May/June 2019: ‘Home’

May/June 2019: ‘Home’ – an exploration of homelessness, displacement and belonging.

We launched our ‘Home’ season with two exhibitions. At Coburg House Art Studios we showcased the work of three artists, dB, Ellie Clarke and Sam Cook. Db’s photographs portrayed the jagged isolation of Edinburgh’s architecture, taken when he was homeless. He was supported through the Crisis Skylight Project to develop and frame the pieces for the exhibition. Ellie’s acrylic and mixed media works explored her experiences of pregnancy and the womb as home. Sam’s watercolour line drawings took us on his search for an inner home through depression. Over 300 people attended the Coburg House exhibition. Visitors commented on the thought provoking nature of the work, the welcoming environment, the innovative aspects of ‘Home’, the beautiful photography, the variety and the eye for composition. Members of the public were encouraged to write on our interactive art board and describe what ‘Home’ meant to them.

We also partnered with youth homeless charity ‘Rock Trust’ to put on the ‘Home is where the Art is’ in the historic environment of St Mary’s Cathedral in Edinburgh’s West End. 78 postcard size art works were shown by 48 artists. These included etchings of St Kilda and Shetland donated by Norman Ackroyd. The exhibition also established links between ArtSquat, Rock Trust and St Mary’s Cathedral and the opportunity for further collaboration.

Special thanks goes to St Mary’s Cathedral, particularly office manager Rosemary Kaye and Provost John McLuckie; Coburg House Art Studios and David Schofield for his excellent support; David Bishop, who donated our poster and photographs of the Coburg exhibition; student curators Eileen Taylor and Yota Dimitriou who supported the set up of both exhibitions; Barclays Bank who donated a hamper and £25 for our raffle and Bridget and Christopher Robbie who donated £50 for refreshments.