Sexy Peat exhibition will celebrate boggy moorland 29/1/13
An art exhibition to celebrate the boggy Lewis moorland is one of 14 flagship projects
being used to promote the Year of Natural Scotland.
The peat project has received a £45,200 grant under a Creative Scotland scheme to
get people to “engage with natural surroundings in innovative and exciting ways.”
Highland Print Studio will work in partnership with Cape Farewell to deliver the
exhibition of contemporary visual art called Sexy Peat.
It aims to celebrate the ecology and heritage of the Lewis blanket bog and highlight
the significant role that peat plays in global climate regulation.
The project, which will be delivered this year, will also celebrate the Gaelic heritage
relating to the bog and the significance of the bog to the people who have lived
with it.
Alison McMenemy, director of Highland Print Studio, said: “The Lewis peatland is
a big player in climate regulation that has never received the press awarded to its
sexy tropical peers. We’re delighted to get the opportunity to bring artists and
scientists together to celebrate this remarkable and haunting landscape.”
Iain Munro of Creative Scotland, said: “Scotland is renowned for its breath-taking
scenery, unique natural heritage, and world class arts. The Year of Natural Scotland
programme is an opportunity for the creative and environmental sectors to inspire
each other and develop new partnerships.
“The quality and number of applications received was extremely high and it is with
a real sense of anticipation that we look forward to seeing these inspiring projects
come to fruition across the country throughout the year.”
Fiona Hyslop, Cabinet Secretary for Culture and External Affairs, said: “I’m delighted
that throughout The Year of Natural Scotland 2013 these projects will be showcasing
the creativity and diversity which Scotland’s world-renowned environment inspires.
“This funding means people in Scotland and our visitors will be given the opportunity
to engage with their natural surroundings in innovative and exciting ways and to
discover or rediscover the natural brilliance that exists throughout our country.”