Practicing Deep Time

Just back from a really stimulating weekend up in the far North of Scotland at Timespan, a great little gallery in Helmsdale – punching above its weight I would say. Bridget and I got a great deal out of it and will no doubt post more when we have a bit more time. The theme was about communicating deep time and it brought together practitioners but also a few from the heritage and archaeology worlds –  focussed on thinking about the past as it might illuminate the future in ecological terms.

A great key-note address by Anna-Sophie Springer about re-contextualising futures of ‘natural history’, a video exhibition by Gair Dunlop on the nuclear industry, discussion of a walk through an archaeological landscape, a visit to Dounreay,  lots of discussion and sharing of practice. The over-riding thing I came away with was the interdisciplinary of contemporary practice and the many creative ways in which artists are by-passing galleries and engaging in conversations in other places and other contexts. Very much where I see my own work going as I continue to work locally on the Wylfa site.