Artful Migration 2020
An artist residency at the National Trust for Scotland’s Kelton Mains site at Threave Estate
Artful Migration is an artist-in-residence programme which supports artists to create work informed by wildlife, the natural world, the environment and climate change.
The programme is being developed by Upland in partnership with Ginnie Wollaston and Nicholas Parton Philip of Moving Souls Dance. It is also supported by Creative Scotland and the National Trust for Scotland, who own and manage Threave Nature Reserve.
For Artful Migration 2020, environmental video artist and filmmaker John Wallace created work based on the behaviour of the ospreys at Kelton Mains, Threave Nature Reserve (which is part of NTS Threave Garden & Estate). Based in Annandale, in the east of the region, he explored the lives of the rare birds of prey but also looked at the wider ecosystem that supports them, plus their impact on people.
The 2020 residency builds on a successful pilot which took place at WWT Caerlaverock in 2017-18, when Angela Alexander-Lloyd created work based around the annual migration of whooper swans from Iceland to the Solway Firth.
The Artful Migration was set up to honour the legacy of Ginnie Wollaston’s uncle George Clark and his brother John Clark, a keen artist who lived for many years in Gatehouse of Fleet. Ginnie wanted to give this legacy to Dumfries and Galloway in memory of both uncles, enabling artists to create work inspired by the unqiue environment and migratory birds associated with the region.
ARTFUL MIGRATION 2020 EXHIBITION:
Scene: here
A year in the landscape of the Threave ospreys
Saturday 21st– Sunday 29th August 2021
John's residency culminated in the presentation of a multi-screen video installation exploring NTS Threave Nature Reserve at Kelton Mains, the yearly return of ospreys, and their role as a major attraction for visiting humans.
Coinciding with the start of a 100-year Threave Landscape Restoration Project to improve habitats and make the area at Kelton Mains more resilient to climate change, interviews with workers, volunteers and visitors gave insight into coming changes, those already seen, and the impact of the ospreys on those who volunteer their spare time to look out for them or who simply come to catch a glimpse.
Supported by Moving Souls Dance, Creative Scotland and the National Trust for Scotland, who own and manage Threave Nature Reserve.
Find out more
Artful Migration // A long way ‘round to get here
Artful Migration artist-in-residence, John Wallace, writes about his five-year journey to connect with the elusive osprey
Artful Migration // Why do they go when they do?
Blog post by Artist-in-residence John Wallace
Artful Migration // Early morning in a late spring
Artful Migration artist-in-residence, John Wallace, writes about his five-year journey to connect with the elusive osprey
Artful Migration Artist-in-residence announced!
We’re delighted to announce our Artful Migration artist in residence for 2023!
Press Release: Artist’s Year Capturing the Landscape and the Lives of Threave’s Ospreys
John Wallace's Audio-visual installation explores the environment and eco-system that is home to one of Scotland’s rarest birds of prey.
Press Release: Artful Migration Film Project Will Focus on Scotland’s Visiting Ospreys
Environmental video artist and filmmaker John Wallace has been named as the recipient of the Artful Migration residency