reading, and discussion of the well at the world’s end

Join us on the Isle of Mull, for the closing event of this iteration of The Well at the World’s End by Alexander and Susan Maris.

The event will start at 2pm with a reading by by Alexander Maris and will be followed by a discussion of the themes and threads of The Well at the World’s End.

“This project is much more expansive than a line on a map. It is more like branching tributaries of thought (and diverse philosophies and practices) conjoining upon ‘Lorn’ whose estuarine ‘beyond’ is – for myself at least – the symbolic Well at the World’s End.” Alexander Maris

For more than twenty-five years, Alexander and Susan Maris have collaborated to produce images and objects which reflect the cultural histories of the Scottish landscape.

In 2017 they were commissioned by Cultural Documents to extend their territory of interest through a long-term, research-led approach into the maritime district known historically as Lorne. They brought their deep-knowledge of the signs and symbolism of the historical Scottish landscape to a series of encounters with people in the area; these became activated by the artists’s stories, enquiries and reliquary objects (stones, seeds and water which symbolise the elements of interest), and the coinciding interest of the people with specialised knowledge.

Alexander and Susan Maris have developed the first in a new series of artworks which introduce The Well at the World’s End comprising tapestries, photographs, texts, drawings, Oghams, and the water of sacred wells which seek to unravel the character of the marine and geological area known as Lorne.

Exhibited at An Tobar Gallery, Tobermory, Isle of Mull until October 2019, with further research, events and exhibitions in and beyond Argyll during 2020.

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Background:

The commission which developed into The Well at the World’s End was framed by the Alexander and Susan Maris‘s work to date, the aims of Locating Lorne set by Deirdre MacKenna, a series of introductions she arranged with people who hold specialised knowledge of the area and a series of informal and public dialogues exploring cultural practices in the territory.

Please follow the links below to learn more about the process so far:

The Locating Lorne Research Studio – throughout 2017

Introductions in 2017: these were a number of semi-structured visits through the area which had the purpose of introducing people to Alexander Maris and Deirdre MacKenna and enabling them to explain their motivations, gather information and develop knowledge. These were significantly enabled by Ian and Anthea Cleaver, Brigadier Iain MacPhàrlain / John MacFarlane, Graeme Strachan at Glenburnie House, Iain Coates at Hazelbank Motors and Rab Black at Argyll Safaris.

Lorne Cultural Arena – talks – November and December 2017

The Journey to I – In May 2018, over a period of sixteen days, Alexander undertook a research action entitled The Journey to I and walked from Schiehallion to Iona, meeting people along the way, both by arrangement and by circumstance; these meetings initiated new conversations which activated the symbolic objects Alexander carried on the journey, and explored the origins of the Gaelic language, ideas of centre and periphery and evidence of routes of pilgrimage woven into the landscape by our forebears.

Artist’s Talk by Alexander Maris – The Rockfield Centre Oban – 28 June 2018

The Well at the World’s End: Exploring Lorne through Art-making Processes – Talk by Deirdre MacKenna at Kilmartin Museum – 13 December 2018

Artists’ talk by Alexander Maris introducing The Well at the World’s End at the Ross of Mull Historical Centre – 05 June 2019, followed the next morning by a

Walk led by Alexander Maris and The Ross of Mull Historical Centre to the west coast of the Ross of Mull – 06 June 2019

Exhibition at An Tobar Gallery, Comar Tobermory from Saturday 17 August to Friday 25 October –  please see Comar for opening hours and access

Exhibition at Dunoon Burgh Hall – April 2020

Exhibition at The Rockfield Centre Oban – April 2020.

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The Well at the World’s End is commissioned by Cultural Documents as part of their Locating Lorne programme; the exhibition from August to October 2019 is produced in partnership with the An Tobar Gallery at Comar, Mull.

For more information, please see these links

• the exhibition ‘The Well at the World’s End’ by Alexander and Susan Maris at An Tobar Gallery on the Isle of Mull 18 August to 25 October 2019
• the reading  by Alexander Maris on Saturday 17 August.

• Date from: 25 October 2019
• Date to: 25 October 2019
• Scotland, Tobermory - An Tobar, Argyll Terrace, Isle of Mull