MA  of  Contemporary  Art  Theory  Assessment  

Please see my enclosed Master Project and Thesis. This submission includes the written thesis titled Alephs Moved Again and in conjunction with this thesis I have produced a website documenting public art in Edinburgh of the same title.

• The Masters project website url: alephsmovedagain.com

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Table  of  Contents  

Cover  page  ….....................................................................................................................................1    Introduction  ….................................................................................................................................4    Chapter  One  Edinburgh  &  Aesthetics  …..............................................................................................................8    Chapter  Two  It’s  an  Urban  Walking  Affair  ….................................................................................................20    Chapter  Three  Reconstructing  a  Sense  of  Place  …...........................................................................................28    Chapter  Four  Alephs  Moved  Again  …..................................................................................................................38    Conclusion  …..................................................................................................................................45    Website  &  Portfolio  information  …..................................................................................49    Illustration  Figure  List  .……….………....................................................................................50    Reference  Bibliography  …......................................................................................................59    Research  Bibliography  …........................................................................................................61  

                       

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 Thesis  and  Project  Portfolio  online  Available  on  http://catrionablackdinham.wordpress.com/    Alephs  Moved  Again  Portfolio  ….................................................................................................1  Jorge  Luis  Borges  project  inspiration  ……………....................................................................2  Edgar  Allan  Poe  project  inspiration  …......................................................................................3  Miwon  Kwon:  Public  Art  as  Publicity  ………............................................................................4  Project  Website,  Alephs  Moved  Again  ……...............................................................................5  Brief  Idea,  Alephs  Moved  Again  ………........................................................................................6  Edgar  Allan  Poe  project  inspiration  .........................................................................................7  Mapping  Requirements  …………...................................................................................................8  City  of  Edinburgh  Links  ……..........................................................................................................9  Feedback  ……………………………………………………………………………………………………10  

   

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Since  1947  the  months  of  July  and  August  see  a  swell  of  the  arts  in  Edinburgh.    These  

annual   festivals,   representing   the   full   spectrum   of   the   arts,   were   introduced   in   an  

effort  to  promote  goodwill  and  celebrate  the  human  spirit  post  World  War  II.      As  a  

result   this   Scottish   Capital   and  World   Heritage   site   is   rife   with   a   bubbling   tourist  

industry  and  a  rich  landscape  of  cultural  activities  during  those  months.    In  contrast,  

when  looking  at  Edinburgh’s  publicly  accessible  art  year  round,  we  encounter  a  lack  

of   public   art   in   general.     This   is   even   more   apparent   when   we   look   at   public   art  

produced  in  the  past  few  decades.    In  this  thesis  I  have  attempted  to  define  possible  

reasons   for  the   lack  of  contemporary  public  art  and  explore   if   this   is  a   fundamental  

part  of  the  phenomena  that  could  be  termed  the  Edinburgh  Aesthetic.    

 

This   thesis   offers   a   critique   of   public   art;   commenting   on   the   Edinburgh   Aesthetic  

through  case  studies  of  contemporary  public  artwork.    The  foundation  for  these  case  

studies,   catalogued   on   the   website   created   in   conjunction   with   this   thesis,   Alephs  

Moved  Again,  is  the  dynamic  nature  of  place  as  a  socio-­‐geographical  concept.  

 

When   reflecting  on   the   idea  of   a   city  having  an  aesthetic,  which   can  be   resistant   to  

conventional   descriptions1,   we   must   acknowledge   three   elements,   which   work  

together  as  a   triad  when  discussing   the  making  of  public  art.    These  are  Public,  Art  

(activity)  and  Place  {Figure  1}.    Referencing  the  “relationship  between  society  and  space,  

1Influence  taken  from  Ian  Campbell  and  Margaret  Stewart’s  examination  of  Edinburgh's  historical  and  

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history   and   geography,   splendidly   idiographic   and   the   enticingly   generalizable  

features   of   a   postmodern   urban   geography”2,   how   can   we   retain   such   a   sense   of  

immobility  of   the   local  sense  of  place  and   ignore   its  particularities  amidst   the  cross-­‐

hatchings  and  constant  movement  of  multiple  identities  and  cultures  in  a  place?      

 

In   an   effort   to   outline   the   Edinburgh   Aesthetic   it   is   important   to   discuss   the  

postmodern  critical  theory  of  place  and  explore  the  more  specific  question  in  relation  

to  public  art  in  Edinburgh:  are  the  current  cultural  expressions  of  Edinburgh’s  people  

visually  represented  and  encouraged  in  the  production  of  public  art?3    

 

The  intersections  of  place  and  its  multiple  identities  and  visual  markers  are  currently  

under   represented   in   artistic   expression   by   todays   inhabitants.     Visual  

representations   can   come   in   numerous   forms,   such   as   permanent   sculptures,  

community   projects,   performances,   graffiti,   etc.       I   have   broached   the   issue   that  

Edinburgh’s  places  are  subject  to  various  paternalistic  notions,  driven  by  elements  of  

Government   cultural   activity   policy   focusing   on   requirements   of   production   and  

commissioning.     My   reaction   to   the   Edinburgh   Aesthetic   is   to   catalogue   what  

permanent  and  temporary  public  art  we  have  in  Edinburgh  as  a  continuing  project.    

2   Edward   Soja,   Postmodern   Geographies,   the   Reassertion   of   Space   in   Critical   Social   Theory,   Verso,  1989,  p.  223    3   I  must   acknowledge   that   Edinburgh  has   produced   and   grasped  other   non-­‐visual   forms  of   the   arts  instead  i.e.  poetry,  music,  I  cannot  deny  this  form  of  expression,  and  it  highlights  the  lack  on  non-­‐visual  expressions.  

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The   Geographer   Doreen   Massey   explains   the   construction   of   tradition   in   public  

places.     Massey’s   place   as   practiced   concept   emphasizes   that   our   place-­‐making  

traditions  and  identities  go  hand  in  hand  and  are  constantly  in  flux.    We  not  only  hold  

onto  our  traditions  but  also  have  to  build  them.    Edinburgh  has  an  image  to  maintain  

as   the   capital   city   of   Scotland,   and   it   preserves   its   architectural   heritage,   cultural  

policy,  specific  regeneration4,  and  an  aesthetic  that  is  quintessentially  Edinburgh.    My  

research   looks   largely   at  Massey’s   view   of  place   in   relation   to   the   idea   of  multiple  

identities   of   place,   short   stories   by   Jorge   Luis   Borges,   and   theory   drawn   from  

Situationist  discussions  and  psychogeography    

 

Wandering   and   wondering   in   Edinburgh   is   the   ideal   way   to   encounter   its   public  

artworks;  my  website  Alephs  Moved  Again   catalogues  and  documents   artworks  and  

location  and  offers  mapping  points  and  markers  for  clarification  of  context;  what  this  

illustrates   is   how  place   is   fluid   and   changing   by   also   seeing   the   artwork   in   today’s  

context.     I  will   continue   to   document   new   artwork   and   events   in   the   future   as   the  

project  progresses.      

 

4   “Preserve   that   unique   sense   of   place,   create   the   conditions   for   a   vibrant   yet   safe   street   life,   and  encourage  continuing  private  sector  developments  and  improvements.”  (Andrew  McMillan  and  Ewan  Hyslop;  The  City  of  Edinburgh  –  landscape  and  stone.  ICOMOS  2008  Scientific  Symposium)  

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The  project  title,  Alephs  Moved  Again,  references  points  of  infinite  space  in  the  short  

story  by  Jorge  Luis  Borges5.    The  catalogue  of  public  art  online  will  act  like  an  infinite  

archive   and   resource.     By   creating   this   resource   that   users   can   contribute   to,   the  

website  illustrates  the  lack  of  contemporary  artwork  in  our  streets.    My  hope  for  the  

future  is  twofold;  that  we  re-­‐assess  current  public  art  and  we  re-­‐evaluate  the  code  of  

production   and  process  within   this   city  when  producing   and   commissioning  public  

art  in  Edinburgh.    

 

 

   

5   This   reference  was   formed   through   the   formulation   of   Soja,   Edward,   Thirdspace,   Blackwell,   1996.  Print.  p.  57;  by  analogy  with  the  Aleph,  a  concept  of  spatial  infinity  developed  by  Jorge  Luis  Borges  in  1945.    

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EDINBURGH  AND  AESTHETICS  

 

But  Edinburgh  is  a  mad  god’s  dream    

Fitful  and  dark,    

Unseizable  in  Leith    

And  wildered  by  the  Forth,    

But  irresistibly  at  last    

Cleaving  to  sombre  heights    

Of  passionate  imagining    

Till  stonily,    

From  soaring  battlements,    

Earth  eyes  Eternity.    

 

Hugh  MacDiarmid  (1892–1978):  “Edinburgh”  -­‐  plaque  on  the  Edinburgh  Canongate  

wall  6  

 

‘A  mad  god’s  dream  …  of  passionate  imagining’  -­‐  it’s  a  bold  piece  of  writing  from  the  

one   time   Edinburgh   resident   MacDairmid;   writing   that   I   strive   to   realize   in   its  

6Hugh  MacDiarmid  (1892-­‐1978).  Lived  and  died  in  Edinburgh.  A  Scottish  poet  of  the  20th  century.  He  was  instrumental   in  creating  a  Scottish  version  of  modernism  and  was  a   leading  light   in  the  Scottish  Renaissance  of  the  20th  century.    

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possibilities.  When   you   live   in   a   city   like   Edinburgh,   not   too   big,   nothing’s   too   far;  

whether   to   explore   or   on   a   mission,   walking   is   a   natural   part   of   your   day.     The  

pedestrian   nature   of   Edinburgh   is   quite   alive,   we   have   great   (before   that   tram  

construction)  public  transport  but  many  of  us  who  can,  walk  to  where  we  are  going.    

Walking   quite   often   deviates   from   just   wandering,   usually   I   walk   with   a   mission,  

focused,  trying  to  get  to  work  on  time.    I  think  many  of  us  do  this  in  unity,  but  miss  the  

day-­‐to-­‐day   attractions   of   the   terrain,  with   both  wonderment   and   calculation   of   the  

city’s   possibilities.     The   uninhibited   act   of   the   derive   offers   wandering   with   an  

awareness  of  the  psychogeographical  affects  of  the  environment,  which  I  will  discuss  

further  in  Chapter  2.      

 

Edinburgh’s   aesthetic   is   based   upon   heritage   and  monument;   in   1935   Edwin  Muir  

gets  straight  to  the  point  by  describing  that:  Edinburgh  is  ‘becoming  lost  to  history’7.      

 

‘England  gives  some  scope  for  it’s  best;  Scotland  gives  none;  and  by  now  it’s  large  

towns   are   composed   of   astute   capitalists   and   angry   proletarians,   with   nothing  

that   matters   much   in   between.     Edinburgh   is   a   partial   exception   to   this;   but  

Edinburgh   is  a  handsome,  empty  capital  of   the  past  …   [they  are]  monuments  of  

Scotland’s   industrial   past,   historical   landmarks   in   a   country  which   is   becoming  

7  Edwin  Muir,  Scottish  Journey.  Edinburgh.  1985.  Henceforth  Muir  p.  3-­‐4.  

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lost  to  history.’8  

 

This  city’s  history  seems  apparent  as  soon  as  you  step  off  the  train;  you  look  up  and  

see  Waverley   railway   station’s   original   1847   construction   all   around   you,   although  

today  it’s  merged  with  travel  advancements,  Boots  chemist  and  WH  Smith.    Assuming  

you   can   see   past   the   construction   the   history   surrounds   us   as   you  wander   up   the  

famously  blustery  Waverley  Steps  up  to  Princes  Street  to  find  yourself  in  the  midst  of  

the  character,  and  the  very  quintessential  nature  of  the  now  privatized  Edinburgh.  

 

Edinburgh’s  character  has  often  been  defined  as  "public  probity  and  private  vice"  by  

Dr  Jekyll  and  Mr  Hyde  writer  Robert  Louis  Stevenson.    And  again  Stevenson  reiterates  

the  Edinburgh  Aesthetic,  and  implies  Edinburgh  is  a  "precipitous  city”  9,  which  when  I  

was   a   newcomer   to   the   city   I  would   have   agreed  with  whole   heartedly,   but   I   have  

been  softened  by  my  over  a  decade  in  residence.    

 

The   Edinburgh   literary   community   has   had   great   recognition   over   the   past   two  

hundred   years,   with   the   likes   of   R.L.   Stevenson,   Sir   Arthur   Conan   Doyle10,   Irvine  

8  Edwin  Muir,  Scottish  Journey.  Edinburgh.  1985.  Henceforth  Muir  p.  3-­‐4.  9  Robert  Louis  Stevenson  (1850-­‐1894).  Born,  educated  and  lived  in  Edinburgh.  Scottish  novelist,  poet  and  travel  writer.  Famous  novels  are:  Treasure  Island,  Kidnapped  and  The  Strange  Case  of  Dr  Jekyll  and  Mr  Hyde  10   Sir   Arthur   Conan   Doyle   (1859-­‐1930).   Born   and   educated   in   Edinburgh.   Trained   physician   and  writer,  his  most  famous  stories  are  about  Sherlock  Holmes.  

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Welsh11   and   Ian   Rankin12,   all   have   given   the   city   a   pedestal   upon   which   to   stand.    

While   non-­‐visual   expressions   have   been   on   the   rise   in   recent   years   the   visual  

expression  of  Edinburgh’s  people  has  been  stinted.    Alexander  Stoddart,  a  prominent  

sculptor  &  Ordinary  to  the  Queen  of  Scotland,  has  been  commissioned  to  erect  many  

monuments  over  the  past  three  decades;  he  has  brought  us  the  bronze  landmarks  of  

Adam   Smith   and   David   Hume.     Sadly,   in  my   opinion   {Figure   2}   however   talented   and  

skilled   in   his   trade   and   respected   he   may   be,   demand   has   facilitated   his  

monopolisation   of   the   production   of   contemporary   development   of   artwork   in   this  

city.     His   mastery   of   classical   realism   through   bronze   monuments   has   stifled   the  

creation  and  production  of  contemporary  artworks  in  the  public  realm;  artwork  that  

the   public   can   relate   to   in   todays   time   and   context.     This   monopolisation   of  

contemporary   artwork   in   Edinburgh   is   hardly   weighted   on   Stoddart,   but   by   the  

conservative  sensibilities  of  the  commissioners  of  the  artwork,  which  I  shall  discuss  

further  in  regard  to  cultural  policy  activities.      

 

My   use   of   literary   references   and   heritage   in   this   project   can   be   based   on   the  

reflections   of   critical   regionalism,   which   is   based   on   an   avant-­‐gardist   modernist  

11  Irvine  Welsh  (b.1957).  Born,  educated  and  lived  in  Edinburgh.  Contemporary  Scottish  novelist,  best  known  for  the  phonetically  written  novel;  Trainspotting.  12 Ian Rankin, Born in the Kingdom of Fife. 1960. Prominent Scottish writer, particularly for his writings of Edinburgh’s detective; Rebus.

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approach.     If  we   look   at   the   Edinburgh   literary   tour   project13,   it   incorporates   both  

reference   to   the   urban   symbolic   and   architectural   landscape   with   prominent  

Edinburgh   born   and   resident   writers.     In   its   foundations   it   rests   in   the   local   or  

regional   architecture,  which   in  Edinburgh   is   at   the   root   of   the  need   to  maintain   its  

heritage.     The  writer  Kenneth  Frampton14   is  most   associated  with   the   term  Critical  

Regionalism  that  fostered  postmodern  cultural  theory.    Critical  regionalism’s  original  

use  is  in  architectural  theory,  which  includes  literature,  cultural,  and  political  studies  

and  proposes  a  methodology  based  on  the  intersection  of  those  fields  which  I  use  in  

my  discussion  of  the  mapping  of  the  urban  landscape  as  place  as  a  fluid  notion.    

 

The   lack   of   non-­‐bronzed   contemporary   permanent   artworks   installed   in   our  

pathways   is   perhaps   due   to   funding   hurdles   by   many   artists   and   (lets   not   forget)  

council   permissions.     Edinburgh   has   a   public   aesthetic   that   is   adhered   to   and  

maintained   by   the   authorities   including   the   City   Council.     After   seeking   out  

information   in   regard   to   the   process   of   producing   artworks   for   the   streets   of  

Edinburgh   I   was   directed   to   the   Arts   Development15   and   Cultural   Partnership  

guidelines   issued  by  Edinburgh  City  Council.    The  guidelines  specify  what  public  art  

13  'Palimpsest:  Literary  Edinburgh',  Academicians:  Miranda  Anderson,  Amy  Guy,  Simon  Biggs,  John  Lee,  James  Loxley,  Mark  Wright,  CIRCLE  &  UoE  English  Literature  Department,  www.literarycities.org  14  Kenneth  Frampton  wrote  the  essay  "Towards  a  Critical  Regionalism:  Six  points  for  an  architecture  of  resistance"  published  in  the  book  "The  Anti-­‐Aesthetic:  Essays  on  Postmodern  Culture"  (1983)  edited  by  Hal  Foster.  15Arts  Development,  City  of  Edinburgh  Council:    http://www.edinburgh.gov.uk/info/486/arts_development/372/arts_development  

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comprises  and  what  it  must  achieve.    Visual  arts  have  been  amalgamated  with  other  

art   forms   including   dance,   craft   and   theatre   under   cultural   activities   within   the  

Edinburgh  Cultural  Partnership16  sector  of  the  City  Council,  which  was  established  in  

2002   to   head   the   community-­‐planning   network   that   includes   the   Edinburgh  

Partnership,  and  the  City  Sports  Partnership  and  other  organizations.        

 

As   an   alternative   model   and   aim   to   which   Edinburgh   could   adapt   and   follow;  

Gateshead   in   Newcastle   put   itself   on   the   map   in   the   1970’s   and   1980’s   as   they  

decided  to  become  active   in   the  commissioning  of  public  art,  mainly  as   they  had  no  

contemporary  art  gallery  at  that  time.    In  1986  Gateshead  created  a  formal  public  arts  

programme   funded   through   various   means,   such   as   the   Single   Art   Regeneration  

Budget,  Arts  Council  Lottery,   and  established  a  modal   that  other   cities   could   follow  

and  appropriate.    Gateshead  used  public  art  as  a  means  to  reclaim  derelict  areas.    A  

stark  contrast  to  Edinburgh’s  preservation  of  heritage  and  art.  

   

The  Edinburgh  Cultural  Partnership  states  that  they  as  a  sector  will  improve  access  to  

the  arts,  sports  and  cultural  activities,  for  example:    

 

• They   encourage   active   involvement   and   participation   from   individuals   and  

16Edinburgh  Cultural  Partnership:    http://www.edinburgh.gov.uk/info/486/arts_development/465/cultural_policy/1  

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the  community,  which  helps  to  develop  self-­‐worth  and  community  identity    

• They   help   to   raise   awareness   of   issues   relating   to   the   environment,  

community  safety  and  disability    

• They   help   to   develop   a   sense   of   pride   in   the   City’s    heritage   and   built  

environment    

• They   bring   in   new   ideas,   experiences   and   a   sense   of    enjoyment   to   the   City,  

contributing  to  the  quality  of  life.    

• Preserving  and  enhancing  the  city’s  built  heritage    

• Arranging  displays  on  aspects  of  the  city’s  history    

• Carrying  out  archeological  and  social  history  research    

• Maintaining  and  encouraging  the  enjoyment  of  the  city’s  natural  heritage  of  

 parks  and  open  spaces    

• Interpreting  the  city’s  architectural  and  historical  background  and  identifying  

 ways  of  making  it  more  accessible  to  the  public    

• Collecting  and  preserving  artifacts  relating  to  the  city’s  heritage.  17  

 

This   all   sounds  well   intended,   but   does   this   really   happen   in   the   development   and  

production   of   public   arts?     It’s   a   common   view   that   public   art   must   follow   the  

following  points,  perhaps  it’s  only  implied,  expected,  or  an  old  view;  and  there  is  little   17  ‘A  Cultural  Policy?’  for  the  City  of  Edinburgh.  Towards  a  New  Enlightenment.  1999.  p.  7  ~  I  obtained  this  document  from  the  Arts  Development  division  of  the  City  of  Edinburgh  Council,  this  is  their  most  recent  policy  document  guidelines,  but  I  was  informed  new  policy  documents  will  be  provided  to  the  public  in  2013.  

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evidence   that   public   art   achieves   any   of   these   things  which  Doreen  Massey   and  Dr  

Gillian  Rose,  both  of  the  Open  University,  have  discussed  on  the  value  and  impact  of  

public  art  in  their  report  commissioned  by  Milton  Keynes  Council18.  

• Reference   cultural   policy   and   the   assertions   such   policy’s   demand   on   public                    

artworks  and  their  uses  

• Enhances  the  physical  environment    

• Creates  a  sense  of  place  and  distinctiveness    

• Contributes  to  community  cohesion    

• Contributes  to  social  health  and  wellbeing    

• Contributes  to  economic  value  through  inward  investment  and  tourism    

• Fosters  civic  pride  and  confidence    

• Raises  quality  of  life    

• Reduces  crime  19  

From  such  guidelines  it’s  safe  to  assume  that  it’s   intended  that  permanent  artworks  

must   integrate   into   the   city   landscape.     Many   public   artworks   are   funded   and  

commissioned   through   such   schemes   as   ‘Percent   for  Art’,  which   is   implemented  by  

the   City   Council.     The   scheme   works   in   association   with   a   private   organization   to  

enhance   the   relationship   through   commissioned   publicly   accessible   visual   art  with   18   Professor   Doreen  Massey  BA   (Oxon),   MA   (Phila)   &   Dr   Gillian   Rose,  BA   (Cambs).   Social   Sciences  Faculty.  The  Open  University.  Commissioned  by  Artpoint  on  behalf  of  Milton  Keynes  Council:  Personal  Views:  Public  Art  Research  Project.  2003.  19  Public  Art  Online.  www.publicartonline.org.uk/resources/research/current_research.php  

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privately  owned  land  developers.    For  example;   ‘Percent  for  Art’   in  association  with  

Cala  Homes  (Scotland)  artwork  can  be  seen  in  Stockbridge,  a  sculpture  titled  ‘Horse,  

Rider,  Eagle’  by  Edinburgh  born  Eoghan  Bridge  {Figure  3}  in  1997.   ‘Percent  for  Art’  is  a  

scheme   that   encourages   the   use   of   a   percentage   (typically   1%)   of   a   private   or  

government   construction   project   cost   and   is   allocated   for   the   commissioning   and  

production   of   a   publicly   accessible   permanent   artwork.     Richard   Serra’s   Tilted   Arc  

sculpture   {Figure   4},  marked   a   change   in   the  way   such   artworks  where   instated.     The  

Tilted   Arc   was   installed   in   the   courtyard   of   the   Jocob   Jarvits   Federal   Building   in  

Manhattan,  New  York  in  1981.    There  was  an  outcry  by  pedestrians  and  workers   in  

the   surrounding   buildings   that   this   mix   of   both   authoritarian   and   paternalistic  

sculpture  was  commissioned  without  interaction  with  the  inhabitants  and  workers  of  

the  area  and  was  removed  in  1989.      

 

This  marked  a  change  in  process  of  commissioning  the  work  and  has  slowly  filtered  

to  here   in  the  UK.    Although  the  funding  and  project  bodies  have  authority  over  the  

artwork  commissioned,  community  engagement  and  approval  is  sought.    Perhaps  the  

financial  encouragement  and  paternalistic  attitude  for  the  production  of  art  in  private  

construction  is  to  ‘give  back’  to  that  place  and  community,  and  enrich  the  lives  in  that  

area  through  art.  

 

Looking  at  the  use  of  the  Edinburgh’s  Aesthetic,  as  a  nuance  of  a  static  notion  of  place  

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and  discussing   the  documentation  of  current  artwork  and  the  need  to  produce  new  

contemporary  artwork  in  a  way  that   implies  that   it   is  a   far  more  of  a   fluid  notion  is  

how   I  wish   to   proceed.     By   fluid   I   refer   to  Miwon  Kwon’s   interpretation   of  Wrong  

Place;  20  “Places  are  also  fluid,  changeable,  dynamic  contexts  of  social  interaction  and  

memory”.    

 

I  have  restricted  the  content  and  discussion  of  public  art  to  omit  the  festival  months  

due  to  the  word  count  of  this  paper  and  to  emphasis  the  production  of  artworks  that  

happen   in   the   remaining   10  months   of   the   year.     This   will   enable   me   to   focus   on  

viewing   public   art   as   a   resident   and   to   comment   on   the   contradictions   of   the   local  

sense  of  identity  and  the  dynamic  notion  of  the  association  of  place  through  the  use  of  

visual  art  in  our  streets.    Documenting  the  artworks  in  festivals  will  be  a  continuation  

of  the  Alephs  Moved  Again  project  for  a  later  time.  

 

Ian  Rankin,  in  his  book  2007  Exit  Music21,  describes  this  city;    “It  seemed  to  him  a  very  

Edinburgh  thing.  Welcoming,  but  not  very”.    

 

Such   desire   and   economic   requirement   to   maintain   this   aesthetic   and   tradition   is  

known  by  tourism  industries  around  the  world   is  perhaps  one  of   the  roots  of   issue.    

20  Miwon  Kwon.  The  Wrong  Place.  Art  Journal;  Spring  2000.  59.  1.  Research  Library  Core.  p.  4  21 Ian Rankin. 2007. Exit Music. Desert Island Books

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The  recent  lack  of  permanent  artwork  produced  in  the  city  is  reacted  to  in  the  festival  

months   when   there   is   an   abundance   of   temporary,   ephemeral   artwork,   but   year  

round,   this   enthusiasm   is   stifled.   This   is   where   one   problem   lies.     The   (perhaps)  

discouraging  guidelines  of  the  city  council,  the  need  to  conform  to  obtain  funding  in  

such   schemes   as   ‘Percent   for   Art’   and   Creative   Scotland   proposals;   or   the  

mountainous  and  precarious  nature  of  regulations  such  as  health  and  safety  etc.  has  

dampened  the  expression  of  contemporary  artwork  in  the  public  arena  of  Edinburgh.    

Boundaries  have  been  set  and  it  can  be  a  hazardous  crossing.      

 

By   contextualising   the  modes   and  means   of   production   of   public   artworks   and   the  

notion  of  places  in  which  they  inhabit;  I  am  attempting  to  shift  the  premise  from  the  

production   of   art   as   economic   and   political   tools   of   growth,   to   that   of   the   need   to  

include  contemporary  cultural  expressions  of  the  intercepting  cultures  and  identities  

of  Edinburgh’s  people.    

 

To  summarise,  the  Edinburgh  Aesthetic  is  a  conservative  sensibility  by  the  Edinburgh  

City   Council   and   other   commissioning   bodies.     The   sensibility   of   the   people   in  

authority  must   adhere   to   the   need   to  maintain   Edinburgh   as   a  world   heritage   site,  

and  continue  to  strive  for  economic  growth  and  tourism.    All  to  the  detriment  of  new  

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forms  of  artistic  ‘representation  and  meaning’22  being  produced  in  the  public  realm.  

   

22  Merlin  Coverley.  Psychogeography.  Pocket  Edition.  Oldcastle  Books.  2006.  p.  96  

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IT’S  AN  URBAN  WALKING  AFFAIR  

 

“Dérive  is  the  first  step  toward  an  urban  praxis.  It  is  a  stroll  through  the  city  by  several  people  who  are  

out  to  understand  the  "psychogeographical  articulation  of  the  modern  city".  The  strollers  attempt  an  

interpretive  reading  of   the  city,  an  architectural  understanding  …  “engage   in  "playful  reconstructive  

behaviour"…They  see  in  the  city  unifying  and  empowering.23  

 

The  dérive   is   the   ideal  model  notion  of  wandering   the  streets  of  Edinburgh  and  has  

been   explored   extensively   by   Guy   Debord   of   the   Situationist   International   in   the  

1950’s,   and   since   then   in   the  90’s,   by   the   ‘London  Psychogeographical  Association’,  

and   again   recently   by   Merlin   Coverley’s   book   in   2006   ‘Psychogeography’,   and   the  

2007  book   ‘Psychogeography:  Disentangling   the  Modern  Conundrum  of  Psyche  and  

Place’  by  Will  Self  and  Ralph  Steadman,  and  Ian  Sinclair’s  2004  book  ‘London  Orbital’.  

The  dérive  essentially  means  to  stroll  but  involves  a  ‘playful-­‐constructive  behavior’24  

and   awareness   of   psychogeographical   effects.    The   Situationists   use   the   dérive   and  

other   fractions   of   psychogeography   as   a   means   of   showing   the   contrast   in   the  

everyday  and  comment  on  what  it  is  now  and  what  it  could  be  in  the  future.    My  focus  

leads  within  a  fraction  of  psychogeography;  the  derive.    The  dérive  is  an  awareness  of  

your  surroundings  and  the  affects  the  urban  landscape  have  when  interpreting  your  

23Anonymous.  Drifitng  with  The  Situationist  International.  http://www.geog.leeds.ac.uk/people/a.evans/psychogeog.html.  2002.  24   Théorie   de   la   dérive”.   Internationale   Situationniste.   Paris.   1958.   Translation   by   Ken   Knabb.  Situationist  International  Anthology.  Revised  and  Expanded  Edition.  2006  

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own  reading  of  the  city.  

 

Guy  Debord  of  the  Situationists  was  the  forerunner  of  the  Situationists  International,  

the  Letterist  Group,  which  included  psychogeography  and  various  elements  under  its  

umbrella;  the  dérive  is  but  one  instrument.    Psychogeography  was  a  tool  in  an  attempt  

to   transform  urban   life,   first   for  aesthetic  purposes  but   then   later   for  political  ends.    

Merlin  Coverley   in  his  book  Psychogeography25  points  at   to   the  definition  of  where;  

‘psychology  and  geography  collide’,   as  a  way  of  exploring  peoples  behavior  and   the  

impact  of  the  urban  place.    Coverley’s  guide  to  Psychogeography  has  been  a  necessary  

conductor   in   understanding   the   overly   appropriated   term   that   has   become   quite  

vague  in  definition  and  use.  

 

The  dérive  enables  the  storytelling  of  a  places,   the  history  of   its   internal  cogs,  cross-­‐

hatchings  of   current  and  old   inhabitants  and   its   complexities   in   its   current   context.    

The   practice   of   derive   in   Edinburgh   and   witnessing   the   attractions   in   our   streets  

dissolves  the  boundaries,  reinvents  identities  and  contextualizes  the  histories  of  place  

and  becomes   a   situation   creating  method  and   tool26.     The  dérive  does  not   give   into  

pure  unconscious  desire  characterized  by  the  surrealist’s  wanderings  and  the  journey  

25  Merlin  Coverley.  Psychogeography.  Pocket  Edition.  Oldcastle  Books.  2006.  p.  11  26  Situation  creating  technique  –  Influenced  by  various  writings  by  Guy  Debord  

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of  the  stroller  of  the  flanuer.    The  dérive  lacks  clear  destination  but  has  purpose.27  

 

Alephs   Moved   Again   is   in   part   my   visual   interpretive   reading   of   the   city   and   my  

reaction  to,  in  my  opinion,  the  lack  of  contemporary  public  art  (non  bronzed),  and  to  

map  the  artwork  in  the  streets  of  Edinburgh;  and  to  explore  the  ideas  that  are  open  to  

place   being   interpreted   as   a   fluid   concept.     Why   aid   the   exhibition   with   an   online  

model?    The  online  website  I  have  produced,  that  includes  an  integrated  map  can  give  

the  audience  possibilities   to   follow,  and/or  give  points  of  places   to  give  start   to   the  

possibility  of  the  derive:  beginning  with  purpose.    To  act  as  an  online  exhibition  site  

with   numerous   links   to   a   catalogue   of   temporary   sited   artworks   and   information  

along  with  a  list  of  permanent  artworks  and  features  around  the  city.    It   is  my  hope  

the  online  site  would  continue  to  expand  and  include  historical  artworks  around  the  

city  that  may  benefit  the  concept  of  the  project.    

 

I  have  a  conflict   in  understanding   the  cultural   implications  of   fixed  and  generalized  

interpretations   of   place   as   a   whole   and   the   cultural   hybridity   giving   rise   to   new  

negotiations  of  meaning  and  representation28;  perhaps  it’s  the  need  to  be  a  localized  

individual,   have   present-­‐time   association,   and   to   be   at   odds   with   associations   of  

27  Merlin  Coverley.  Psychogeography.  Pocket  Edition.  Oldcastle  Books.  2006.  p.  96  28“The   process   of   cultural   hybridity   gives   rise   to   something   different,   something   new   and  unrecognizable,  a  new  area  of  negotiation  of  meaning  and  representation.”  Rutherford,  Jonathan.  "The  Third   Space.   Interview   with   Homi   Bhabha."   Identity:   Community,   Culture,   Difference.   London:  Lawrence  &  Wishart.  1998.  Print.  p.  211  

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larger  intersections  of  society,  and  the  link  with  place;  not  to  be  exclusively  one  over  

the  other.    Our  connections  and  interpretations  of  a  place  are  tied  to  our  knowledge,  

our   cultural   understandings   and   histories   of   customs   and   rituals.     But   a   place   is  

forever   altering,   adapting,   progressing,   multiple   identities   and   cross-­‐hatchings   of  

people  change.    The  culture  develops  around  and  with  it,  and  the  writings  of  Doreen  

Massey  speak  volumes,  particularly  in  such  essays  as  Politics  and  Space/Time.29    The  

place  adopts  our  traits,  customs  and  cultures,  and  visa  versa.    Place  has  a  backlog  of  

interactions,  where  people  and  time  are  facilitating  this  flexibility.  

 

Showing  the  activity  in  Edinburgh  and  the  changing  nature  of  place;  when  interacting  

with   the   possible   enhancing   abilities   of   an   artwork   we   can   reference   my  

documentation  of  Antony  Gormley’s  artwork  Six  Times  {Figure  5}  via  Alephs  Moved  Again.    

The   commissioned  artwork  by   the   Scottish  National  Galleries   is   in   association  with  

funding   from   the  Lottery  Fund,   sites  6   casts,   very   typical   of  Gormley   artwork,   on   a  

historical  route  of  the  Water  of  Leith  in  Edinburgh.    The  resource  I’ve  created  Alephs  

Moved  Again  allows  the  publics  to  use  and  interact  with  the  site  as  an  online  resource,  

mapping   each   point   of   the   trail   that   stretches   from   the   National   Galleries   Modern  

buildings  to  the  abandoned  pier  in  Leith  Docks.    Since  2010  they  have  been  enveloped  

into   the   place   where   they   sit.     For   me   the   real   expression   of   the   pedestrians   and  

inhabitants   of   the   city   are   the   interventions   and   reactions   to   the   artwork   from   the  

29  Doreen  Massey.  For  Space.  Includes  essay  Politics,  Space/Time.  SAGE  Publications  Ltd.  2005  

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publics,  not  just  the  artwork  itself,  images  of  such  interventions  can  be  seen  on  Alephs  

Moved   Again   as   part   of   the   documentation.     Various   bras   and   t-­‐shirts   have   been  

placed  on  the  casts,  including  a  parody  performance  by  artist  Pete  Shaw30,  interacting  

with   the   work,   which   in   my   opinion   is   a   point   of   substance   in   public   art.     I   don’t  

believe   such   reactions  are   solely   in  protest  of   such  artworks  but   in   acceptance  and  

engagement.    The  same  principle   lays  with   the  painting  of  Eduardo  Paolozzi’s  giant  

bronze  foot  toenails31  at  the  top  of  Leith  Walk:  Elms  Row.    

 

In   his   book  Malcolm  Miles:  Art,   Space   and   the   City:   Public   Art   and   Urban   Futures32  

Miles  definition  of  publicly  accessible  artworks   is  a  key  aspect   in  my  exploration  of  

place.    He  discusses  the  imbedded  history  and  continuous  expansion  of  culture  in  its  

visual  markers  and  invited  interaction.  ‘Public  art’  is  a  form  of  street  life,  a  means  to  

articulate  the  implicit  values  of  a  city  when  its  users  occupy  the  place  of  determining  

what   the   city   is’,   …   suggests   that   it   actively   engages   with   and   intervenes   in   its  

audiences.’33  

   

30   Peter   Shaw.   Antony   Gormley   statue   performace.   2012.   meet-­‐the-­‐real-­‐life-­‐gormley-­‐statue-­‐peter-­‐shaw  31  Eduardo  Paolozzi  bronze  sculptures,  the  giant  bronze  foot  is  one  of  two  sculptures  by  Paolozzi  here,  the   other   being   another   giant   bronze   hand,   which   are   based   on   a   William   Blake   painting   of   Isaac  Newton.  1795  32  Miles,  M  Art.  Space  and  the  City:  Public  Art  and  Urban  Futures.  London.  1997  33   Professor   Doreen  Massey,   BA   (Oxon),  MA   (Phila)   &   Dr   Gillian   Rose,   BA   (Cambs).   Social   Sciences  Faculty.  The  Open  University.  Commissioned  by  Artpoint  on  behalf  of  Milton  Keynes  Council:  Personal  Views:  Public  Art  Research  Project.  2003.  p.  12  

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In   the  spirit  of   the  Situationists   International   such  reactions   to  unwritten  rules  and  

regulations   are   physical   interventions,   including   graffiti   and   tagging,   of   such  

commercial   and  authoritarian   commissions  by  private   investment   schemes  and   the  

city  council.  Edinburgh  council  has  tried  to  regulate  and  perhaps  embrace  artwork  in  

the   form   of   murals   and   graffiti   by   giving   residents   two   legal   walls   in   the   city,   but  

many   areas   in   Edinburgh   such   as   Rose   Street   and   Meadows   Lane   are   perhaps   a  

reaction  to  the  councils  attempt  to  regulate  vandalism  –  graffiti,  and  in  my  opinion  an  

honest  expression  by  some  of  Edinburgh’s  inhabitants.    ‘The  secrets  of  the  city  are  at  

a  certain  level  decipherable,  wrote  Debord,  but  the  personal  meaning  they  have  for  us  

is   incommunicable’.34     The   dérive  becomes   a   strategic   device   for   re-­‐contouring   the  

city  and  experiencing  these  places.  

 

The  mural,   Industry   of   Leith   {Figure   6},   depicting   Leith's   social   and   trade   history   was  

painted   on   the   gable   end   of   a   building   at   North   Junction   Street,   Leith   by   Street  

Artworks   in   late   1986.     Tim   Chalk   and   Paul   Grime   produced   the  mural   along  with  

members   of   the   Leith   historical   project   through   workshops.35   The   mural   is  

representative   of   Leith’s   past   but   I   think   this   differs   from   the   likes   of   Alexander  

Stoddart’s  bronze  {Figure  2}  works  because  he  appears  to  produce  a  pastiche  of  classical  

bronze  artwork,  he  is  keeping  the  skill  alive  in  the  public  eye,  but  the  mural  in  Leith  is  

34  Merlin  Coverley.  Psychogeography.  Pocket  Edition.  Oldcastle  Books.  2006.  p.  101  35   Street   Artworks   was   a   partnership   between   Tim   Chalk   and   Paul   Grime.     They   later   set   up   in  partnership  trading  as  Chalk  &  Grime  

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visually   representative   in   topic   rather   that   style.     It   is   a   contemporary   visual  

representation  that  can  be  translated  and  understood  by  people  today.      It  is  a  work  

that   is   embedded   into   the   area   and   place-­‐making.     "The   space   thus   produced   also  

serves   as   a   tool   of   thought   and   of   action   [...]   in   addition   to   being   a   means   of  

production  it   is  also  a  means  of  control,  and  hence  of  domination,  of  power."36      The  

artwork  acts  as  a  marker  of  Great  Junction  Street  and  of  people.  

 

In   1986,   such   artworks  were   not   too   uncommon;   in   Glasgow,   1975   Tom  McGRath  

(Director  of  the  contemporary  art  gallery,  the  Third  Eye  Gallery)  and  the  Scottish  Arts  

Council   (now   Creative   Scotland)   commissioned   the   gable   end   murals   project   in  

Glasgow.    Unfortunately  the  murals  were  painted  on  buildings  that  were  at  the  time  

scheduled   for   demolition,   and   were   never   foreseen   to   be   permanent   additions.      

There   were   four   gable   end   murals   in   total   and   Ian   McColl   was   the   only   artist   to  

engage   with   the   people   of   the   area   to   work   in   partnership.     John   Byrne’s   murals  

received  allot  of  attention  by  graffiti  artists  and  taggers,  and  as  previously  mentioned,  

this   was   almost   inevitable   on   these   murals,   it’s   a   thin   line   between   vandalism   in  

protest   and   acceptance   and   intervention.     David  Harding  wrote   of   the   government  

policy   of   social   inclusion   and   the   list   of   requirements   that   public   artworks   should  

achieve  to  be  deemed  appropriate  to  be  sited  in  the  public  arena.     ‘It  was  always  an  

ameliorating  'top  down'  policy  with  not  much  ever  percolating  from  the  'bottom  up'  

36  Henri  Lefebvre.  The  Production  of  Space.  Blackwell.  1991.  p.  26.  

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and   totally   at   odds  with   the   notion   that   the   socially   excluded  may   have   something  

worthwhile  to  express  about  culture’.  37    

 

Fundamentally  Edinburgh’s   cultural  activities  development  guidelines  are  primarily  

still  driven  from  the  top  down  by  policies  and  strategies  based  on  cultural  activities  

for   all,   whilst   maintaining   and   encouraging   economic   growth.   A   seemingly   self-­‐

contradictory   approach.  Mainly   as   it   assumes   and   lumps   artistic   practices   together  

and   Edinburgh   as   a   homogeneous,   bounded   community   in   harmony   –   The   City   of  

Edinburgh  Council  is  trying  to  refashion  the  alienated  city.      

37  David  Harding.  http://www.davidharding.net/article11/index.php.  Public  Art  Article  of  Craigmillar  Arts  Centre  in  Edinburgh.  2005.  

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RECONSTRUCTING  A  SENSE  OF  PLACE  

 

“The   concept   of   sense   of   place   is   used   colloquially   to   refer   to   an   individual's  

ability   to   develop   feelings   of   attachment   to   particular   settings   based   on   a  

combination  of  use,  attentiveness,  and  emotion  …  analyses  suggest  that  places  are  

more   than   simply   geographic   sites   with   definitive   physical   and   textual  

characteristics-­‐-­‐places   are   also   fluid,   changeable,   dynamic   contexts   of   social  

interaction  and  memory."38    

 

Early  on  the  development  of  this  project  my  understanding  of  place  was  primarily  as  

a  static  concept,  with  an  introverted  obsession  with  ‘heritage’;  this  model  always  felt  

as   if   it   came  short   for  me,  until   it  was   introduced   to  me  as  a   fluid  notion.    This   is  a  

concept  that  embraces  time,  multiple  identities  and  usages  of  space  and  place.    This  

developed   into   looking   at  my   city,   Edinburgh,   in   an   alternative  manner;   combining  

the  use  of  online  mapping  and  wandering  throughout  this  city  with  the  artworks  that  

constantly  surround  me,  and  the  changing  ideologies  that  these  places  can  hold  in  the  

context  of  the  artworks.    The  geographer  Edward  Soja  cautions  that,  "How  relations  

of  power  and  discipline  are  inscribed  into  the  apparently  innocent  spatiality  of  social   38Patricia  A  Stokowski.  Languages  of  Place  and  Discourses  of  Power:  Constructing  New  Senses  of  Place.  Academic   journal   article   from   Journal   of   Leisure   Research.   Vol.   34.   No.   4:  http://www.questia.com/library/1G1-­‐98607156/languages-­‐of-­‐place-­‐and-­‐discourses-­‐of-­‐power-­‐constructinghttp://www.questia.com/library/1G1-­‐98607156/languages-­‐of-­‐place-­‐and-­‐discourses-­‐of-­‐power-­‐constructing  

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life,  how  human  geographies  become  filled  with  politics  and  ideology”39  

 

The  histories  and  consequences  of  a  place  definitely  have  an   impact  on   the  current  

state  of  a  place  now,  but   the  history  does  not  define   it,   the   trajectories  of   the  paths  

that   intersect   at   that  place  make   it  malleable   and   the   artworks   ideally  help   tell   the  

story  and  form  a  visual  representation.    As  I  have  already  discussed  my  approach  to  

the   Edinburgh   Aesthetic   and   the   meaning   behind   this   and   my   reaction.     It’s   only  

natural  for  me  to  discuss  the  idea  of  place  and  the  notion  of  a  sense  of  place  and  how  

this   relates   to   the   public   arena   and  my   project.     I’m  wary   of   referencing   this   term  

(sense  of  place)  wholly  as  this  opens  up  a  plethora  of  ideas  and  the  various  social  and  

geographical   references   to   identifying  place   in   relation   to   time  and   the  nostalgia  of  

the  local.    

 

Other  cities  use  art  to  define  themselves,  not  Edinburgh.    Antony  Gormley’s  Angel  of  

the  North  for  example,  has  become  a  marker,  a  signifier  of  place  and  identity.  Anish  

Kapoor’s   Cloud   Gate,   aka   The   Bean   in   Chicago   {Figure   7},   and   his   new   addition   in  

partnership   with   Cecil   Barmond     {Figure   8}   to   London,   commissioned   for   the   2012  

Olympics  –  the  Orbit  Tower,  and  Ian  Ritchie’s  the  Spire  of  Dublin,  Dublin  {Figure  9}.    What  

does   Edinburgh   have   really?       We   have   a   wealth   of   monuments.   There   is   nothing  

39   Edward   Soja.   Postmodern   Geographies.   The   reassertion   of   space   in   critical   social   theory.   Verso.  1986.  p.  6    

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wrong   with   these   monuments   but   we   are   overshadowed   in   these   tributes   to   past  

iconic  people40   but   to  make   room   for   the  new,   and   for  us   to  progress   as   a   city;  we  

must   be   open   to   progressive   styles,  mediums   and   subject   in   the   visual   public   arts.    

Non-­‐consensual,   authoritarian   commissioned   artwork   that   are   there   to   stimulate  

economic   growth   are   not   necessarily   conducive   to   producing   artwork   that   are  

engaging  in  expressions  of  contemporary  culture.  And  if  they  fail  at  that,  then  what’s  

the   point?     Ultimately   visual   expressions  must   be   encouraged,   through   progressive  

engaging   projects  with   the   people   of   Edinburgh,   not   the   safe   classical   style   bronze  

artworks   of   Stoddart   {Figure   2}   that   hark   back   to   Victorian   times;   why   should   we   be  

preoccupied   by  monument?     Edinburgh’s   sensibility   appears   to   define   itself   by   our  

heritage;  architecture,  critical  regionalism;  our  walkways  are  steeped  in  history,  place  

has  been  made  but  what  we  need  now  is  to  progress:    

 

“This   is   place   as   practised…does   not   imply   ignoring   the   past   (all   the   different  

processes,   practices   and   trajectories  which   have   interwoven   to  make   this   place  

what   it   is);   but   it   does   mean   not   romanticising   it   or   holding   it   in   aspic,   nor  

allowing  it  to  dominate  the  present.  The  past  of  a  place  is  part  of  its  present  and  

future  and  it  is  in  that  guise  that  it  can  best  contribute  to  the  making  of  a  sense  of  

40 Influence  here  from  Ray  Mackenzie  in  his  book:  Public  Sculpture  of  Glasgow.  Liverpool  University  Press,  2001.

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identity.”41      

 

I   started   out   researching   the   static   notion   of   place   with   such   theorists   as   Lucy  

Lippard.    Much  of   the  discussions  of  place   that   I  have  come   to  know  have   revolved  

around   the   local   and   seeking   a   fixed   identity   of   a  place,   relying  on   the  desire   of   its  

community  to  locate  a  sense  of  identity  as  a  factor  in  defining  a  place.    

 

To  look  into  this  question  further  of  fluidity  and  try  and  find  an  answer  in  relation  to  

public  art,   I  have  researched  the  idea  of  place  as  being  dynamic  by  using  the  theory  

and  practice  of  psychogeography  and  the  viewpoint  of  the  geographer,  referencing  the  

likes  of  Edward  Soja  and  Doreen  Massey.    How  these  relate  to  the  movement  and  flux  

of  place,  the  production  of  artworks  by  its  globalized  inhabitants,  and  the  writings  of  

Edgar  Allan  Poe  and  Jorges  Luis  Borges.  

 

Doreen  Massey  has  been  a  key  player  in  my  development  and  discussion  of  place  and  

its   unbounded   dialogue.     Such   that   places   have   multiple   identities,   cultures   and  

constantly   in   flux   (that   incorporate   time   and   use).     Place   plays   an   integral   role   in  

human   experience   as   explored   by   Edward   Relph42   in   place   attachment   and   the  

experiences  of   countless   types  and   identities.    Massey  explains   that   the   reactionary   41Professor   Doreen   Massey,   BA   (Oxon),   MA   (Phila)   &   Dr   Gillian   Rose,   BA   (Cambs).   Social   Sciences  Faculty.  The  Open  University.  Commissioned  by  Artpoint  on  behalf  of  Milton  Keynes  Council;  Personal  Views:  Public  Art  Research  Project.  2003.    p.  4  42  Edward  Relph.  Place  and  Placelessness.  Place  Identity.  Pion  Ltd.  1976  

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sense  of  place  is  problematic,  a  sense  of  which  can  be  “constructed  through  an  inward  

looking   history   based   on   delving   into   the   past   for   internalized   origins”43.     This   is  

important  in  talking  about  what  appears  to  be  Edinburgh’s  reaction  to  public  places  

today  when  commissioning  artwork.    What  we  need  is  an  outward  looking  process  to  

aid  production.    Specifically  place  being  site  sensitive  or  the  artwork  produced  being  

reactive  to  the  place  itself.    I  think  the  latter  has  more  potential,  as  this  could  be  the  

path   to   producing   expressive   artwork,   paying   homage   to   the   history   but  

representationally  more  progressive  and  stimulating.  Temporary,  ephemeral  artwork  

is  on  the  rise,  even  then  the  council  restricts  it,  so  then  I  discuss  reactionary  work  in  

the   form   of   intervention   and   action.     Stability   provides   a   source   of   unproblematic  

identity   in   the   unavoidable   flux   and   dynamic   nature   of   real   life.     “To   reaffirm   our  

sense  of  self,  reflecting  back  to  us  an  unthreatening  picture  of  a  grounded  identity.”44    

 

I  am  weary  of  using  the  term  ‘community’  as  I  think  that  using  this  term  in  this  regard  

is   not   quite   correct.     Community   suggests   one   group   all   are   of   the   same   socio-­‐

economic  status  and  nationality  perhaps.    When  discussing  in  this  context  I  want  to  

avoid   the  assumption   that   I  am  discussing  a  community.    What   I  am   interpreting   is  

the   multi   identity,   multi   community   all   within   Edinburgh   as   a   place   with   only  

geographical  boundaries  not  cultural  boundaries.    

43  Doreen,  Massey.  A  Global  Sense  of  Place  in  Reading  Human  Geography.  1997.  p.1  44  Miwon  Kwon.  The  wrong  place.    Art  Journal;  Spring  2000.  59.  1.  Research  Library  Core.  p.  10  

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“In  the  middle  of  all   this   flux,  people  desperately  need  a  bit  of  peace  and  quiet  -­‐  

and  that  a  strong  sense  of  place,  or  locality,  can  form  one  kind  of  refuge  from  the  

hubbub.   So   the   search   after   the   ‘real’   meanings   of   places,   the   unearthing   of  

heritages   and   so   forth,   is   interpreted   as   being,   in   part,   a   response   to   desire   for  

fixity  and  for  security  of  identity  in  the  middle  of  all  the  movement  and  change.”45  

 

Places   have   multiple   identities   and   uses,   and   full   of   internal   conflict.     I   have   the  

conflict   between   the   uniqueness   of   place;   and   the   realism   of   a   boundless   sense   of  

location  and  culture  and  multiple  identities  of  place,  I’m  looking  for  a  resuscitation  of  

a   sense  of  place.    We  can   look  at  Leith  docks,   a  place   steeped   in  history  of  whaling  

trade,  and  now  conflicted  with  the  present,  loss  of  trade  and  heritage  in  modern  times  

and  the  flux  of  cultures  and  usages.    What  it  could  be  in  the  future  and  is  represented  

in   such   as   artwork   as   the   Industry   of   Leith   {Figure   6}   Mural   by   Tim   Chalk   I   discussed  

earlier.  

 

Edinburgh   has   earnt   an   informal   reputation   for   being   tougher   to   gain   approval   for  

public  artwork  proposals  outside  the  festival  months.    To  see  the  fruition  of  a  public  

art   projects   is   at   the   discretion   of   the   arts   development   team   at   the   council   and  

private   funding.     These   employees  may   or  may   not   have   an   art   background   in   any  

45  Doreen,  Massey.  A  Global  Sense  of  Place  in  Reading  Human  Geography.  1997.  p.  7    

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form.      

 

The  Edinburgh  passive  sensibility  can  be  conservative,  restorative  and  protective  of  

its   city   and   that   is   by   no   means   a   bad   thing.   It   is   the   restrain   that   seems   to   be  

impeding   experimentation.   This   has   its   benefits.     Unlike   Glasgow,   Edinburgh  has  

preserved   its   beauty.     In   its   architecture,   monuments   and   pedestrianized   public  

architectural  and  sculptural  artwork   that  has  been  heavily   integrated   into   the  walls  

and  walkways  of  the  city.    Massey  reviews  that  new  artwork  has  the  ability  to  change  

context   within   the   surrounding   environment,   “None   of   this   denies   place   nor   the  

importance   of   the   uniqueness   of   place.   The   specificity   of   place   is   continually  

reproduced,   but   it   is   not   a   specificity   which   result   from   some   long,   internalized  

history”46    

 

This  is  why  I  am  thankful  to  see  the  project  by  Joe  Caslin,  Our  Nation’s  Sons  street  art  

pasting’s  {Figure10}  in  the  streets  of  central  Edinburgh.  For  me  as  a  ‘local’  it  signifies  that  

Edinburgh  is  again  investing  in  cultivating  the  streets,  as  being  a  stage  for  artists  and  

its  residents.  

 

This   isn’t   Caslin’s   first   public   art   based  project,   as   he  has   collaborated  with  French  

Artist   JR  on   large  scale  portrait  pastings  on   the  high  walls  of   the  beautiful  McEwan  

46  Doreen,  Massey.  A  Global  Sense  of  Place  in  Reading  Human  Geography.  1997.  p.  5  

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Hall  in  2011,  Edinburgh.  Social  networking  and  online  accessibility  has  played  a  large  

part   in  exposing  past  and  current  projects  and  has  given  public  art  a  brighter  stage  

and   for   such   a   reason   this   is   why   using   an   online   mapping  model   is   ideal   for   the  

dissemination  of  my  project  to  the  wider  audience,  not  just  in  Edinburgh  but  further  

afield.    

 

The  drawings  of  these  local  young  men  enlisted  to  help  him  achieve  a  change  in  the  

representation  of  the  stereotyped  youth  of  our  city  give  a  positive  image  to  the  local  

youth   of   Edinburgh.   The   large   scale,   engaging   artworks   seek   to   unmask   the   young  

men   that   can   often  be   lumped   into   labeled   groups   and  demonized   through   gender,  

age  and  dress,  where  judgment  runs  the  race.    The  street  pastings  will  also  hopefully  

bring  new  life  and  spatial  discourse  and  lead  to  the  possibility  and  production  of  new  

works  of  Caslin  and  other  artists  being  given  a  stage  in  Edinburgh.  

 

The  young  man  on  the  corner  walkway  wall  of  Guthrie  Street  has  reinforced  his  place  

in   the   Cowgate   walkways.   Miwon   Kwon   discusses   the   differences   and   function   of  

identity   of   the   artists   of   its   places   in   her   essay  Wrong   Place;   “Moving   beyond   the  

inherited   conception   of   site-­‐specific   art   as   a   grounded,   fixed   (even   if   ephemeral),  

singular  event,   the  work  of   these  younger  artists  are  seen   to  advance  an  altogether  

different  notion  of  a  site  as  predominantly  an  'inter-­‐textually'  coordinated,  multiply-­‐

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located,  discursive  field  of  operation.”47  

 

Miwon  Kwon  also  discusses  Lucy  Lippard48  assertions  we  have  a  psychological  need  

to  belong  somewhere.    Our  city  walls  are  the  foundations  of  our  home;  they  hold  our  

experiences  and  histories  and  as  Edward  Soja  implies  in  his  book  Thirdspace49  is  that  

its   part   of   our   everyday   life   influenced   in   the   unending   histories,   which   Massey  

reiterates  by  saying,   ‘People  have  multiple  connections  and   identities,   the  same  can  

be  said  for  place’50    

 

By  amalgamating  the  two  forms  of  memories  of  place  and  social  identity  the  artworks  

help  us  not  only  solidify  and  accentuate  the  differences  of  its  dwellers  as  well  as  the  

affinity  with  a  place   but  also  highlights   the  change  of  attitudes,  multi-­‐identities  and  

place   as   being   in   a   constant   state   of   flux.     The   temporal   nature   of   the   artwork   in  

contrast  to  the  visual  decay/development  (tagging51)  of  Our  Nations  Sons,  the  images  

are  reactionary  to  place  -­‐a  reaction  to  Edinburgh.    The  graffiti  and  the  deterioration  of  

the   pastings   are   all   part   of   its   continuing   charm   as   a   visual   dialogue   has   erupted  

between  the  artwork  and  its  audience.      

47  Miwon  Kwon.  The  Wrong  Place.  Art  Journal;  Spring  2000.  59.  1.  Research  Library  Core.  p.  4  48  Miwon  Kwon.  One  Place  After  Another.  2004.  MIT  Press.  p.  157.  Conclusion.  I  have  taken  reference  from   in   conjunction  with:   Lucy  Lippard;  The   lure  of   the  Local.   p.   157-­‐8   (no  direct   quotes   taken  but  great  influence  from  Lippard  in  achieving  an  understanding  of  localizing  place  and  its  identity).  49  Edward  Soja.  Thirdspace.  Blackwell.  1996.  p.  57  50Doreen,  Massey.  A  Global  Sense  of  Place  in  Reading  Human  Geography.  1997.  p.  6  51 I  have  taken  reference  from:  Style  Wars.  1983.  http://www.stylewars.com/was  a  huge  influence  and  insight  into  why  people  tag  and  create  street  murals  and  art  in  the  early  80’s  New  York.

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As  a  local,  it’s  my  view  that  the  positives  of  the  artwork  and  the  perceived  negatives  

of  the  visual  deterioration  through  tagging  are  an  expression  and  act  of  participation.    

Participation   of   the   unlawful   kind   is   still   a   mark   of   its   audience   and   of   the   cross  

hatchings   of   Edinburgh’s   residents.     Perhaps   if   there   was   more   intervention   and  

opportunity   for   more   public   artworks,   as   a   mark   of   peoples   need   to   foster   and  

enhance  our  city  by  and  for  its  people,  and  hopefully  may  take  on  some  of  the  ideals  

that  other  cities  hold  to  cultivate  public  art;  in  turn  my  website  project  will  highlight  

these  interactions  through  documentation.  

 

Can’t  we  continually  rethink  our  sense  of  place  in  contemporary  Edinburgh?    Place  is  

not   in  stasis,  we  must  consider  social  and  cultural  cross  hatchings  and   interactions,  

Massey   explains   that   these   interaction   are   not  motionless   things,   frozen   in   time.     I  

appreciate  that  a  desire  to  have  a  sense  of  place  can  be  rooted  in  the  want  for  stability  

and  is  an  unproblematic  view  in  regard  to  identity.    However,  in  our  globalized  world,  

boundaries  are  broken  and  dissolved.    In  the  festival  months  of  Edinburgh,  this  influx  

and   immediate   sense  of   globalization,   are   a  prime  example  of   (but   is  unfortunately  

time   and   event   restricted)   international   appreciation   and   subjection   of   art   and  

culture.  

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ALEPHS  MOVED  AGAIN  

 

“Their  story  begins  on  the  ground  level,  with  footsteps”  52,  and  this  is  where  it  began  

with  my   project:  Alephs  Moved   Again.       I’ve   walked   in   circles,   up  what   feels   like   a  

thousand  steps  to  the  top  of  Arthurs  Seat  and  back  down  again  to  the  Sheep’s  Heid  in  

Duddingston,   Edinburgh   and   all   around   again;   It’s   the   joy   of   the   city   I   live   in.    

Wandering   around   this   city   is   kind   of   where   this   project   started   to   take   roots.   I  

walked   around,   and   for   years   have   passed   by   the   public   art   that   is   sited   in   the  

pathways  of  Edinburgh  population  and  year  round  tourists.      

 

I  walk  past  roughly  a  hand   full  of  public  artworks  between  my  house  and  my  work  

and  I  began  to  realize  that  Edinburgh  lacks  contemporary  permanent  and  temporary  

public   artworks   (specifically   non-­‐bronzed   artworks).     Its   not   that   the   city   doesn’t  

have  an  abundance  of  memorials  and  monuments  dedicated  to   the   lives  of  admired  

and  innovative  Scots,  but  what  about  artwork  from  the  past  few  decades,  the  people  

living  in  Edinburgh’s  expression  of  contemporary  issues.    I  suppose  Edinburgh  is  now  

a  place  for  negotiations  of  place  and  artworks,  negotiation  of  that  diversity  as  part  of  

the  character  and  markers  of  place.  

 

52   Michel   de   Certeau.   The   Practice   of   Everyday   Life.   Translated   by   Steven   Rendall.   University   of  California  Press.  Berkeley.  1984.  p.  106  

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Why   Aleph’s   Moved   Again?     I   came   across   the   short   story   of   The   Aleph   by   pure  

chance,  but  at  such  a  mid  stage  in  my  project  conception  it  was  very  welcome.    The  

story  of  Aleph   is  one  which   is  a  story  of   the  passing  of   time,  grief  and  tolerance   for  

emotional   gains   and   the   meanderings   of   what   Borges   says   is   the   beginning   of   a  

madman.    But   this  madman’s  musings   in  writings  and  poetry  had  shown  an   insight  

into  The  Aleph.    Now  The  Aleph  is  a  thing,  it  is  described  as  a  malleable  point  in  your  

space,  a  presence  in  the  shape  of  a  sphere.    A  point  and  place  in  the  darkness  where  

you  become  all  seeing,  you  can  see  the  fabric  on  a  woman  in  India,  you  can  see  your  

own  bowels.      This  reminds  me  of  Baudelaire’s  description  of  the  flanuer,  a  fraction  of  

psychogeography,  at  the  beginning  of  this  chapter:  “To  be  away  from  home  and  yet  to  

feel  oneself  everywhere  at  home;   to  see   the  world,   to  be  at   the  center  of   the  world,  

and  yet  to  remain  hidden  from  the  world”53    

 

The   story   of  The  Aleph  had  made   so  much   sense   to  me   as   I   had  been   struggling   to  

understand  what   it   was   that   I   was   trying   to   define   and   appropriate   about   a   place  

being  a  fluid  concept.    I  could  read  as  much  Edward  Soja  or  Doreen  Massey  as  I'd  like,  

but  this  fictional  story  of  flexible  space  and  the  mobile  concept  of  place  gave  me  the  

visual  representation  that  I  needed  to  continue  in  my  understanding  of  the  malleable  

theory  of  place.    In  the  Borges  short  story  this  sphere  is  described  in  as  a  limitless  and  

53  Baudelaire,  Charles.  The  Painter  of  Modern  Life  and  Other  Essays.  1863.  Edited  and   translated  by  Jonathan  Mayne.  Phaidon  Press.  1964  

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all  seeing  experience:    

 

“I  saw  the  circulation  of  my  own  dark  blood;  I  saw  the  coupling  of  love  and  

the  modification  of  death;  I  saw  the  Aleph  from  every  point  and  angle,  and  

in  the  Aleph  I  saw  the  earth  and  in  the  earth  the  Aleph  and  in  the  Aleph  the  

earth;   I   saw  my  own   face   and  my  own  bowels;   I   saw  your   face;   and   I   felt  

dizzy   and  wept,   for  my   eyes   had   seen   that   secret   and   conjectured   object  

whose  name  is  common  to  all  men  but  which  no  man  has  looked  upon  -­‐-­‐  the  

unimaginable  universe.”54  

 

The  story  of  The  Aleph   is  my  visual  pointer  on   the  map  of  understanding  what   this  

flexibility  means.    It  means  that  the  thread  of  fluidity  is  integral  in  understanding  the  

dynamic  nature  a  place  has.     I   in  no  way  discredit   such  views  as  place   in   the   static  

sense  by  such  theorists  as  the  Lucy  Lippard  in  her  book;  The  Lure  of  the  Local.  

 

I  discussed  earlier   that  many  cities  use  art   to  define   themselves,   this   isn’t   always  a  

good  thing;  the  Angel  of  the  North  has  many  mixed  views.  Edinburgh  does  not  mark  

itself  by  visual  arts;  perhaps  a  counter  part  to  the  production  of  public  art  is  that  it  is  

seen   as   a   visual   instrument   of   regeneration   and   in   some   cases   gentrification.      

Edinburgh’s  city  center  doesn’t  appear  on  the  surface  to  require  such  regeneration  as  

54  The  Aleph.  Jorges  Luis  Borges.  1945.  http://www.phinnweb.org/links/literature/borges/aleph.html  

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it  counteracts   the  heritage  that   is  so   tightly  grasped  onto.    The  city  center   lacks   the  

production   of   artworks,   but   what   about   the   suburbs   of   Edinburgh.     Areas   such   as  

Wester   Hailles,   Craigmillar   and   parts   of   Leith  may   be   seen   as   some   of   places   that  

require  regeneration  but  have  a  greater  production  of  visual  arts  projects  over  recent  

years.    The  likes  of  Craigmillar  and  Wester  Hailles  miss  out  on  the  tourist  influx  and  

are   areas  with  much   council   housing   –   these   factors   can   possibly   lead   to   the  more  

liberal   production   of   art   that   engages  with   its   publics.    Wester   Hailles,  Whale   Arts  

Agency   and   their   current   projects   such   a   mural   produced   and   created   by   local  

children  and  Street  Arts   in   front  of   the  Healthy  Living  Centre  site,  Harversters  Way  

{Figure  11}  (October  2012).  

 

My  website  project  Alephs  Moved  Again;  in  conjunction  with  a  body  of  writing  acts  as  

a  form  of  dissemination  in  itself  by  documenting  and  discussing  art  in  Edinburgh  and  

place  as  a  dynamic  notion.    The  website  is  mobile  and  iPad  compatible  and  therefore  

users  are  able   to  participate  and   interact  with   the   technology  whilst  out   in   the   city  

(smartphone   dependent).    My   aim   is   to   give   this   visual   resource   to   people   and   aid  

them  in  their  possibility  of  wandering55  and  finding  artworks  with  the  information  in  

one  online  resource.     In   turn   the  website  has   the  ability   to  receive  posts  of  peoples  

findings  to  continue  the  growth  and  participation  of  the  website.   55  I  cannot  in  this  project  aid  people  in  the  flâneur  as  it  is  self-­‐defeating.    But  I  can  certainly  give  people  the  possibility  of  starting  points  and  give  people  the  ability  to  find  things  on  their  own,  whilst  having  the  online  resource  as  a  point  of  information  about  places  in  the  city,  and  also  a  place  where  they  can  post  their  findings.    This  idea  is  an  offering  of  a  possibility/way  to  experience  the  city.  

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By  documenting  artworks   in  Edinburgh  –  not   limited  to  the  city  centre,   the  website  

opens   up   the   access   to   these   works,   much   of   the   public   artworks   are   usually  

restricted  to   local   foot   traffic  and  the  usage  of   the  place.    By  using  the   Internet  as  a  

tool   of   dissemination   and   embracing   the   globalization   of   people   today   through  

technology,   I   can   expand   and  open   the   discussion   of   the   conflicts   of  place  between  

uses   and   cultures.     In   the   website   I   have   used   photography   through   Creative  

Commons   licencing   or   through  permissions   form   the  photographer.     By   linking   the  

web   image   back   to   the   original   online   location   I   am   creating   the   beginnings   of   a  

network  with  my  website  at  the  core.  This  will  enhance  the  chance  of  dissemination  

by  creating  a  network  of  communication  and  knowledge.    When  creating  the  website  

it   was   important   for   me   to   try   to   create   a   network,   as   part   of   the   premise   of   the  

website   is   not   just   to   document   the   public   artworks,   but   also   to   give   users   and  

visitors   of   the   online  map   of   artwork,   to   participate.     The   user   can   add   images   to  

existing   posts   and   comments   about   the   artwork,   which   will   produce   a   place   for  

discussion   and   review.     To   increase   the   likelihood   of   the   building   of   a   meaningful  

network   and   its   dissemination,   I   promoted   Alephs   Moved   Again   on   social   media  

networks.    All  contact  on  the  site  will  be  future  possibilities  for  the  site  to  include  the  

addition  of  other  cities.  The  website  has  the  ability  to   ‘like’  and   ‘share’  postings  and  

places  via  such  networking  sites  to  distribute  the  website.  

 

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Alephs   Moved   Again   was   born   out   of   a   reaction   to   my   frustration   with   a   lack   of  

permanent  art  in  the  streets  of  Edinburgh  (outwith  the  festival  months).    It  was  born  

from   this   idea   that   Jorge   Luis   Borges   so   wonderfully   described   as   The   Aleph,   this  

point  in  place,  space  and  time  where  you  can  see  all,  the  identities  of  all,  the  actions  of  

all  and  the  foundations  of  all.    This  idea  is  admittedly  unachievable  but  the  website  I  

have  produced  gives  you  a  chance  to  see  what  is  around  you  by  either  walking  or  via  

the  website,  to  see  an  artwork  in  your  path  and  see  the  cultures  imbued  within  that  

place   and   artwork   and   view   the   discussion   online   and   hopefully   input   from   other  

people   as   they   are   able   to   post   images   and   text   in   regard   to   artworks   and   suggest  

posts  as  myself  as  the  moderator.  

 

'Walking   is   seen   as   contrary   to   the   spirit   of   the  modern   city  with   its   promotion   of  

swift   circulation   and   the   street-­‐level   gaze   that   walking   requires   allows   one   to  

challenge   the  official   representation  of   the   city  by   cutting  across  established   routes  

and   exploring   those   marginal   and   forgotten   areas   often   overlooked   by   the   city's  

inhabitants.   In   this   way   the   act   of   walking   becomes   bound   up   with  

psychogeographical  characteristics  political  opposition  to  authority,  a  radicalism'.  56  

 

This   is  a  substantive  reference  as   it  brings   in  my   ideas  of  Edinburgh  Aesthetics  and  

how  we  should  be  productive  and  alter  the  way  art  is  produced  and  seen  in  the  city,  

56  Merlin  Coverley.  Psychogeography.  Pocket  Edition.  Oldcastle  Books.  2006.  p.  12  

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through  temporary  acts  of  art  to  release  the  city  from  its  paternalistic  views  of  what  

is   the   right   kind   of   controlled   and   permit   orientated   art   that   pedestrians   could   be  

exposed  to.  

 

Re-­‐assessing  and  attempting   to  define   the  Edinburgh  Aesthetic   is  key   in   this  paper,  

and  by  documenting   the  existing  public  art   in  Edinburgh  we  can  begin   to  pin  point  

what  areas  are  lacking  and  can  be  improved  upon.      For  example,  we  can  see  from  my  

website   that   a   large   percentage   of   the   permanent   commissioned   artworks   in  

Edinburgh   are   bronze   statues   and   sculptures   aimed   at   celebrating   the   lives   of  

extraordinary   and   influential   people.     I   conclude   that   we   require   artwork   that   not  

only  does  this  but  pushes  the  contemporary  nature  of  art,  by  including  the  residents  

in  the  production  process  and  by  maintaining  the  documentation  and  representation  

of  public  art  in  Edinburgh,  and  ideally  have  an  body  of  artists  and  residents,  much  like  

public   arts   organization:   Big   Things   on   the   Beach,   Portobello,   Edinburgh   in   the  

production   of   not   just   temporary   artworks   but   permanent   artworks   that   are  

progressive   in   style,   nature   and   subject.         I   hope   that  Alephs  Moved  Again  can,   not  

only  become  a  resource  of  information  and  mapping  of  contemporary  public  art  but  

also   to  become  a  platform   for   the  production  and  encouragement  of  public   art   and  

events  in  the  long  run.        

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CONCLUSION  

 

In  my  attempt  to  define  the  Edinburgh  Aesthetic  I  have  created  my  interpretation  and  

attempt   to   map   points   of   visual   expressions   and   act   as   a   resource   for   the  

dissemination   of   Edinburgh’s   public   art;   and   I   will   continue   to   document   new  

artworks  and  events  in  the  future.    I  hope  to  distribute  the  artworks  that  we  have  in  

our   city,   in   the   future  be  a  place   to  disseminate   the  public   art   events  and  artworks  

Edinburgh  has,  be  a  platform  for   the  production  of  new  artworks,  and  continuously  

encourage  a  reaction  and  expression  of  the  city.        

 

I  started  this  project  for  myself,  as  I  wanted  to  know  what  artworks  are  in  the  streets  

of  Edinburgh  and  I  was  frustrated  by  conservative  nature  and  the  lack  of  production  

over  the  past  few  decades.    By  cataloguing  and  documenting  existing  public  artworks  

on  my  specifically  created  website;  permanent,   temporary/ephemeral  artworks  and  

curiosities  are  place  markers  of  the  city.    The  website  documents  the  place  where  the  

artwork   resides   and   offer   a   point   of   discussion   of   the   context   of   the   artwork.     The  

dynamic  nature  of  place  and  the  artworks  in  its  place  is  the  binding  goal  behind  the  

project.    I  hope  those  like  myself  who  are  interested  in  public  artworks  will  find  this  

website  a  valuable  resource  and  encouragement   in  the  proposals  and  production  of  

public  art.  

 

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I  must  mention  that  by  focusing  the  production  of  public  art  by  engaging  with  and  for  

the   residents;  by  omitting   such  policy   requirements   to  encourage  economic  growth  

and  activity  mentioned   in   chapter  1   is   that   I   assume   that   it  will   produce  or   lead   to  

producing   ‘good’  art.    This  may  not   in   fact  be  the  case,  my  conclusion  arrives  at   the  

possibility   that   the   creation   of   artwork,   by   working   equally   with   both   policy   and  

creation  to  produce  artwork,  which  is  representative  of  current  cultural  expressions  

of   the  public,  whilst   respecting  and  being  accepting  of   the  heritage  Edinburgh   is   so  

proud  of.    

 

In  the  process  of  this  project,  I  have  produced  this  website;  I  have  had  online  tutorials  

in  regard  to  using  a  customized  template   in  conjunction  with  wordpress.com  which  

includes  an   integrated  map,  and  assistance  when  using  CSS  programming   language;  

and  guidance  in  the  design  and  user  activity  of  Alephs  Moved  Again.    

 

Guidance   and   tutorials   were   necessary   as   I   had   no   prior   knowledge   of   using   and  

adapting   code   in   the   developing   of   a   custom  website,   I   have   learnt   a   great   amount  

about   the  creation  of   template  websites  and  I  am  confident   in   the  maintenance  and  

development   of   the   further   use   of   the   website.     For   example   in   the   future   the  

development  of  the  project  will  include:    

 

 

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• Smartphone  application  launch  (Will  be  available  on  the  iTunes  Store)  

• Expand  the  scope,  to  include  user  reviews  and  writing  by  others  on  the  topic  of  

public  arts.  

• Become  a  platform  for  the  creation  of  temporary  public  arts.  

• Become  a  well  known  popular  listings  resource  of  public  art.  

• Multiple  city  capability  to  other  cities  and  places  

 

By   exploring   Edinburgh   with   my   website   as   a   tool,   and   attempting   to   define   the  

Edinburgh  Aesthetic,   I’ve  demonstrated  that  Public  Art   in  this  city   is  based  and  stifled  

by   the   sensibility   of   its   independent   commissioning   bodies,   as   well   as   the   City   of  

Edinburgh   Council   as   the   production   of   public   art   is   preoccupied   with   heritage,  

conservation   of   history   and   tourism   to   produce   non   bronzed   monument   based,  

progressive  public  artworks.    

 

Through   documenting   the   artworks   in   the   city,  many   permanent   public   artworks   are  

produced   in   association   with   the   Percent   for   Art   scheme,   administrated   by   the   City  

Council.     The   majority   of   these   artworks   are   produced   in   association   with   private  

organizations,   in  part  as  a  catalyst  of  regeneration  or  enhancement  of  historical  areas,  

to   better   and   encourage   communities   –   although   as   Doreen  Massey   and   Gillian   Rose  

state  in  their  report  commissioned  by  Milton  Keynes  City  Council,  that  there  is  no  real  

evidence  that  public  art  achieves  any  sense  of  regeneration  of  a  place.  

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Place   has   been   a   binding   thread   throughout   this   research   to   explore   the   Edinburgh  

Aesthetic  and  to  document  and  assess  public  art  in  this  city.    By  referencing  place  as  a  

fluid  notion   it  acknowledges  Edinburgh   is  a  city   full  of  cross-­‐hatchings  of  cultures  and  

identities,   constantly   in   flux.     In   documenting   the   artworks   I   have   highlighted   the  

artworks  we  have,  what  is  lacking  and  in  my  opinion  what  is  required  to  produce  new  

relevant   contemporary   public   art   in   Edinburgh.     The   long-­‐term   goal   in   for   the  

acknowledgment  of  a  culturally  dynamic  (hybridity57)  city   is   to  give  rise   to  something  

new,  new  negotiations  of  meaning  and  representation.  

 

The   geographer’s   viewpoint   and   analysis   of   a   dynamic   sense   of   place   in   conjunction  

with   my   attempted   definition   of   the   Edinburgh   Aesthetic   has   been   essential   in  

understanding   the   use   of   public   artworks,   and   discussing   the   context   in   which   they  

currently  sit   to  enable  me  to  document   the  artworks  and  progress  with  my  project   to  

become  a  resource.          

   

57   Referenced   from   Jonathan  Rutherford.   "The   Third   Space.   Interview  with  Homi   Bhabha."   Identity:  Community,  Culture,  Difference.  London:  Lawrence  &  Wishart.  1998.  p.  211    

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WEBSITE  AND  PORTFOLIO  LOCATION  

 My  Master’s  Project  has  culminated  in  the  production  and  dissemination  of  the  website  Alephs  Moved  Again,  which  documents  public  art  in  Edinburgh.      

• The  website  for  assessment  is:  alephsmovedagain.com    Portfolio  information  and  links  in  regard  to  the  website  Alephs  Moved  Again    

• Portfolio  as  part  of  the  assessment  is  available:  o http://catrionablackdinham.wordpress.com/  

     

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ILLUSTRATION  FIGURE  LIST  

 

{Figure  1,  p.1}  

   

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{Figure  2,  p.  6,  15,  18}  

• David  Hume,  Alexander  Stoddart,  Royal  Mile  Edinburgh,  1995-­‐97  

• Danny  Yee,  who  has   licensed   it   under  GFDL,  Creative  Commons  Generic  Attribution   /   Share-­‐

Alike  3.0  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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{Figure  3,  p.  9}  

• Horse,  Rider,  Eagle,  Eoghan  Bridge,  Stockbridge,  Edinburgh,  1997  

• ©  Copyright  Kim  Traynor  and  licensed  for  reuse  under  this  Creative  Commons  Licence.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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{Figure  4,  p.  9}  

• Tilted  Arc,  New  York,  Richard  Serra,  1981  

• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Tilted_arc_en.jpg  

• Per   §   107   it   is   believed   that   reproduction   for   criticism,   comment,   teaching   and   scholarship  

constitutes  fair  use  and  does  not  infringe  copyright.  

 

 

{Figure  5,  p.  13}  

• 6  Times,  Edinburgh,  Antony  Gormley,  2010  

• ©  Copyright  Greame  Pow  and  licensed  for  reuse  under  this  Creative  Commons  Licence.  

 

 

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54

{Figure  6,  p.  14,  17}  

• Industry  of  Leith,  Street  Artworks,  Tim  Chalk  and  Paul  Grime  1986  

• ©  Copyright  Kim  Traynor  and  licensed  for  reuse  under  this  Creative  Commons  Licence.  

 

 

{Figure  7,  p.  18}  

• Anish  Kapoor,  Cloud  Gate,  Chicago  

• http://www.flickr.com/photos/teachandlearn/with/4059945150/  

 

 

 

 

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{Figure  8,  p.  18}  

• Orbit  Tower,  Anish  Kapoor  and  Cecil  Barmond,  London,  2012  

• http://www.flickr.com/photos/11561957@N06/with/7530787670/  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Alephs Moved Again

56

{Figure  9,  p.  18}  

• The  Spire  of  Dublin,  officially  called  the  Monument  of  Light,  Ian  Ritchie,  2003  

• Permission  is  granted  to  copy,  distribute  and/or  modify  this  document  under  the  terms  of  

the  GNU  Free  Documentation  License  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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{Figure  10,  p.  21}  

• Our  Nations  Son’s,  Joe  Caslin,  Edinburgh,  2011  

• Joe  Caslin  and  S  Moon  have  copyright  for  all  images  of  project  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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58

{Figure  11,  p.  26}  

• WHALE  arts  Agency  Wester  Hailles,  Mural  2012  

• https://fbcdn-­‐sphotos-­‐h-­‐a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-­‐ak-­‐

ash4/308043_455587904483389_2030224308_n.jpg  

 

 

   

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