FESTIVAL VISUAL ART | Bobby Niven 102 THE LIST FESTIVAL 10–17 Aug 2017
He shows me seed pods from around the world – many of them brought back to Scotland by intrepid plant hunters from more than a century ago – which he plans to cast in bronze and make into assemblage ‘portraits’. They will echo elements from his distinctive sculptural style, weaving found objects into intriguing structures which look part-primitive, part-modernist. He admits his own practice has been forced to take a back seat by the success of the Bothy Project, which was inspired by Scotland’s traditional mountain bothies. ‘I was enjoying going to bothies with the sketchbook, and wanted to try to think of ways to extend that experience for a creative stay, to remain off-grid, but have a few more comforts.’
The grassroots success of the project caught the imagination of those in the art world, such as the SNGMA and Edinburgh Art Festival director Sorcha Carey. The Bothy Project is currently being formalised as a charity, with a trading arm to sell prefab bothies (‘We’ve had lots of emails asking “how can I get one?”) and further bothies are planned in Scotland and further ai eld. Meanwhile, the work in Johnston Terrace is a chance to sample things to come. Niven says: ‘It’s not like Geddes, it’s not born from trying to create a space that will change people’s lives, it’s just a simple appreciation of being in a small space which is a nice environment. I think a space that has a bit of good feeling around it is something we need right now when there’s not a lot of good feeling going on.’
The Making of the Future: Now – Bobby Niven: Palm House, Johnston Terrace Wildlife Garden, until 27 Aug, free; Plant Scenery of the World, Inverleith House, until 29 Oct, free.