An Lanntair, Stornoway, Isle of Lewis, until 6 February 2010

IT’S GOT to be said – it was an inspired piece of programming. The placing of a show which depends on light and is a celebration of light, just when we’ve turned the corner of winter, makes very good sense. And after a short closure, people were coming through the door again and the movies were on again and hibernation was over in the city of Stornoway.

Beads Installation (Photo - Ian Stephen)

Joe Mahony has had a long term love-affair with lenses and light. He is that rare kind of artist who is able to transfer his enthusiasm for a medium to students he enables. Stuath Solais – Light Matters is an apt and witty title for the work shown – one of a series of shows made with local groups from Grianan Day Centre, Catch 23, Ardseileach, Lews Castle College, Lifestyle and APU.

Light does matter, and the brightness catches the visions of a wide range of people. Many of them have special needs, but on the evidence of this show all the contributors have very clear and well focussed visions of what they wish to create.

The tone is set by a projection emanating from two modest painted boxes on the floor. I was drawn down to see the kaleidoscope images forming in one of these. It took a bit of standing back to see that Helen Macleod’s selection of images were being projected high, to make full use of the space above eye-level in this gallery.

A light box mounted on the opposing wall alternates transport icons with more patterned images. The particular modern Massey Fergusson and the double-decker bus are both breeds from a body of cultural images on books or screens rather than what you’d commonly see on the island of Lewis. So in a way they are very close to the patterned shapes in that they are decorative.

There is a tent on the floor in the form of a pyramid. It’s lit from within and the paintings which are illuminated bring together the work of several artists. My favourite image is the sphynx in shades.

Another floor-mounted work presents imagery printed out on geometric shapes, which I’m reliably informed are dodecahedrons. This time it’s the work of a single artist – Janice Smith. And Donney Murray’s very recognizable comic book style shouts out from a strategically placed poster. But his vision is assisted by several other artists. It’s quite a statement – “I did not break the law – I am the law.” And the boldness of the visual presentation well matches the language. Marvel-lous.

A dvd on an iMac gathers a range of video work. My favourite was the road movie starring one man in his electric buggy. It seemed to have all the power of a Harley Davidson, moving along a still photographic landscape. You could follow the progress, hovering above a single track road leading out to infinity, or maybe just to a road end before the sea. Mind you, it seemed quite capable of gliding over water.

The digital fantasy worlds of Annie Maciver had a similar large scale ambition, realised as UV painting. These works seemed to me to show Joe’s working practice of providing the means – whether it’s software or another technical solution so the individual artist or group of artists can make what they imagine. I can’t think of many things more important in the arts.

The centerpiece is an amazing group achievment. It’s billed as a record-breaking hama bead sculpture. A curved panel draws a vista of the exterior of the gallery, through the space. The imagery seems to composed of a photo montage. It’s as if an image has become slightly pixellated on a strange screen. It’s impressive and fun. Faces and other elements are completely recognizable.

I’m qualified to say this because one element is the sgoth Niseach, an Sulaire which I’ve been know to skipper, time to time. It is completely accurate – unlike the more styllised version of the same image which appears as part of a lino-mosaic installation in the ferry-terminal.

© Ian Stephen, 2010

Links

• An Lanntair
• Ian Stephen