MiK Heritage Connections, Re-Imagining Rita and Masataka Taketsuru research and process
In all of our collaborations for the pilot exhibition at Kirkintilloch Town Hall, new insights, research and making skills were at the centre of our approach. Here, participants from Kirkintilloch Women’s Aid and Kirkintilloch High School collaborated with artist Elspeth Lamb on our second pilot exhibition at Kirkintilloch Town Hall. Together, they explored the EDLC photo archive, focusing on Rita Cowan’s life in Japan, and developed new heritage-inspired images using Japanese techniques.
Working with Elspeth, participants individually researched and responded to the stories and EDLC collections relating to Rita Cowan to make new heritage-inspired images. The process involved visits to the Archive and Collections, offering new insights as they identified and selected images and stories that resonated with them: from Rita’s kimono and obi sash, to graphics, manga comics and photos, all offered inspiration for new ideas. These were explored and interwoven with traditional Japanese print techniques such as print – Kappazuri (stencil printing) and also marbling, a technique which originated in Japan, and Japanese stab binding were developed with participants to allow them to collate identified words, writing, images, drawings and prints that recorded their interpretations of Rita’s life and history.
Participants and wider visitors from Women’s Aid and Kirkintilloch High also met with Elspeth during the exhibition to talk about the works and the project. A well attended Public talk about Rita and Masataka was also delivered by EDLC’s Head of Collections.
The MiK Exhibitions and Community Engagement programme was a year long pilot of exhibitions, realised through a collaboration between local groups in the community, artists and the Made in Kirkintilloch project. Each exhibition drew on local heritage knowledge and interest as a catalyst for exhibition-making. The programme was developed by Fiona Dean working with communities, artists and EDLC staff.
