A sound installation of contemporary Scottish stories and music by
author James Robertson and musician Aidan O’Rourke.
Bold, tender, full of old truths and distilled modern wit, this is an epic
built on the beauty of the miniature. A collaboration between artists
steeped in tradition but constantly breaking new ground.
James Robertson, one of Scotland’s most respected authors, wrote a short story every day for a year. Each story was to be 365 words, no more, no less. It became an enchanting, roaming collection of fairytales, memories and provocations published in 2014 as 365:Stories. That was only the beginning. Fiddler/composer Aidan O’Rourke (of the folk supertrio Lau) wrote a tune every day in response, resulting in a major new body of 365 tunes.
The installation is a piece of art in itself, beautifully crafted from oak and steel with no digital screens in sight. It allows up to six people at a time to browse through all 365 stories and listen through headphones. Each spoken word-recording is paired with a piece of music.
Robertson reads many himself; other storytellers include Tam Dean Burn, Gerda Stevenson, Cathy Macdonald, Matthew Zajac and Kate Molleson providing rich and varied accents from around Scotland.
The exhibition space is occasionally closed for private functions. Please call 0131 556 9579 to check.
