Polarcap, the curatorial project of Liz Adamson and Graeme Todd, has established Basecamp on the legacy of John Muir, one of Scotland’s most important environmentalists. Polarcap is located in Dunbar, where Muir came from (though he is most frequently associated with the National Parks of North America).
Today and tomorrow a group of scientists and artists will, using Muir’s method, walk and talk in and about the environment. Muir’s knowledge of the environment was developed through direct experience (including one walk of 1,000 miles from Indiana to Florida), and this was the grounding of his campaigning, agitation and organising. The most famous example of Muir’s method was when he took Theodore Roosevelt into Yosemite in order to convince him that mismanagement and exploitation were destroying the valley and that government intervention was required.
This is the first event of a series planned by Polarcap, moving up the East Coast of Scotland through Edinburgh (collaborating with Edinburgh Sculpture Workshop) to Fife (with Fife Contemporary Arts & Crafts) and planning to end in Aberdeen.
The aim of Steep Trail is to build mutual understanding between artists and scientists through shared experiential activity and reflection.
If you are interested in checking it out, head for West Barnes Studios, School Brae, West Barnes, Dunbar, EH42 1UD this weekend. ecoartscotland will continue to cover the Steep Trail programme as it evolves.
This looks fascinating, hope it stays dry. I’d love to be taking part but will watch the blog with interest. trans-disciplinary ventures into the unknown 🙂