ONE of Japan’s most celebrated environmental artists has begun work on a seven-metre long bamboo and willow sculpture in a Scottish nature reserve.
Ueno Masao is in Dumfries and Galloway for the Environmental Art Festival Scotland (EAFS). EAFS aims to stimulate discussion around climate change and sustainability through public events, activities and experiences covering art, science and politics.
Ueno is creating his new work, called Dome of Silence, in Carstramon Wood, near Gatehouse of Fleet, which is an area of historic woodland cared for by the Scottish Wildlife Trust.
Work on the new sculpture began on Saturday, 16 August when a group of local volunteers including prominent Scottish willow weaver Lizzie Farey gathered to create the framework round which Ueno will weave. The sculpture uses Scottish willow as well as bamboo brought over from Ueno’s own garden – synthesising the traditional weaving materials used by the two cultures.
Leah Black, EAFS co-producer, said: “We are really privileged to have Ueno with us as part of the festival. Dumfries and Galloway is renowned for its superb environmental art, and now visitors will be able to enjoy one of his works as well as those by other celebrated figures such as Henry Moore, Charles Jencks and Andy Goldsworthy.”
Explaining the choice of location and the character of his work Ueno said: “I love this woodland, it is perfect for my sculpture, which is a dome made of bamboo and willow – it is a very silent form. This place has a very special feeling of silence. When we are silent in places like this we can feed from nature.
“Nature is crucial to my art. My sculptures are transparent in construction so you can see the landscapes through them. So they are not independent of nature but work in collaboration with the environment.”
Ueno’s residency at EAFS has been made possible after he was chosen as the inaugural John Muir International Artist in Residence, established by Creative Scotland to celebrate the life, work and legacy of the great Scottish writer, explorer and naturalist.
EAFS is a partnership between Spring Fling, Wide Open and The Stove and is supported by organisations such as Creative Scotland, Dumfries and Galloway Council, Fresh Start, LEADER, Year of Natural Scotland.
You can visit the completed sculpture, in place, between 1st and 2nd September.....more here - keep watching the EAFS website for more details (or follow signs from Gatehouse)
Also you can go on a guided walk to the sculpture with the artist
and/or watch a demonstration by Ueno Masao in the amazing surrounding of Cairnsmore of Fleet National Nature Reserve
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