autumn and winter, CLIMAVORE rethinks the construction of aquaculture and reacts to the changing shores landscape required building walls to fish nutrients out of of space and infrastructure by focusing on how climate of Portree. Each day at low tide, the installation the surrounding rough waters; assemblages of wood and alterations offer a new set of clues to adapt our diet to them. emerges above the sea and functions as a dining stone course materials, carefully laid, and woven in curved For instance, how to shift the food landscape to drought formations. With the receding low tide they would retain a resistant crops in a period of water scarcity or how to table, with free tastings of recipes featuring variety of fish (herring, sprats, cod, shrimps, turbot, trout promote the planting of dune stabilising vegetables in times ocean purifiers: seaweeds, oysters, clams and or salmon). Known as fish traps, cairidh in Gaelic or yairs or of coastal flash floods. mussels. At high tide, the installation works as weirs in Old English, these machines carefully harvested the an underwater oyster table. During ten days in tidal zone. The sophisticated knowledge on the movement climavore.org September, CLIMAVORE: On Tidal Zones is of fish throughout the year across different parts of the foreshore was reflected in the shape in which such tidal activated by Cooking Sections in collaboration walls would be conceived and built to target an optimal with local stakeholders, residents, politicians and catch from different species. They had an open entrance at researchers. Over breakfast, lunch, or dinner high tide, but fish could find no exit when the tide went out. (according to the tides), performative meals feature a series of CLIMAVORE ingredients Human-induced climatic alterations of the waters, ranging from increasing acidification of the oceans, appearance that respond to the environmental challenges of of new parasites and disappearance of species, could Scottish waters. The long-term project aims to be approached through a different form of eating and look at CLIMAVORE forms of eating that address sourcing of nutrients. Other understanding of aqua- environmental regeneration and promote more cultures in the Isle of Skye and its tidal zones can provide responsive aqua-cultures. the base to rethink the contemporary ecological imaginary of the island. As a response, the notion of CLIMAVORE reads and eats landscapes following coastal alterations. Cooking Sections have teamed up with To eat, to devour, according to a responsive understanding restaurants and food establishments across the of the current climate. Different from intensive open-net island to incorporate CLIMAVORE dishes in their salmon farming that produces an excess of nitrogen (and menus, featuring seaweeds and bivalves. A food adds antibiotics, parasites and chemicals to the water), other creatures do opposite processes, like purifying truck, bakery, cafes, and fine dining restaurants the water by breathing. One mussel is able to filter up offer a range of plates and items which can to 25 litres of water a day, and a single oyster up to 120 contribute to cleaning Skye’s waters through their litres. So do other bivalves like clams, scallops, razor natural growth. These animals and plants purify clams; and seaweeds like kelp or dulse. They provide an the water by breathing, and can also help monitor incredible source of easy-access protein without the need the improvement of water quality along the coast for irrigation or fertilisers. None of them are rare to the Scottish waters. Crofters have traditionally used the tidal of the island. zone not only for fish traps, but also to forage seaweed for bread, soups, and other concoctions. Contrary to corporate and governmental interests, coastal ‘development’ is an appropriation that more likely ATLAS Arts is an award winning, pioneering producer and means building resorts, expensive housing, or intensive commissioner of contemporary art that creates connections between open-net fish farming facilities, than the enhancement artists and audiences and responds to the unique qualities of this region, of the socio-economic-environmental welfare of coastal its landscape, its culture and its people. Through their work ATLAS provides opportunities for artists to develop ambitious, often temporary water-dependent communities. Hence, CLIMAVORE in durational work in the public realm. Skye aims to rethink the environmental futures of coastal atlasarts.org.uk inhabitation and the coastal commons through a diet that can effectively transform desires and infrastructure. It Cooking Sections (Daniel Fernández Pascual & Alon Schwabe) is takes the tidal zone of the island as an ambiguous site that a duo of spatial practitioners based out of London, exploring the systems that organize the WORLD through FOOD. Using installation, appears, disappears, reappears, and constantly changes in performance, mapping and video, their research-based practice works size. That coastal space has no clear definition and opens between the overlapping boundaries between visual arts, architecture up for murky, yet cleaner, usership; and can become the and geopolitics. Their work has been exhibited at the U.S. Pavilion, 2014 entrance into a new ecology, economy and imaginary. Venice Architecture Biennale; Delfina Foundation, London; Glasgow International; Victoria & Albert Museum; and dOCUMENTA(13) among Cooking Sections, September 2017 others. In 2016 they opened The Empire Remains Shop. cooking-sections.com Graphic Design – An Endless Supply Tidal Outfits– Muslin Brothers Fabrication – P.L.D. Smiddy Climavore: On Tidal Zones is made possible thanks to Calum Matheson supporting the installation. And to Highland Council Planning Department, Portree Community Centre, Marine Scotland, Sabhal Mòr Ostaig, Scottish National Heritage, Skye and Lochalsh Archive Centre, Wasps, West Highland College UHI; Isle of Harris Gin, Lochnell Oysters, Mara Seaweed, Ogilvy Vodka, Talisker Whisky; Eilean Armstrong, Hugh Cheape, Ruth Clark, Alan Dickson, Colin Hattersley, Ron Henderson, Tony Legg, Peter MacAskill, Bonnie McCay, Alex MacInnes, James Merryweather, Calum Munro, Niall Munro, Fiona Stewart, Dòmhnall Uilleam Stiùbhart, Andrew Tait, Ewan Thomson, Martin Wildgoose, Karen Wilton, Ian McKay, Tim Wear, Iona MacDonald, On and many others who supported the process. Tidal Zones The installation is located in the waters of Bayfield and is accessible at low tide only. It is Menu recommended to come equipped COLLATERAL with wellies, and dress appropriately according to the weather. Thursday 14 September, Preview 19.30-21.00 PROGRAMME LOW TIDE 20.45 Vraec Whisky – Kelp 2 15–23 September, Monday – Saturday, 10.00–17.00 Nitrogen-Fix Fizz – Kelp 4 9 Film Programme Sea Forest Crackers – Nori, Wakame, Spirulina How I fell in love with a fish, Dan Barber TED Talk (2010) Oxidising Chips – Nori, Kelp Elishander Aquaculture, Victoria Claire Bernie (2010) Coastal Fortifiers – Common Oysters Waterland, David Bickley (1988) Uig Culnacnoc Scottish Fisher Girls, British Pathé Ltd (1920) Scallop Farmers, Nick Hand (2014) 6 Underneath, Nick Middleton (2017) Friday 15 September, 9.30 Oyster, Margaret Salmon (2014) LOW TIDE 9.35 ATLAS Arts Seaweed Crunchy Shingle – Dulse, Carrageenan Basement, Skye Gathering Hall and conversation with Rory MacPhee (Mara Seaweed) Stein Portree, IV51 9BZ 14–30 September, Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, 10.00–13.00, 14.00–17.00 Saturday 16 September, 10.30 The Banks of Bayfield: LOW TIDE 10.56 Salmon Fishing in Skye and Raasay 1944–1962 Littoral Scones – Sea Lettuce, Dulse Skye and Lochalsh Archive Centre Offshore Cookies – Nori 5 Portree, IV51 9HA Bloody Oyster Cocktails – Common Oysters 7 8 and The Littoral and the Liminal: Openings for Change Friday 15 September, 15.00–17.30 in the Coastal Commons. Talk by anthropologist Film Screening of Eglantine and Oyster by Margaret Salmon* Bonnie McCay Portree Followed by Q&A with Margaret Salmon Aros Centre,Viewfield Road Portree, IV51 9EU Sunday 17 September, 11.30 LOW TIDE 12.00 10 Saturday 16 September 11.30–15.30 DLT (Submarine) Sandwich – Dulse, Kelp, Mussels Raasay Along the Shoreline* Sea Ice Cream – Dulse, Spirulina Bus tour with Cooking Sections to a fish trap and an oyster shucking demonstration 16.00–18.00 Monday 18 September, 12.30 Beyond The Skye Foreshore* LOW TIDE 12.49 Boat trip around Portree Bay and Sound of Raasay Lasagna Foreshore – Kelp with Cooking Sections and Tidal Commons public workshop with local Tuesday 19 September, 19.30–20.30 residents, politicians and guests Film Screening of The Guga Hunters of Ness by Mike Day* ATLAS Arts Tuesday 19 September, 13.00 Basement, Skye Gathering Hall LOW TIDE 13.31 Portree, Isle of Skye, IV51 9BZ