9 June 1999

Dundee artist's Lewis sculptures on Civic Award shortlist

Three stone sculptures on the island of Lewis created by a professor of art at the University of Dundee have been shortlisted for Europe's biggest environmental improvement award.

Well known artist Will Maclean, who teaches fine art at Duncan of Jordanstone College, is one of a handful of individuals whose concepts have been shortlisted for this year's Civic Trust awards. The awards, which bring their winners prestige and a plaque, but no prize money, attracted 570 UK entries.

It was Professor Maclean's unusual memorials to crofters' revolts around a hundred years ago which attracted the judges. The three sculptures created from local stone and suggesting natural rock formations, cairns and upturned boats were commissioned by a local group The Cuimhneachain nan Gaisgeach - which means 'commemorating the heroes of our land struggle'.

They turned to Professor Maclean whose award winning art has regularly found its inspiration in the Highlands.

He explained : ' Although my parents were from Skye and Wester Ross, one of my own ancestors was from the island of Lewis so I did feel part of the Lewis culture, however remote.'

Professor Maclean began by talking to the local committees and researching the history of the revolts of 1887, 1888 and 1919 when the crofters rose up against estate landlords to defend their traditional rights. His ideas for the three memorials - each in a different site and commemorating the three separate incidents - were then looked at by an engineer and a local stonemason and historian, Jim Crawford, commissioned to carry out the building work. Each community contributed to fund raising and the project took around five years from start to finish./more

'The stone work is quite exceptional,' says the professor. 'Some of the stones have also been reclaimed from croft houses and local beaches which adds further poignancy to the sculptures.'

It is a mark of the memorials' success that over 800 Lewis people turned out to the opening ceremony for the final sculpture at Aignish.

Giving his reaction to the announcement of the Civic Trust shortlist, Professor Maclean said : 'It was a great surprise to be included. Artists don't usually feature in architectural awards. If the sculptures do win it will be a just reward for the Lewis community to be recognised in this way.'

Drawings and photographs of the Lewis memorials will be included in an exhibition which will include responses to land rights issues organised in conjunction with the Lubicon Cree Tribe of Canada, sponsored by the British Council which will be shown in Inverness and Canada from the late spring.

Last year's winners included the restored Privy Gardens at Hampton Court Palace and the Cable and Wireless Training college on an industrial estate in Coventry.

The winners of this year's awards are expected to be announced on 18 April.