This week’s Freaky Friday (Friday 9th December 2011) Inverness Old Town Art (IOTA) presents works by Danny MacAskill and Rosie Newman. It brings us closer to heaven as nature slowly reclaims our industrial relics in Rosie Newman’s sculptural installation Wild Things and Danny MacAskill’s truly sublime film Industrial Revolutions.

IOTA is delighted to present a unique screening of Industrial Revolutions – a new film that captures a dynamic and compelling performance from the Highland’s street trials riding star Danny MacAskill. Industrial Revolutions sees Danny take his incredible bike skills into an industrial train yard and derelict buildings. Set in the beautiful Scottish countryside, the film was directed by Stu Thomson (Cut Media) for Channel 4’s documentary Concrete Circus and the haunting sound track features Ben Howard’s The Wolves.

“To walk in moss covered woodlands and feel moss covered objects like rocks and stones is lovely, I think they look so lush, soft and comfy, like carpets and sofas but often these things are cold, damp and probably covered in insects! Such is nature – looks lovely but can be a bit uncomfortable at times!” Rosie Newman

Rosie Newman was so inspired when she came across a pile of dumped items in the woods, only identifiable by their shape due to being covered in moss, that she made Wild Thing – a moss covered VW Beetle for Belladrum Tartan Heart Festival this summer. Bringing the old car back to life the artist has transformed both the inside and outside with many different species of moss there is also a woodland soundtrack you can hear through an open window.

Presented by IOTA in the Old Town Rose Street Car Park the moss car is back in an urban setting but the sounds, smells and feel of nature are counter to the objects original identity; the moss making it look cosy and yet freaky. Whilst making this piece Rosie learnt a lot about moss and got permission from The Forestry Commission to gather the moss from local forestry plantations following the Scottish Moss Collection Code. Scotland is a biodiversity hotspot for mosses, it has 87% of the UK’s moss species, so why not come along and see how many you can spot!

The event takes place on Friday 9th December from 10am – 6pm at the Ground Floor,  Old Town Rose Street Car Park. It is free to attend.

Next week…. Friday 16th December, 10am – 6pm, Free
The multi-storey is one of the tallest buildings in Inverness with fantastic panoramic views of the sky. What better place to do some heavenly cloud watching with artists Sundogs (yarnbombing duo Annie Marrs and Jennifer Cantwell) as they take over the building with their Cloudishness.

Freaky Fridays are part of IOTA’s Sublime programme funded by Creative Scotland.

Website: www.invernessoldtownart.co.uk