Join us for an exclusive screening of Seaweed Women by student and Adam Smith 300 Enterprise Scholarship Award 2023 winner, Jeanette Sendler followed by a panel discussion with seaweed enthusiasts.
This is a historical short drama about the relationship between women and seaweed past, present and future. The film portrays kelpers in 1789 gathering seaweed to be sold as raw material and fertiliser. It introduces Margaret Gatty (1809-1873), a naturalist and writer who collected samples for one of the first seaweed reference books in Britain. The third part is about Fife artist Cally Nurse who uses seaweed as a material to explore our relationship with the natural world and highlight the current climate emergency.
The exclusive film screening of Seaweed Women will be followed by an informal panel discussion with Jeanette Sendler (filmmaker), Cally Nurse and Jayson Byles Forager of East Neuk Seaweed.
German-born artist Jeanette Sendler has lived in Scotland for over 30 years. Her practice has varied from costume design to installation art, land art and fibre art. In 2022 she took up filmmaking to transfer from theatre to film and studied Screen and TV at Fife College. In September she starts a BA in Film at Edinburgh Napier University.
Experimental eco-artist Cally Nurse has been working with seaweed since 2021 when she completed an MFA at Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art and Design, Dundee. Based in Newburgh, Fife, her work explores the relationship between humans and the natural world specifically in the inter-tidal zones.
Jayson is a keen forager with a passion for the outdoors and exploring sustainable ways to connect with nature. Since arriving in Scotland over a decade ago, he has worked to integrate his Maori heritage with the local landscape and culture. With years of experience in cuisine kitchens and edible gardens, Jayson has developed practical skills and a love of food. For the past ten years, his work has focused on seaweed and community engagement. He is dedicated to education, advocacy, and empowering people by reconnecting them to places and sources of sustenance, with respect for the environment and curiosity at the heart of his mission.
Following on from the film screening and panel discussion there is an opportunity to join seaweed artist, Cally Nurse for a seaweed art workshop at 2 PM.
A fun and creative workshop about the wonderful and extraordinary world of seaweed. Learn how to work with seaweed to make your own unique mixed-media artwork.
An exhibition of Cally’s work will also be displayed in the Community Gallery in Adam Smith Theatre.
Washed-up seaweed is the inspiration behind Tidal Encounters, a new exhibition by Newburgh artist, Cally Nurse. The series of work includes 2D and 3D artworks which ask us to consider seaweed in a new light showing its immense variety of forms, colours and textures.
The framed mixed media works combine everyday coastal debris, both natural and man-made. By distilling and disentangling their complexity they are transformed into thought-provoking and unique artworks. The techniques include copper electroforming, assemblage and collage.
“This is an exciting time for seaweed,” says Cally. “It has many extraordinary qualities and has been used for centuries as fertiliser and food. Now it is being researched for its potential uses in medicine, bioplastics and as a carbon sink.”
The exhibition will be on display from the 19th of June 2024 – 29th August 2024.
Bennochy Road
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01592 583302