Meet the Artist: Robbie Thomson
Remembering Together: Na h-Eileanan Siar have appointed their artist to co-create memorials with communities. Meet Robbie Thomson
Robbie Thomson is an artist and educator working between the fields of visual art, music and theatre, based in Arnol on the Isle of Lewis. Robbie's interests include the interplay of technology and consciousness, cybernetics, industrial landscapes and megalithic sites. Past works include music made with a high voltage Tesla coil and a large scale robotic installation in Glasgow’s Clyde Tunnel.
Robbie was a founding director of independent arts venue and studios, the Glue Factory, in Glasgow, and he is an associate artist with production house Cryptic. He is an arts worker with An Lanntair in Stornoway and leads, Clàr – a programme which develops digital creativity for 14-25 year olds. Robbie has toured music and theatre works widely, presenting work at festivals throughout the UK, Europe, Indonesia, Mexico, Korea, and Australia.
Robbie says:
My approach to Remembering Together will focus on developing creative engagement events and opportunities for residents of the Western Isles to make their thoughts and feelings heard in the co-creation of a fitting memorial for the Covid-19 pandemic. I aim to reach as a broad a cross-section of island residents as possible and ensure that there are face to face sessions available throughout our geographically expansive and diverse local area. This will be combined with an online presence, which will act as an access point for contributions and updates, and as a repository for ideas generated during the process.
I will work with Macaulay College and their students as the primary local partner for the co-creation project to develop an exhibition and event site in their sensory woodland. This will provide a focus for the culmination of the phase 1 delivery and also create a useful legacy for future community events. Students will be involved in the creative design and build of the project as well as contributing their own ideas for the memorial.
The curation of community events and workshops will be centred around making the themes of the project culturally relevant to the Western Isles and will encourage participants to share their thoughts and experiences in a safe and supportive context with care paid to the sensitive nature of the subject. I will engage local artists, musicians and cultural experts to help in the delivery of these events and forge partnerships with creative and community organisations across the isles.
The co-creation programme will adhere to best practice guidelines for accessibility in order to make sure the process is open to everyone in our community.