out of the blue is a multi-arts venue committed to providing space for a range of community arts activities including exhibitions, classes, rehearsals, special events, meetings, performances, markets and festivals.

EXHIBITIONS

 

The Land and the Sea: Alastair Cook
Friday 30th July - Saturday 14th August (excluding Sundays)
10am - 5pm
Free entry


Alastair's film and photographic work is guided by his knowledge, skill and experience as a conservation architect. His work is rooted in place and the intrinsic connections between people, land and heritage.  This exhibition, his first major solo-show in Edinburgh, draws on several powerful photographic series from throughout his career that reflect these influences.

The Land and the Sea is an exhibition of black and white 35mm film photographs documenting Alastair's photographic and artistic response to the people, heritage and lands of our eastern seaboard.  It draws together work from his solo show Sutherland | Caithness, exhibited at Timespan in Helmsdale earlier this year, alongside new work detailing the hinterland between land and sea, along the east coast from Edinburgh to The Holy Island of Lindisfarne. Alastair, in a recent profile by Creative Boom, offers insight into his working practice:
 
"My work is centred on the immediate; I try to reflect what I see, what I feel, through this lens. I try to avoid image manipulation, letting the film or 35mm negative be raw and honest. This often makes for dark and derelict imagery, but often tinged with positivity, with a move forward."

Giles Sutherland, in his review of Sutherland | Caithness for Hi-Arts Magazine states:
 
"Alastair Cook's black and white photographic images of Caithness and Sutherland - shot on 35mm film and hand-printed - repay close attention…[they are] carefully composed and conceived studies which use the camera's framing eye to convey rich metaphor and a sense of quiet, spiritual wonderment."

As well as still imagery, Alastair works extensively with film media and moving image. His recent projects include MALIN III, a 35 minute film with a score composed in collaboration with cellist Luca Nasciuti. It was premiered live at the Roxy Art House in June and is being screened with live cello accompaniment throughout Europe this summer. Working in collaboration with established poets, Alastair also produces short films of their work, regularly publishing his new films on his website, www.alastaircook.com

 


 If you would like to hold your own class, use the studio for rehearsals or are looking for a venue for your an event of your own please see our book a space page. 

Disclaimer: While we make every effort to ensure that information regarding events is up-to-date and accurate, details can change without notice. We advise to contact event organisers directly to confirm all details.