CONFERENCE REVIEW: Creative Orkney

Review of the inaugural conference exploring art, identity,
landscape, and creativity in its Orcadian context
St. Magnus Centre, Kirkwall, Orkney
25th to 27th September 2014

INTENSE, inspiring and invigorating sums up for me my attendance at the first Creative Orkney Conference.

Hosted by the University of the Highlands and Islands’ Centre for Nordic Studies the speakers came from both within Orkney and from further afield. Their interest in our northern cultural perspective was represented by an impressive breadth of papers addressing the proposed themes. Bringing to them their own personal and academic viewpoints provided some fascinating insights into their perception of the artistic culture which exists on Orkney specifically and in Scotland in general.

Arguably, due to the clips of a few hard-hitting cult movies they showed, the presentation by Dr. David Manderson and film maker Eleanor Yule promoting their forthcoming book, The Glass Half Full - Moving Beyond Scottish Miserablism created the greatest impact in terms of how Scottish culture and identity is portrayed through artistic means, even though they are not a typical depiction of Orcadian values and attitudes. It is unfortunate that the book appears to deal mainly with the already too familiar and staid stereotypical impressions of Scottish behaviour and questioning of identity and does not look out from mainland Scotland to the island archipelagoes for a fresher stance and outlook. Had they attempted to do so their project, at least the small part of it which Manderson and Yule were able to impart to the audience in the time available, might have given a more balanced and realistic picture of what they term ‘Scottish Miserablism’.

As a recent MLITT graduate (2013), writer and resident of Orkney with a keenness for the local arts, artists, writers and literature my own personal research interests were tweaked, in particular, by the first two presentations of the main day (Fri. 26/09/14). Rebecca Marr talked illuminatingly about her work documenting and archiving the many pictures left to us by the Orkney-based photographer, Gunnie Moberg (1941 – 2007). As part of her conclusion Marr showed a beautiful selection of slides of two photographic collaborations between Moberg and the Orkney poet and writer George Mackay Brown (1921 – 1996). Moberg provided the photographs and Brown wrote the poems.

The second presentation of the day came from Andrew Parkinson, the curator of the Pier Arts Centre. Speaking about his work the focus of Parkinson’s lecture was on the unique inspiration the island of Hoy has had on artists. Through a series of slides he traced the impact the Island’s fascination has had on the development of artistic creativity in Orkney throughout the 20th Century. The images included works by Stanley Cursiter (1887 - 1976), Bet Low (1924–2007) and Sylvia Wishart (1936 – 2008).

The afternoon sessions, which included the one already mentioned by Dr. Manderson and Eleanor Yule, also brought captivating presentations with musical themes. Dr. Ben Whitworth, Director of The Orkney Schola, talked about reconstructing and performing the Magnus Liturgy, traditionally sung each year on the Martyr’s feast days, 16th April and 13th December. Then followed Orkney-based composer Gemma McGregor who spoke about her musical depictions of St. Magnus which are influenced by the works of artists equally inspired by the Saint’s story, Peter Maxwell Davies and George Mackay Brown.

Returning to the themes of words and language in the context of artistic expression writer and UHI tutor Rosie Alexander’s personal account of her move from Cornwall to Orkney and how the focus of her creative writing changed along with her geographical transition was warm and insightful. Her sentiments surely resonate with many, myself included, who have come to these shores in search of a ‘better life’ and gained the emotional and spiritual freedom to write with renewed fervour and artistic imagination and integrity.

The last presentation of the afternoon was by PhD student at the Centre for Nordic Studies, Rebecca Ford. In her paper Weaving Words: A dialogical approach to creativity and community discourse in Orkney she discussed Mikhail Bakhtin’s theory of dialogism, relating it to the notion that creativity not only occurs in the artist’s own mind, that is in his ‘self’ but that it feeds on ‘interconnectedness’ of the creative’s environment. In this case it is a socio-cultural process of making sense of the ‘self’ and the ‘other’. The ‘other’ being the relationships and discourse which shape and inform a small island community. This last concept struck a particular chord with me since it is relevant to my own research interests into how, when endangered or threatened by outside forces over which they have no control, the identity of individuals and/or communities transmutes and they unconsciously alter their behaviour towards others as a way of self-protection and secreting of their fears.

The 75-minute-long discussion panel at the end of the day brought a satisfying conclusion in that it focused wholly on the future development of the arts in Orkney and, therefore, was entirely in keeping with the Conference’s theme. Panel members included Clare Gee (Arts, Museums & Heritage Services Manager, Orkney Islands Council) and Laura Drever (Chair, Piers Arts Centre). Artists in their own right, whilst being professionally engaged in the promotion and nurturing of the arts in Orkney, they were supported by Harvey Johnston (Councillor for West Mainland, Orkney), Iain Hamilton (Highlands & Islands Enterprise) and by Prof. Chris Wainwright (University of the Arts, London) and François Matarasso (freelance consultant and author of Stories and Fables, Reflections on culture development in Orkney).

The speakers spoke encouragingly about Orkney’s healthy artistic and cultural scene, but agreed there was no room for complacency or the temptation to simply rest upon the laurels of its strong legacy. New ways had to be found to foster the next generation of creatives and to allow them to grow and develop in ways that are relevant to life in the 21st Century. At the same time opportunities had to be made available for older artists or those returning to a creative life, perhaps in retirement or after years of following a different career path.

I warmly thank and commend the organisers and hosts on their excellent efforts to have made the inaugural Creative Orkney Conference happen and this delegate’s attendance a most rewarding experience.