Mirrie Dancers is an innovative and inspiring project, commissioned by Shetland Arts. It was conceived by artists Nayan Kulkarni and Roxane Permar and is a project through which the residents of Shetland can participate in creating light based artworks, not only for their own locality, but also for a set of permanent art installations at Mareel, Shetland Arts’ new cinema, music and education venue.
The project will bring together people from all over the islands during an 18 month period creating artworks that bring light as a significant artform to Shetland for the first time. Light is a magic ingredient acting as a literal and symbolic beacon for our ambitions, for the community and for Mareel.
The project is in two parts; firstly inviting participation in creating temporary illuminations for ten buildings throughout Shetland on a rotating basis through the winter of 2009 – 2010. This will offer a variety of creative activities and events across Shetland over twelve months, culminating in a ‘festival of light’.
In the second part the lead artists will work with Shetland Lace Knitters to create a permanent internal installation at Mareel using Light and Shetland Lace.
These Lace and Light labs will take place in locations throughout Shetland, with skilled knitters working with the lead artists, experimenting with a variety of materials, yarns and technical processes to make unique laceworks for interior projections.
Participants of the Light Labs will make videos and translate them into light scores to illuminate the exterior of a local building for several weeks and launched at a public event. These illuminations will take place across the islands over a six-month period, creating a ‘festival of light’ throughout the dark Shetland winter.
Under Northern Skies
Voar
A blood orange moon
scrapes over blackened peaks
on graceful arc towards morning.
Simmer
Aquamarine sea horses
tumble over rocky fences
kissing yellow sand.
Hairst
A golden beam of light
breaking cloud cover
turns sea to beaten silver.
Yule
Merrie dancers, jade and emerald
trip the light fantastic
through dead of winter.
James Sinclair
January 2010
AULD CHAPEL, DUNROSSNESS
Faith once flourished in these walls
to which Wesleyans walked
every week to worship
hoping to bring healing to hands
bruised by sheaves they brought in
for the harvest,
the tatties that they hocked up
from the dark rigs of the Ness,
the sea, too, that could scour flesh,
grind hard rock into sand.
They looked for light
that might
illuminate their suffering
and bring battered palms together,
soothing broken souls and skin
with the gentle balm of prayer.
Donald S Murray
Visit www.mirriedancers.com for more information
