Fishy Tales from Around the World
New exhibition opening on the 20th of October at The Scottish Fisheries Museum, Anstruther, Fife. This exciting exhibition brings together fishing communities from Canada, India, Scotland and Portugal through the use of information technology to explore what unites and what defines unique fishing communities and cultures across the world.
The project has been spearheaded by the University of Dundee where a number of researchers are collaborating in the “tales of things” (TOTeM) project. The researchers have visited remote communities and investigated how they can incorporate technology to improve their lives without sacrificing their identities. Indeed, one of the findings of this project is that identities can be strengthened and valued through the use of technology to record and share their individual characteristics.
The exhibition contains examples of objects, stories and recordings from the communities visited. Visitors can access these via a smart phone as they tour the exhibition (for those who do not have their own, there will be some available at Reception to borrow in return for a deposit).
Sambaa K’e Project Partners:
Scott Hudson and Paul Harrison – Trout Lake, Canada
Sambaa K’e (Trout Lake) is considered to be one of the most traditional communities in the Canadian Northwest Territories. There are approximately 100 Got’ine (people) living in this Deh Cho community. A strong spirit of self-determination coupled with a leadership with vision helps maintain a cultural integrity, sense of identity and an intimate relationship with the land. Hunting, trapping and fishing are still mainstays of the economy and the people of Sambaa K’e are still committed to living life according to Dene principles.
In the late summer of 2010 artist printmakers Paul Harrison and Scott Hudson were invited by Sambaa K’e Dene Band to develop a small print facility in Trout Lake. The aim was to establish a creative tool for the community that would enable residents (and visitors) to visually explore aspects of their culture and relationship to the land. One purpose of this undertaking was to utilise printmaking as a tool that Gavin Renwick could apply within the initial communal design envisioning process of a new cultural facility for the community. A facility which will now also incorporate a new purpose built printmaking studio as a development of the initial concept.
Further invited visits by Paul, Scott and Gavin continue to fuel this collaborative development with Sambaa K’e and nurture further links with Dundee/Scotland – as well as with the Printmaking Faculty at the University of Alberta. The print studio has been embraced by the community and the series of workshops have been incredibly successful – engaging with a broad section of the community and with all age groups participating.
In 2012 the Sambaa K’e print studio has begun to emerge on to the International stage with members exhibiting original print works and supporting material in the FAB Gallery, University of Alberta as part of ‘Counterpoint: The Aesthetics of Post-Colonialism’. Members have also facilitated print workshops at the ‘Open Skies Art Festival’ in Fort Simpson, NWT, Canada and the Studio is now being considered widely as a significant Centre for Print Arts in the Western Arctic.
Scottish Fisheries MuseumThe Scottish Fisheries Museum is operated by an independent charitable trust and tells the story of the Scottish fishing industry and its people from the earliest times to the present.
Exhibition dates: 20 October 2012 – 3 February 2013
Open : Mon – Sat : 10 – 4.30, Sun : 12 – 4.30, last admissions 1 hour before closing
Entry : FREE with museum admission, accompanied children FREE
Location : St Ayles, Harbourhead, Anstruther, Fife KY10 3AB
www.scotfishmuseum.org
The exhibition will be accompanied by a number of events from art workshops to illustrated talks.
