|Objects| A vintage
|Objects| A vintage chair from Orkney draped in a SkyeSkyns sheepskin. Above it, a verdigris ceramic corbel by James Rigler topped by the Pineapple ghost rope doorstop by Mark Cook Lost & Found Edinburgh design emporium Bard showcases what’s new and joyful in tradition-laden Scottish craftsmanship. By Emma Love S cotland practically bleeds clichés: tartan, shortbread, long-haired Highland cows and whisky are just the start. Transcending these stereotypical images was – and remains – a welcome challenge for Hugo Macdonald and James Stevens, whose new gallerycum-shop in Edinburgh’s Leith port district explores Scottish identity through objects by around 50 rotating craftspeople. “We want to take visitors from the generalised to the specific, to allow them to understand individual parts of Scotland,” explains Stevens, an architect and designer. He cites Skye Weavers, who use bicycle-pedal-powered looms to PHOTO EDVINAS BRUZAS 32 CENTURION-MAGAZINE.COM
Bard owners James Stevens (left) and Hugo MacDonald PHOTO NORMAN WILCOX-GEISSEN weave blankets, scarves and throws with wool sourced from Isle of Skye farmers, as an example. “We became ever more aware of the huge number of people making, designing and manufacturing incredible things that tell fascinating stories about Scotland, not just this Victorian fantasy that many think is the only thing that exists here,” continues Macdonald, a design critic and curator. The couple had long spoken about eventually relocating north from Hastings (Macdonald grew up on the Isle of Skye), and Bard remained an idea in the abstract. “We were always looking for somewhere like this when travelling around Scotland and struggled to find it. So, we thought, let’s do it ourselves in a big building in Edinburgh that showcases everything from ceramics and glass to 3D printed textiles and repurposed ocean plastics – the expected and unexpected,” says Macdonald. The pandemic accelerated their plans, as did finding the ideal space, an old customs house, to rent. “We needed to build up relationships very quickly in order to open for Christmas [in 2022].” Armed with a wish list of craftsmen to work with, they plotted a road trip around the country. “We We want to take visitors from the generalised to the specific, to allow them to understand individual parts of Scotland have always been clear that if we are telling other people’s stories, it’s really important to stand in their studios and workshops, ask about their work and what inspires them, and how we can help grow what they do,” he continues. “Everybody was incredibly enthusiastic and kindly opened their address books. What started off as an already quite extensive trip mushroomed to ten weeks.” When you consider that huge swathes of the country are comprised of rural communities, it’s perhaps not surprising that craft plays such an intrinsic role. “There’s a historic material knowledge that has been kept alive by necessity in many ways,” agrees Macdonald. “We spent time on Orkney and Shetland, and both are strong examples of where traditional skills have never really died out; craft is very much baked into everyday life in a lot of Scotland still.” The pair are keen for Bard to be not just a showcase but also an incubator of talent. “Many makers sell directly and have a core collection of work that they are known for but they are also restlessly creative in a wonderful way,” says Stevens. “We want the gallery to be an environment where they can take greater risks and be a little more playful.” CENTURION-MAGAZINE.COM 33
