Hulabhaig

Current Artist in Residence

Rupachitta Robertson (Rupa) is currently exploring ideas and seeking inspiration from Baile na Cille church and Uig in a short winter residency.

Bail’ na cille church is an extraordinary place, perched on a hill overlooking Uig bay and the surrounding villages. I was feeling limited by the size of my studio in Giosla and wanted to break into large work.
I trained as a sculptor at Glasgow School of Art and have mainly been responding to place: the Glasgow docks as they were being filled in, floating logs in lochs, designing shop windows, painting and sculpting landscapes and portraits.
The space in Bail’ na cille is resonant. Its history goes back beyond the actual building which was built around 1829 I just can't help responding to the space. To the ship like woodwork in the roof - were the joiners boat-makers? The carved names on the pews - what happened to those people? The space calls me to explore it-off the walls, off the floor.
The first thing I did before I started work was circle the building three times, deiseil, sunwise. Noticing, taking in, clearing the air.
I am not a Christian, while wanting to be sensitive to the history of the place, I am also aware of the damage authoritarian Christianity has done, particularly to women. I want to explore the powerful female figures of the history of this place. The red of blood and life, the black of the church and death.

‘S e àite annasach a th’ ann an Eaglais Bhail’ na Cille. Na suidhe air cnoc os cionn Traigh Uige tha i a’ coimhead thairis air an sgìre. Bha mi ag iarraidh obair nas motha na tha àbhaisteach dhomh a dheanamh. Rinn mi ceum is for-cheam ann an snaitheadh aig Sgoil Ealain Glaschu is tha uidh agam a bhith a’ freagairt san àrainneachd: na long-lannan Cluaidh nuair a bha iad a’ dol à bith, a’ seòladh sailean ann an Loch Obha, a’ dealbhachadh uinneagan bhùthan, a’ peantadh is a’ cruthachadh ìomhaighean thìr is daoine. Tha mac-talla san eaglais. Th an eachdraidh aice dol air ais fada seachad air an togalach fhèin a chaidh a thogail ann an 1829. Chan urrainn dhomh ach an àite a fhreagairt, don mhullach a tha cho coltach ri bàta -an e luchd-togail luing a rinn e? Cò snaith na ceud litrichean air na suidheachan is dè thachair dhaibh? Tha an àite ag iarraidh orm rannsachadh air -far na ballachan, far an làr. A chiad rud a rinn mi mus do thoisich mi ag obair san eaglais chaidh mi cuairt tri tursan deiseil oirre. Mhothachail, fosgailte, ag èisteachd, ùrachadh. Chan e crìosdaidh a th’ annam, ged a tha mi ag iarraidh a bhith acarach aig an aon àm tha mi mhothachail air a chron ùghdarrasachd a rinn Chrìosdaidheachd, gu sònraichte air boireannaich. Tha mi an dòchas a bhith rùrachadh eachdraidh na boireannaich cùmhachdail a bha san àite. An dearg, fuil is beatha is an dubh, bàs is an eaglais.

Rupa on Instagram

Supporting Artists from the Western Isles

Hulabhaig is committed to supporting artists who are from, or are currently working in the Western Isles. We use our @Hulabhaig Instagram account to showcase new artwork being created by artists from these islands.

If you would like us to showcase some of you your newly created artwork on our Instagram account, please email an image and details to andy@hulabhaig.com

Please Note: This is not an effort to sell your artwork, and we will not show prices. Our aim is to help to raise your profile and collectively promote the Outer Hebrides as an active community of contemporary artists creating new artwork.

Previously Supported Artists

Hulabhaig is delighted to have been able to support and show work from the following artists.

Artists @ Baile na Cille Church