ASTAR Glen Tolsta

ASTAR (distance, journey) explores the concept of journeying through time, to retrace the history of five families who in 1843 left their homes in the Park district of Lewis and settled in the uninhabited Glen Tolsta.

Although the glen subsequently became home to a thriving community it virtually disappeared in the period after the second world war, only a few generations later. A search for the origins of the Glen Tolsta community and a wider examination of who we belong to and where we come from was the genesis of this exhibition.

The location acts as a fulcrum for the work of the three artists, Anne Campbell, Mairi Morrison and Ishbel Murray, who collaborated on the project and their individual responses reveal the complex interweaving of island family histories.

The publication, "ASTAR Glen Tolsta", was produced to accompany the exhibition of the same name. The exhibition is currently showing at An Lanntair in Stornoway and copies of the publication are on sale at the gallery. Copies can also be purchased by contacting The Gaelic Books Council - http://www.gaelicbooks.org.

Featuring an essay by the Gaelic writer and broadcaster, Catriona Murray the book also includes reproductions of the art work in the exhibition as well as a DVD of the short film, “Rathad a’ Ghlinne” (The Glen Road).


Gaelic text about the exhibition:

ASTAR - pròiseact a tha a' meòrachadh air a bhith 'air astar' tro thìm gus eachdraidh còig teaghlaichean a dh' fhàg na dachaighean aca ann an sgìre na Pàirce ann an Leòdhas ann an 1843 a lorgachadh as ùr. Thog iad dachaighean ùra dhaibh fhèin ann an Gleann Tholastaidh, àite a bha fàs aig an àm. Ged a shoirbhich leotha ann a bhith a' stèideachadh coimhearsneachd làidir chaidh a' choimhearsneachd seo cha mhòr a-mach a bith as deidh an dàrna cogaidh, direach beagan ghinealachan as deidh dhan chiad ‘Ghleannaich’ tighinn ann. 'S e a bhith a' sìreadh tùs coimhearsneachd Ghleann Tholastaidh agus a' dèanamh sgrùdadh air cò leis sinn agus cò às an tàinig sinn a thug toiseach dhan taisbeanadh seo. Tha an t-àite fhèin ag obair mar bhùthal airson obair an luchd-ealain a thàinig còmhla airson a' phròiseact agus tha na freagairtean ealain fa leth aca a' nochdadh nan ceanglaichean eadar-fhìllte a tha ri lorg ann an eachdraidh teaghlaich eileanaich.