NEWS
Emma’s exhibition pays tribute to Eyemouth fishermen
Emma Mackenzie has only recently completed her degree in contemporary applied arts, but in Eyemouth on Scotland’s east coast, she’s already a star.
Emma originally came from Edinburgh, but her family moved to the Berwickshire coast in the Scottish Borders about 10 years ago and she now calls this area home. And when she found out the topic for the second-year ‘live project’ of her course was to be ‘Harbour’, she knew exactly what she wanted to do. Emma explains:
“There is a well-known story from Berwickshire about the ‘Eyemouth Fishing Disaster’ which happened on 14 October 1881. On that day a storm of unprecedented ferocity lashed the east coast of Scotland and a total of 189 fishermen lost their lives, 129 of them from Eyemouth. With many locals of today still involved in the fishing industry (many direct descendents of those lost) the event, its poignancy and continued relevance, is never far from people’s thoughts.
“For my project, I produced a number of boats and 129 hand-built earthenware and porcelain figures, one to represent each Eyemouth fisherman lost that day. The earthenware figures are made from red clay dug from the cliffs of Eyemouth itself, giving an important connection to the site.
“I was keen for the completed work to return to Eyemouth and be displayed there, so I approached Eyemouth Museum and Art Gallery with an
Emma Mackenzie
exhibition proposal. I used the title ‘The Pickit Men’ a Scottish word meaning picked, as this was an often-repeated description at the time of the disaster; those left behind feeling it was as if their men had been chosen.
“The ‘Pickit Men’ opened to the public on 15 August and ran until 28 October, coinciding with the 130th
anniversary of the disaster. I was
delighted when The Museum Board of Trustees contacted me after the first week of display in order to secure the purchase of the entire work. Locals and visitors had expressed the desire for the work to stay in Eyemouth, as it was their story. The museum (a small site based in the Auld Kirk and run by local volunteers) is currently pursuing funding for the purchase, having made an initial approach to National Galleries Scotland.“
Emma’s work has obviously made a real impact on local residents, one of whom, Bruce Dougall, wrote: “I along with many others lost distant family members in the disaster…I thought your clay figures in the sand very moving (and my wife would say, it takes a lot for me to show emotion) and I purchased one of your stunning photos that we are now having framed for our home.”
Above and right, earthenware and porcelain figures and boat
Emma is currently based in Manchester and is studying a masters degree in contemporary craft practice. She hopes to continue as a creative practitioner with a diverse ‘portfolio’ career which involves teaching as well as making, exhibiting and selling public applied art.
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