High Ideals

by Alexander Stevenson, 10 Jul 2009

Almost a year since I first stepped off the Cal-Mac Ferry, I am finally returning to Eigg. I’ve spent almost a year proposing, planning, and preparing, and it feels as if I have already done the project a hundred different ways in my imagination.

I have, of course, had to make formal statements about my intentions to no less than five different bodies and trusts, but the very essence of a residency (in my mind at least); is the intention to observe one’s surroundings and be influenced by what you see, hear, and imagine whilst assuming the grandiose title of ‘artist in residence’. In other words- you shouldn’t plan too much, you should be responsive and allow a good deal of chance to form outcomes and activities. With this in mind I am not sure how much I can say about activities in advance. As I said though, I have imagined hundreds of possible outcomes, enough that perhaps I will make Eigg the centre of my practice for several years to come.

One particular activity that will definitely take place and has been a part of previous projects; is the interviewing of people involved.
I want to lead-on from recordings I make with islanders twofold: to guide and influence activities and objects I create; and to form an alternative audio walking guide for future audiences.
The content of the guide so far remains open, but the potential is for the islanders to contribute personal and island-wide myths and stories, create new ones, or simply have a platform for voices that don’t necessarily speak as one on issues that are important to Eiggach.

The pub-mumming-style play that I created the first time I visited Eigg will hopefully seed a re-enactment or two, and I am working on posters that will glorify the illustrious first performance. Though strangely my memory of the event (and thus the posters depicting characters floating high above the isle in war balloons) does not seem to match up to the photographs I have of it. This assimilation of periphery, tangency, and imagination is set to continue with the children of Eigg Primary, when they perform their own re-enactment of the play in the last week of August.