Short Dance Film | Nil by Mouth

25th November 2014 The Scottish Parliament 

1st - 8th December 2014 The Tent Gallery, Edinburgh

Commissioned upon inivtiation by Hans Clausen for Nil By Mouth.

Nil by Mouth was designed and is administered through a partnership between The Crichton Carbon Centre, Creative Scotland and the creative organisation Wide Open. Part of Wide Open’s own statement of intent offers a useful description of the philosophical approach of the Nil by Mouth residency programme; ‘... working within cultural, social and physical contexts to evolve interdisciplinary creative processes that reveal and explore identity, distinctiveness and potential of place and people.’.

Nil by Mouth has a talent development remit for the participating artists, ‘promoting professional development, connectivity and ambition’.  Each artist was invited to make one piece of work which explored an aspect of Nil by Mouth’s topics of interest. 

Outdoor performance in Howmore – South Uist.

Choreography and performance: Laura Johnston.

Music: Gaoth an Iar – Peigi and Margaret Campbell.

Artwork back story:

I am interested in making everyday actions and elements a source of inspiration and a place of initial movement. This piece explored the way in which crofters move across the landscape, always responding to the challenges of the often extreme Hebridean environment and weather.

The repetitiveness of the piece underlines the daily hard work of the crofter as well as referencing how the crofter is constantly bound to the land, the weather and the seasons, year in and year out. 

This work was develop to honour crofting, central aspect of Uist culture and way of life, vital for the sustainability of the land, the fragile environment and in maintaining a healthy population.