7/30/2019 MIdlothian Community Hospital Public Art Brochure

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Supported by:

For more information call 0131 229 3555

email info@artlinkedinburgh.co.uk

or visit www.artlinkedinburgh.co.uk

www.facebook.com/ArtlinkEdinburgh

Find out more about the

sculptures at Midlothian

Community Hospital.

MIDLOTHIAN COMMUNITYHOSPITAL SCULPTURESArtlink

13a Spittal Street

Edinburgh

EH3 9DY

Tel: +441312293555Fax: +441312285257

Email: info@artlinkedinburgh.co.uk

Website: www.artlinkedinburgh.co.uk

Charity number: SC006845

7/30/2019 MIdlothian Community Hospital Public Art Brochure

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One warm May day in 2010 I took adrive out to Pencaitland - a lovely village

not too far from here. I was looking forward

to meeting up with Malcolm Lemmon,

an experienced green oak craftsman,

who had been working with lead artist

James McLardy to cut and build a series of

interactive sculptures out of green oak that

had been sourced both locally and from the

Roslynlee Hospital grounds.

Malcolm hires a large farm storage shed

for his projects and I found him, James and

some chickens hard at work. It is always a

delight to see REAL craftsmen at work and

having a keen interest in how things are put

together I was looking to get some tips on

construction

Of course I wasnt just out there on a

whim, all this sawing, sanding and doweling

was the product of months of hard work by

James, that had seen him researching the

local area, the histories of Roslynlee and

Loanhead hospitals, and doing an awful lotof talking.

The designs that James produced were

a reection of what he had found out; local

skills, connections with the area and its

history and the input from staff and patients

can all be found back in the sculptures

which you see in the courtyards and outside

the hospital. Working in this way made

sure that the artworks could both suggest

a function whilst bringing a coherent visual

addition in the courtyards and grounds.

In talking further with James, it was clear

that a lot of thought had gone into sourcing

the right materials and approach. The oak

used in most of the sculptures is a clear link

to Roslynlee Hospital. James discovered

early on in his research that the use of

the grounds at Roslynlee had been very

important to patients and relatives and

wanted to use this as a link between the

old hospital building, and the new one that

was being built.

These connections to local history and

relationships in the area continued with the

naval brass sculptures adorning some of

the wooden structures. These are designed

by the artist Claire Barclay and machined at

MacTaggart Scott who has a long association

with Loandhead Hospital. The Mac Taggart

Scott Loanhead Brass Band has been

entertaining patients and staff at Christmas

time for an awful long time. The painted metal

gates were designed in collaboration with staff

and forged by local blacksmith James Fleming

from the Cousland Smiddy, bringing colourful

motifs of agricultural and industrial heritage

into the courtyards.

The product ofmonths of hardwork.

Connections tolocal history.

A thoughful approach fromlocal crafts people.

In June of 2011 the nal installation of a

large oak hurdle and metal archway took

place. This involved lifting and manoeuvring

large curved oak beams in place, then

drilling bolting and doweling the structure

securely in place.

I am pretty sure that you will have noticed

the sculptures and the earthen mound

as you parked your car, sat on the bus

or walked towards the hospital. These

sculptures frame an area, that it is hoped

will become a more formal garden over

time which can be enjoyed by patients and

relatives. The sculptures here also have

function; the mound and oversized hurdle

provide shelter from prevailing winds and

weather, whereas the metal arch invites you

to enter the protected area.

The thoughtful approach that James

brought to the project and the skills of

local craftspeople Malcolm and James

has created work that sits comfortably in

their surroundings and at the same time

providing a stimulating visual experience.

Jan-Bert van den Berg

Artlink Director

The project was carried out by Artlink on

behalf of NHS Lothian Capital Planning &

Projects. Artlink establishes partnerships

with artists, venues and organisations to

help transform lives.

Artlinks Director,

Jan-Bert van den Berg gives

his rst hand impressions

of James McLardys new,

interactive, green oak

sculptures at MidlothianCommunity Hospital.

Malcolm Lemmon James McLardy The installation process

Painted metal gates Courtyards Naval brass sculptures Courtyard sculptures

A link between the oldhospital, and the new one

that was being built.