This month Rebecca and I made it across to the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh to join CCN member Rosslyn Barr (of Edinburgh Shoreline) for a bespoke visit of the new Forth Lines exhibit.
The exhibit is a deeply personal exploration of the Firth of Forth shoreline through 184 individually crafted calico squares. Each square relates to a square kilometre of coastline and are brought together for the firth time in a breath takingly beautiful celebration of coastal cultural and natural heritage.
Each calico square is uniquely crafted and tells a story of the artist’s personal relationship to the coast. There are pieces which depict how the sea can benefit mental health, while others are eulogies to loved ones lost. Some squares provide insight to the past, while others share a vision of the future (fears around climate change and rising sea levels are notable themes).
Rosslyn spoke of how the project began during the first lockdown, and grew and grew until over 200 crafters were involved (so much so that there even requests to extend the project beyond the Firth of Forth!)
Also on display here is a preview of the soon-to-be launched 100 species project, where crafters will adopt a marine organism which calls the Forth home, and showcase it in miniature in a medium of their choosing.
Finally, there is an opportunity to learn about the Restoration Forth project and how, as a resident of the area, you can become involved in protecting and restoring the habitats of the Forth.
Forth Lines is supported by the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh and Fauna & Flora International, and part of Edinburgh Science Festival 2022. It runs at the John Hope Gateway until Sunday 24 April.
Tags: Art, Community, Restoration