The gaelic phrase Creag Nam Mabh (Cliff of The Dead) is the ancient name for what we generally call the Crags of Arthur’s Seat.
Working from line drawings which show the nexus of tracks visible from the top of the Seat, this piece is an exploration of the ways people typically walk around the Crags. These paths change over time, and this work is a depiction of those formed in the recent history of the hill.
Although not depicted in this sculpture, the Radical Road—the wide and winding road which crawls up along the bottom of the crags—was a key inspiration. Unemployed artisan weavers built this road during the Scottish rebellion of 1820, known as the Radical War; a tiny fragment of history which reflects only one of many deep and expansive stories that are ingrained in the cracks of Creag Nam Mabh and Arthur’s Seat.
For most of us in 2022, the Crags are a sense of natural space and freedom from the city. In Edinburgh, we’re never too far from being out of breath, blown off our feet, and happy as can be.
Ghostwritten by Walter Kemp Bruce
Biography
Mary Kemp Bruce has a background in Philosophy and Sociology. This past year she has been studying both CAP and Printmaking at LSA, previously only committing to an at-home practice and the occasional evening class. Mary is planning to complete her MSc this year, researching processes of art-making and art as communication. She hopes to continue her studio practice after the courses are done, to fully explore the techniques learned throughout the year.
