The Rumour Mill (and the grain of truth)

by Alexander Stevenson, 21 Jul 2009

On Saturday 18th July 2009 I finally arrived, setting foot onto the pier in the Hebridean drizzle of late afternoon.

Now as I think over the first four days, I am really pleased with what I’ve managed. I have interviewed the school teacher and so far arranged for a further five interviews over the next three weeks. Ideas for new work are coming thick and fast from the particular surroundings that I am finding myself in, and I have set myself up in a fantastic home-made recording studio and workshop in the heart of the island.

The two new images I have attached are from the island swap-shop, which is where I am intending to create one of the major pieces of work during the project. It’s a really good size and has all manner of ridiculous discards from an old C-B radio to a German Christmas tree stand. I am going to attempt several “re-arrangements” of the contents. One, might be to examine the discards as Eigg’s cultural artefacts (no matter where they were manufactured) and the space as a museum of cultural desire, waste, and re-use. One of the interview-points I want to research is how Eiggach feel they have been influenced by other cultures. Personally I wonder if toys made in China might say just as much about their last owner here as any object made on Eigg?

There is also a lovely standing stone, moved to it’s current location after it was found in the Larch plantation in the centre of the island some years ago. It has a track worn around it that looks like people have ritually walked around and around it for decades. The fact is, the track will have been made by sheep and for no more ritual a task that to scratch their fleecy bums! But it feels significant enough a gesture at comprehending why we name archaeological finds as “ritual”, simply because we’re not sure what they were for. I have been asking myself if I would be prepared to walk around it daily for the whole time I’m here; mimicking the sheep and enjoying their ritual. Truth is I’m probably not!

As to the title of this blog, I am referring to a mood that I have been noticing in response to my activities, and particularly towards the public information letters I sent out to all Islanders three weeks ago.
It seems interesting and I think relevant to the debates surrounding public art, to explore how artist’s are perceived by audiences who are (whether they like it or not) a focus of the artworks being made-

I had seen a few familiar faces from my research trip on the ferry crossing, and I had made the effort to said hello. But I wondered if had been giving off an unfriendly aura, as the reception was altogether a little cold. Soon afterwards I was quite enjoying the anonymity of a tourist as my photographer Danielle and I plodded towards the cafe at the pier. I was greeted halfway by Norah, who was generously offering us our accomodation and we went on to speak to several other people who were all back in the same high spirits as I had left them in September. All seemed well. But later I was introduced to several of the trust volunteers who are also staying in the modest- “Garden Cottage” this month. The first thing that was said after introductions was “All we heard was that there’s some self-proclaimed artist coming this month.”
I was a bit unsure what to read into the title “Self-Proclaimed Artist”. It sounded like a derogatory opinion of one of the islanders filtered through the volunteers, and if this was the case I have yet to find out where the negative suggestion would have come from, or why. Plus, I couldn’t quite understand why the phrase itslef seemed negative to me. Aren’t we all self-proclaimed artists? Sure, I have an art degree, I am a member of the Scottish artists union, and I have positioned myself so as to be considered an “artist” by my peers… but I wonder what would quantify my “artistship” to the person who questioned it, or why it was that phrase they used to express an unhappiness with the project that was initially (and still mostly) so warmly welcomed? I have since had plenty of very warm and generous conversations with islanders who have generally been extremely helpful and eager to participate.

Most of the islanders were expectant of my arrival. But there have been a few responses from islanders that suggest information I sent on ahead of my arrival was skimmed and only a couple of details were remembered. I have once or twice had the strange experience of being recognised- but where the person had no idea what I did, why I was there, or that it might involve them. Several people asked me if all of this paperwork and activies I would be doing meant I was simply on holiday! Some people never look at their mail or email which is fair enough on a relatively remote Scottish Island, and I respect peoples right to privacy. I also don’t want to make participating in artworks sound like pulling teeth! But there is a real challange to me as project-maker to include as many of the islanders as possible in contributing towards the artworks and activities. Relevance is tantamount.