7am. 11th January 2012.

A fixed site and build of a single star gazing shelter is not going to be a realistic possibility. In light of access, public health, safety and maintenance of a permanent shelter within the Galloway Forest Park, they have radically revised their artistic intent and are making a new proposal.

They are keen to engage with the park in a way that expands the public understanding and experience of The Dark Sky within the context of a natural place. Clearly the fact that the place is a wilderness in a specific location is why the site is dark, and also why it is wonderful. The obstacles they have encountered have massively been around how to facilitate their intent whilst adhering to the policy of the Forestry Commission concerning the public use of such a unique dark place, both as a recreational environment and as a working forest.

In initial dialogues with Galloway Forest personnel, they expressed a desire to situate the work in a remote area, Culsharg. This became untenable due to access and safety issues. They were then encouraged to consider the area around Black Lock which is not remote, in which static art work already exists and where they found themselves compromising their shelter structure and sonic interface around what turned out to be limitations. Neither the artists nor the Forestry Commission were satisfied with these outcomes and so the artists have decided to take the work in an entirely new direction.

This trip sees them revisiting sites, walking in from other directions reevaluting design, looking, walking and thinking tangentially.

Sonically, Matthews is proposing to make furniture that creates silence for the sitter, so that the sky can be contemplated without external sonic distraction. These objects will be called Silent Chairs for gazing and will be based on the angle and design of the traditional astronomer’s chair but adjustable for varying heights. She is hoping that because these chairs are about sitting outside so not bothy specific, that they go re-view researched locations. The idea of an edition of four is considered; sitting as pairs of twins, one looking north, one looking south. They could even be in different locations. What this simplicity and ease of use does is to allow the artists, the visitors and the work back into the area of the forest they found the most rewarding and removed from the urban world.

For the shelter aspect of the work McIntosh is considering the design of survival suits. Designed in consultation with fabricators who make suits for the Arctic. To be hi tech, durable and visually considered. The user will be able to lie down anywhere in the forest and look up, no matter what the ground condition or temperature. They will be made in visual partnership with the seats so that the two work together as sympathetic objects. McIntosh is an ex fashion designer who worked at KENZO, Paris so she will bring a strong design sensibility to these wearable artworks in terms of fabrication, surface pattern and material. Meaning they become almost moving sculptures/performance when worn.

These suits will be stored locally and the public will be able to pre-book them online through the Yird Muin Starn website. They will be free to use and released for a maximum period of two nights with ID deposit such as passport/credit card. McIntosh intends to make at least twelve of these suits in a range of sizes, the astronomically researched drawings and paintings she has been making throughout feeding the colour and design of their external fabric.

2pm. 11th January 2012.

They presented this new direction to Keith and team at the FC in the Newton Stewart office this morning. Unblinkingly, they seemed happy to hear of the new ideas. At the possibility of forest park visitors moving around in the dark in bespoke space suits with unique designs. Fluorescent please? … the problems with fixed shelter building suddenly dispersed. Giant Star Gazing chairs were also favoured, yes, up around White Laggan bothy, in the heart of the Forest maybe ? tenable yes.

The logistics around spacesuit stewardship, maintenance and access as well as vandal avoidance to the chairs need work, but overall, it’s a good plan.

Onwards.