Astar: Gleann Tholstaidh Glen Tolsta
Ishbel Murray, Mairi Morrison, Anne Campbell
Exhibition at An Lanntair, Stornoway, 11th February – 24th March 2012

ASTAR (distance, journey) explores the concept of journeying through time, to retrace the history of five families who in 1843 left their homes in the Park district of Lewis and settled in the uninhabited Glen Tolsta, Although the glen subsequently became home to a thriving community it virtually disappeared in the period after the Second World War, only a few generations later. A search for the origins of the Glen Tolsta community and a wider examination of who we belong to and where we come from was the genesis of this exhibition. The location acts as a fulcrum for the work of the three artists, Anne Campbell, Mairi Morrison and Ishbel Murray, who collaborated on the project and their individual responses reveal the complex interweaving of island family histories.

The first copies of the publication, “ASTAR Glen Tolsta”, created to accompany the exhibition of the same name will be available on the opening night of the show on Saturday February 11th at An Lanntair in Stornoway. The book features an essay by the Gaelic writer and broadcaster, Catriona Murray as well as reproductions of the work in the exhibition.

For further information contact Roddy Murray roddy@lanntair.com

ASTAR – pròiseact a tha a’ meòrachadh air a bhith ‘air astar’ tro thìm gus eachdraidh còig teaghlaichean a dh’ fhàg na dachaighean aca ann an sgìre na Pàirce ann an Leòdhas ann an 1843 a lorgachadh as ùr. Thog iad dachaighean ùra dhaibh fhèin ann an Gleann Tholastaidh, àite a bha fàs aig an àm. Ged a shoirbhich leotha ann a bhith a’ stèideachadh coimhearsneachd làidir chaidh a’ choimhearsneachd seo cha mhòr a-mach a bith as deidh an dàrna cogaidh, direach beagan ghinealachan as deidh dhan chiad ‘Ghleannaich’ tighinn ann. ‘S e a bhith a’ sìreadh tùs coimhearsneachd Ghleann Tholastaidh agus a’ dèanamh sgrùdadh air cò leis sinn agus cò às an tàinig sinn a thug toiseach dhan taisbeanadh seo. Tha an t-àite fhèin ag obair mar bhùthal airson obair an luchd-ealain a thàinig còmhla airson a’ phròiseact agus tha na freagairtean ealain fa leth aca a’ nochdadh nan ceanglaichean eadar-fhìllte a tha ri lorg ann an eachdraidh teaghlaich eileanaich.