Battle Scars was created as a response to a research trip on Hoy, Orkney in September ’09 and shown as part of the exhibition Hoy3 at the Pier Arts Centre, Stromness.
The project features kelp collected on the beaches of Scapa Flow and explores the power of associations and the history of the Orkney waters. Scapa Flow is one of Britain's most historic stretches of water and has played an important role in trade and conflict throughout the centuries - especially during both World Wars. Kelp also has a rich history in Orkney and has periodically been one of the main sources of income for the islanders.
Walking along the beach after a storm gives the distinct association of walking over living tissue; the transient debris of centuries, washed up to become part of an ongoing symbiosis of formation and decay.
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