at St. Oran’s Chapel, ISLE of IONA

15th – 22nd October 2011

Opening Event – 2-3pm, Saturday 15th October

The island of Inch Kenneth and its extraordinary house welcomed 6°WEST in June 2011 for an artists’ residency. An exhibition of a suite of prints from this unique residency will be shown at St Oran’s Chapel, Iona.

Artist members of the collective Anne Devine, David Faithfull, Mhairi Killin, Veronica Slater and curator Alicia Hendrick were ferried from Mull to the island to explore and to spend time in residence at Inch Kenneth House. They were joined by photographer Shannon Tofts and art critic Georgina Coburn who documented their work. This unique residency afforded the group an opportunity to explore the multiple histories, ecology and geology of the island.

St Oran’s Chapel will house an exhibition of commissioned prints by each of the participating artists, developed from their residency on Inch Kenneth. These prints will be accompanied by a series of photographic sketchbooks containing images by Shannon Tofts selected by each artist reflecting their time on the island. A commissioned essay by Georgina Coburn sets the work of 6°WEST in a contemporary art context.

Inch Kenneth is a culturally significant island with a fascinating history. It is part of a sculptural tradition represented by a collection of medieval stone carvings in its 13th Century chapel. Boswell and Johnson visited its shores in 1773 as part of their tour of the Hebrides and in the 1940s it became the home to the eccentric Mitford Family. Historically there are strong links between the islands of Iona and Inch Kenneth, so 6°WEST is delighted to be given permission by Historic Scotland to show this new work at St Oran’s Chapel.

6°WEST received funding from Argyll and Bute Council, Hi-Arts and Creative Scotland for their artists’ residency on the island of Inch Kenneth as part of the Year of Scotland’s Islands.

For more information: http://6degreeswest.blogspot.com

Source: A Hendrick