Remote Performances in Nature and Architecture published by Ashgate

• Edited by Bruce Gilchrist and Jo Joelson, both at London Fieldworks, UK and Tracey Warr, Oxford Brookes University, UK
• This book explores the relationship between place and forms of thought and creative activity, relating Outlandia and the artists there to the tradition of generative thinking and making structures that have included Goethe’s Gartenhaus in Weimar, Henry Thoreau's cabin at Walden Pond and Dylan Thomas’s writing shack in Laugharne.
  
  Based on a series of residencies and radio broadcasts produced by London Fieldworks in collaboration with Resonance 104.4fm, the Remote Performances project enabled twenty invited artists to consider and engage in transmissions, sound performances and dialogues on their artmaking strategies immersed in this specific rural environment of mountain, forest and river; flora and fauna. Some artists engaged in dialogue with people living and working in the area with a range of specialisms and experience in, for examples, forestry, mountain culture, wildlife, tourism, and local history. This book explores the ways in which being in the field impacts on artists and permeates through to the artworks they create. It considers the relationship between geography and contemporary art and artists’ use of maps and fieldwork. It charts these artists’ explorations of the ecological and cultural value of the natural environment, questioning our perceptions and relationships to landscape, climate and their changes. The book is an inspiring collection of ways to think differently about our relationship with the changing natural environment.
  
  The book includes essays by Jo Joelson, Francis McKee, Tracey Warr and Bruce Gilchrist, and texts, images and drawings by the artists: Bram Thomas Arnold, Ruth Barker, Ed Baxter, Johny Brown, Clair Chinnery, Kirsteen Davidson Kelly, Ben Drew, Alec Finlay & Ken Cockburn, Goodiepal, Sarah Kenchington, London Fieldworks & Mark Vernon, Lisa O’Brien, Lee Patterson, Michael Pedersen, Geoff Sample, Tracey Warr and Tony White, reflecting on the notion of contemporary remoteness and creative responses to Outlandia and its wider context.
• Contents: Introduction, Jo Joelson; A survey of the terrain, Francis McKee; Kelpies, banshees and pibrochs heard in these parts, Geoff Sample; Like like, Michael Pederson; Selections from The Hut Book, Alec Finlay; From a train, Goodiepal; The sound of Lochaber, London Fieldworks and Mark Vernon; Geo graphy, Tracey Warr; There’s a monster in the nest-box, Clair Chinnery; In search of silence, Lisa O’Brien; Composing with place, Kirsteen Davidson Kelly; A sense of distance, Lee Patterson; Notes for a video, Benedict Drew; The contemporary remote, Bruce Gilchrist; Second sketch for ascent and descent, Ed Baxter; Euphonium at sea, Sarah Kenchington; Notes after a week of wandering, Bram Thomas Arnold; Echo. Genius loci, Ruth Barker; Into Outlandia, Johny Brown; High-lands, Tony White; Endnotes on remoteness, Clair Chinnery, Lisa O’Brien and Bram Thomas Arnold; Further resources; Index.
• Purchase the book from the Ashgate website with the following 50% discount code: 50DCB15N

REMOTE CENTRES: Performances from Outlandia–Edinburgh Arts Festival (EAF2015)

Photography by London Fieldworks

Edinburgh College of Art: Tent Gallery
Remote Centres: Performances from Outlandia
30 July – 30 August 2015

An architectural re-configuring of the Outlandia field-station, Remote Centres: Performances from Outlandia sees performance and sound works originally created at Outlandia by 20 artists, poets, writers, musicians and members of the Nevis community, contained within a sculptural environment inside the Tent Gallery. The performances and sound works were originally commissioned for Remote Performances, a series of radio broadcasts from Outlandia, co-produced by London Fieldworks and Resonance 104.4fm, with support from Arts Council England, the Nevis Landscape Partnership, Oxford Brookes University and Forestry Commission Scotland.

EAF2015 

Remote Performances on Soundcloud

Audio content generated during the Remote Performances project (August 5-9, 2014) is available on SoundCloud. Remote Performances was funded by Arts Council England, Nevis Landscape Partnership, Oxford Brookes University with support from Forestry Commission Scotland and Live Art Development Agency.

www.remoteperformances.co.uk/

Press & Journal

Glen Nevis treehouse to broadcast ‘Sound of Lochaber’

By Sue Restan

A new project involving local people is to be broadcast from a treehouse in the shadow of Ben Nevis. The controversial artist’s studio – called Outlandia and perched high in a tree in Glen Nevis – was built by London-based multi-media company London Fieldworks. The company, run by multimedia artists Bruce Gilchrist and Jo Joelson, has now teamed up with the world’s first art radio station, Resonance104.4fm, for the project called Remote Performances, which aims to capture the sound of Lochaber. And they are appealing for local people to contact them to suggest sounds that could be included in the project.

The architect-designed structure, which is less than 12ft square and about 20ft off the ground, is reached via a quarter of a mile of boardwalk. It has spectacular views of Britain’s highest mountain and was created to give artists the opportunity to work in a remote and inspiring environment. And, from Monday August 4 to Saturday August 9, 20 specially commissioned artist performances and programmes created with local residents will be broadcast live from Outlandia.

The company’s initial proposal for three treehouses further up the glen attracted criticism from local people who feared it would blight the natural scenic beauty of the upper reaches of the glen and do little to enhance the local economy. However, it was successful with its application for one tree-house nearer to Cow Hill in Fort William and Outlandia opened in 2010.

Mr Gilchrist said the studio, which sways when the wind blows, had been used regularly by a wide range of artists. He said: “We’ve had 25 residencies since the launch. The artists who’ve stayed there said it was very inspirational and encouraged them to try things they wouldn’t normally have done. “We now want to get the local community more involved in the project.” He explained, that as well as suggesting sounds, such as music, poems or environmental noises, that remind them of the area, they will also be given the opportunity to get involved in the broadcasting.

The project is being supported by the Nevis Landscape Partnership, the Arts Council England, Oxford Brookes University, Live Art Development Agency and Edinburgh Arts Festival.

Anyone wanting to suggest sounds for the project should e-mail their ideas to info@outlandia.com

www.remoteperformances.co.uk

Remote Performances

New artworks made for radio and broadcast live from Outlandia: August 4 -9 2014 

Remote Performances is a collaboration between artists London Fieldworks and Resonance104.4fm, the world’s first art radio station. For one week in August 2014, 20 specially commissioned artist performances and programmes created with local residents will be broadcast live from Outlandia.
Project Blog