Isolation Blog - A long way from Lochmaddy

I am currently isolated at home in Dorking, Surrey.  I should have been in Lochmaddy, North Uist this week finalising preparations for the exhibition ‘The Photographs of Archie Chisholm’ at Taigh Chearsabhagh Museum and Arts Centre.  Obviously the transport shutdown stopped me getting there, but the closure of museums across the country has also put the launch of the event into some uncertainty.  

We have made a selection of Archie’s photographs focusing on North Uist, but did not ignore some of his ‘best shots’ from the other islands.  In addition we have gathered together a number of artefacts from the period Archie Chisholm was resident in Lochmaddy from family and other collections.  Not sure where we go with the stalled project now – maybe the exhibition can be rescheduled or perhaps we can develop something on-line.  I will post again with any update on the situation.

Interesting to reflect that when Archie was in his first decade in Lochmaddy, far from being locked DOWN he was locked OUT of just about all the accommodation on North Uist following his disputes with the North Uist estate owner Sir John Campbell-Orde.  As a result he had to tough it out as a lodger with the Manager at the local Bank of Scotland for seven years.  I am hoping our present problems last for a considerably shorter time.

 Michael Cope